Houston Chronicle By Amber Elliott, Staff writer – November 13, 2024
Gensler’s design creates 450,000-sq. ft. of new revenue generating space and 1,500 parking spots.
The Astrodome became the world’s first domed stadium upon opening its doors in 1965. Financed and developed primarily by then-mayor Roy Hofheinz, the Astrodome served as the home of the Astros, Oilers and, for a short time, the Rockets.
Its design was inspired by the Colosseum in Rome. It could seat 50,000 — though a record 68,266 fans packed in for a George Strait performance in 2002. Its inaugural use of artificial grass coined the term AstroTurf. It boasted the first-ever LED scoreboard. It was the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s primary venue from 1966 to 2002. And it earned the nickname of the Eighth Wonder of the World.
On Wednesday, the Astrodome Conservancy unveiled…