March 16, 2025 – Houston Chronicle
Dear Rodeo,
Congratulations, you’ve done it again- another great Rodeo experience for Houstonians and
visitors to our city. From the food to the cowboys to the livestock to the music, and did we
mention food? And you did it all in the shadow of Houston’s most recognized icon,
the Astrodome.
That’s right, the home of the Rodeo for decades, the 8th Wonder of the World, the landmark
Astrodome. There is a great concept to solve the challenge of what to do with the Astrodome,
address your needs at NRG Park, and provide opportunity for the Rodeo to grow, profit, and
control your destiny. The idea that makes the most sense? COME HOME TO THE DOME!
You need a new arena? Utilizing the Dome is actually the least expensive way to build a new,
state of the art arena for you. With space to spare, envision your arena with upgraded seating,
premium spaces and suites, restaurants, bars and a brewery, practice arenas, exhibition space,
horse and livestock stalls, parking, a rodeo-themed hotel, whatever you want. You can have it all
in the Astrodome.
Imagine expanding the wine bars and offering indoor and outdoor experiences for Rodeo
patrons. What about the Hideout? Bring it back to the Dome. And for those who can’t get to
the Rodeo during March? Consider a year-round experience that tells the story of the Houston
Livestock Show & Rodeo, finally giving a home to the wonderful artifacts and Rodeo costumes
and memorabilia from the past 90 years. What about mechanical sheep for the kids to practice
their mutton-busting?
Add classroom and meeting spaces for your 40,000 volunteers and the hundreds and thousands
of school-age children across the region who benefit from your generous educational programs
and offerings. Invite them to your house finally. All the ingredients for a one-of-a-kind Rodeo
experience in a beloved and revered landmark. A win-win-win for the Rodeo, Harris County, and
the patrons and people of Houston and Harris County.
The Astrodome can be anything you want and need. The Vision: Astrodome concept unveiled
last fall by the Astrodome Conservancy is intended to be a conversation starter. Let’s get that
conversation going, what do you say? Bringing the Rodeo home to the Dome addresses the
current needs and desires you have shared with us over the years. And it does so in the most
economical and respectful way. Putting your new arena inside the Dome could potentially save
Harris County taxpayers between $200-400 Million dollars. Wow. That’s a lot of corndogs and
fried twinkies.
And the best part? You could be in the driver’s seat. As the primary tenant of a reimagined
Astrodome, the Rodeo could control its fate, meet its needs, and take advantage of the economic
benefits available to special buildings like this: the Astrodome is a designated historic landmark,
so its redevelopment would benefit from hundreds of millions of dollars in private money, thereby
significantly reducing the costs to the taxpayers and tenants.
Recent polls show overwhelming support for saving and reimagining the Astrodome. In February
2025 the Houston Business Journal poll showed 95% of respondents agree that repurposing the
Dome is a better alternative to demolition.
What do you say? Let’s talk about it!
Luv Ya,
The Astrodome Conservancy
Champion of the landmark Astrodome on behalf of the people of Houston and Harris County
www.AstrodomeConservancy.org