Astrodome facts for kids
| The Astrodome, Eighth Wonder of the World | |
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| Former names | The Astrodome Harris County Domed Stadium |
|---|---|
| Location | 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, Texas 77054 U.S. |
| Owner | Harris County |
| Operator | Astrodome USA |
| Capacity | 62,439 Football 54,816 Baseball |
| Surface | Grass (1965) Astroturf (1966–present) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 3, 1962 |
| Opened | April 12, 1965 |
| Closed | December 21, 1996 (NFL) October 9, 1999 (MLB) 2003 (rodeo) 2004 (official) |
| Demolished | N/A |
| Construction cost | $35 million USD |
| Architect | Hermon Lloyd & W.B. Morgan and Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson |
| Tenants | |
| Houston Oilers (NFL) 1968–1997 Houston Astros (MLB) (1965-1999) Houston Gamblers (USFL) (1984-1985) Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (1966-2003) |
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The Astrodome, also known as the "Reliant Astrodome," is a famous domed sports stadium. It was the very first of its kind ever built! You can find it in Houston, Texas. It's part of a bigger area called Reliant Park. This amazing building opened its doors in 1965. Back then, people called it the Harris County Domed Stadium. It was also nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World" because it was so impressive.
In 2000, a company called Reliant Energy bought the right to name the building. This is why it was sometimes called the "Reliant Astrodome."
A Special Shelter
In August and September 2005, the Astrodome became a safe place for many people. It was used as a shelter for those who had to leave their homes because of Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of people found safety and help inside the dome during this difficult time.
Famous Moments and Events
The Astrodome hosted many exciting events over the years. It was a place where history was made in sports and entertainment.
- The very first home run hit in the Astrodome was by a famous player named Mickey Mantle. This happened on April 9, 1965, during a game between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees.
- A movie called Brewster McCloud, made in 1970, was filmed inside the Astrodome. It showed off the unique design of the building.
- In 1986, the Astrodome saw one of the longest baseball games in history. It was a 16-inning game between the Houston Astros and the New York Mets. The Mets won the game 5-3.
- The "Game of the Century" in college basketball happened here in 1968. It was a huge game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins. This game was the first regular season college game ever shown on TV across the whole country during prime time. It helped make college basketball very popular on television.
- The Astrodome also hosted a huge wrestling event called WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001. This event is remembered as a very important moment in wrestling history.
Images for kids
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Astrodome Skylights
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Astrodome interior in 2004
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The NRG Park area in Houston, Texas. This photo from 2010 shows the Astrodome with NRG Stadium in the middle.
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People who found shelter in the Astrodome after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
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An aerial view of the Astrodome in 1999.
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Astrolite, the Astrodome's scoreboard, in 1969. It was the world's first animated scoreboard!
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The playing field in 1999.
_Skylights.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Astrodome para niños
