Another Astrodome study begins just a week after $1 billion plan released

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- One week after renderings were released showing what the Astrodome could be, the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation approved another study on what to do with the facility.

Bishop James Dixon, who chairs HCSCC, the group that manages NRG Park, said they are working on the property's future.

"We want to make sure, of course, the Astrodome figures into that equation, along with our other facilities," Dixon said.

In a release, HCSCC said the study "will estimate the cost of restoring the Astrodome to basic operational functionality. This approach does not include full historic preservation or upgrades to meet modern venue standards but would address necessary improvements such as plumbing and HVAC systems to allow safe occupancy. The second part of the study will assess the cost of removing the structure."

Dixon said the study will cost at most $350,000.

The announcement comes one week after the Astrodome Conservancy, a non-profit organization aimed at restoring the Dome, announced the plan, which includes four state-of-the-art buildings under the Dome's roof and a retail village.

Lifelong Houstonian Patricia Thibodeaux was familiar with the plan.

"I'm looking forward to it if that's really going to happen," Thibodeaux said. "I hope it does."

Dixon said they respect the plan, but they are not ready to support it until they have the results of their study, which could include tearing the building down.

"What we've said to them continually from the very beginning is that we're not prepared to support a vision that anyone brings until we have this data that drives the conversation because they're not the fiduciary responsible entity," Dixon said. "We are."

As early as 2016, ABC13 reported on an "endless stream of studies" on what to do with the Astrodome.

Dixon said they are in a better position to move forward with plans after they get the study results, and that is their intention.

"The stakeholders, including the county, the Texans, the Rodeo, we're all excited about moving forward," Dixon said. "We just want to do that very thoughtfully, very deliberately."

In response to the announcement about the study, the Astrodome Conservancy said it is pleased the HCSCC is considering the Astrodome in its plans for the future of NRG Park.

"The Conservancy has invested more than $3.5 million in private, philanthropic dollars for studies about design, environmental, economic, and fiscal impacts, market readiness, and public opinion," executive director Beth Wiedower Jackson said in a statement. "We offer this body of work to HCSCC free of cost to spur redevelopment of the landmark Astrodome. We envision a dynamic, revenue-generating entertainment destination in a repurposed Astrodome."

Wiedower Jackson said they are not pleased to hear that demolition remains on the table but believe this is a step in the right direction for the Astrodome.

Although the ultimate decision on the Astrodome is left up to county commissioners, Houston's Mayor John Whitmire said, "I have been very clear that I do not support using public money on something the voters have already spoken about regarding the Houston Astrodome."

In 2017, then-state senator John Whitmire filed Senate Bill 884, dubbed the "Harris County Taxpayer Protection Act." The bill would have required the county to obtain voter approval for any improvement or redevelopment to the Astrodome, costing $10 million or more. Although it passed out of the Texas Senate, it got stuck in the Texas House of Representatives, which ultimately died when the session ended.

Dixon said the study should be finished in a few months but has yet to give an exact time. He did not say whether the results would say the building could stay or needed to go or whether the findings would indicate what specifically could be done with the building.

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