Astrodome facts for kids
Astrodome in 2014
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| Former names |
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| Address | 8400 Kirby Drive |
| Location | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 29°41′6″N 95°24′28″W / 29.68500°N 95.40778°W |
| Public transit | NRG Park |
| Owner | Harris County |
| Operator | Astrodome USA |
| Record attendance | George Strait concert, 68,266 |
| Field size |
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| Surface |
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| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 3, 1962 |
| Built | March 18, 1963–November 1964  |
| Opened | April 9, 1965 |
| Renovated | 1988–1989 |
| Closed | 2008 |
| Demolished | December 8, 2013 (partial) |
| Construction cost | US$35 million ($325 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect |
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| Structural engineer | Walter P Moore |
| Services engineer |
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| General contractor | H. A. Lott, Inc. |
| Tenants | |
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The Astrodome
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001099 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 15, 2014 |
The NRG Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome, was the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium. It is located in Houston, Texas, United States. This amazing building could hold about 50,000 fans. A record 68,266 people once attended a George Strait concert there in 2002.
The Astrodome was a big idea from Roy Hofheinz, a former mayor of Houston. Construction started in 1963, and it opened in 1965. It was home to the Houston Astros baseball team from 1965 to 1999. The Houston Oilers football team also played there from 1968 to 1996. Even the Houston Rockets basketball team used it part-time from 1971 to 1975.
The Astrodome was also the main place for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1966 to 2002. When it first opened, it was called the Harris County Domed Stadium. People nicknamed it the "Eighth Wonder of the World" because it was so impressive.
When the natural grass inside the stadium died, the Astrodome became the first major sports venue to use artificial turf in 1966. This new turf became famous as AstroTurf. The stadium also had another cool invention: the "Astrolite," which was the first animated scoreboard.
By the 1990s, the Astrodome was getting old. The Oilers football team moved to Tennessee in 1996. The Astros baseball team moved to a new stadium in 2000. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also moved to the nearby NRG Stadium in 2003.
Even without main teams, the Astrodome still hosted events in the early 2000s. In 2005, it became a shelter for people from New Orleans who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. In 2008, the Astrodome was closed because it didn't meet fire safety rules. Parts of it were taken down in 2013. However, in 2014, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This important listing stopped the rest of the building from being demolished. Today, most of the Astrodome is still standing. It has been closed to the public since 2009 and is used for storage.
Contents
The Astrodome's Story
How the Astrodome Idea Started
Major League Baseball decided to add teams in Houston in 1960. The Houston Colt .45s (later called the Astros) were set to start playing in 1962. Roy Hofheinz and his team promised to build a covered stadium. This was important because Houston has a subtropical climate with very hot, humid summers and lots of rain.
Hofheinz got the idea for the Astrodome after a trip to Rome. He learned that the ancient Colosseum had a giant fabric awning to protect people from the sun. He had also been rained out of too many baseball games at Buffalo Stadium in Houston. He wanted to bring major league baseball to the city and knew a covered stadium was the answer.
Building the Amazing Dome
The Astrodome was designed by several architects and engineers. Walter P Moore Engineers helped with the structure. It was built by H. A. Lott, Inc. for Harris County. The stadium is as tall as an 18-story building and covers about 9.5 acres.
The dome itself is 710 feet (220 m) wide. The ceiling is 208 feet (63 m) above the playing field. The field is actually 25 feet (7.6 m) below street level. The stadium also had a special air conditioning system to keep everyone cool.
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The famous scoreboard, called the "Astrolite," was designed by Fair Play Scoreboards. It was the first animated scoreboard ever, costing $2.1 million. The Astrodome was finished in November 1964, ahead of schedule. It was designed to host both football and baseball games. It inspired other domed stadiums like the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
To see how the indoor air would affect baseball pitches, famous player Satchel Paige threw the first pitches in the Astrodome in February 1965. He said it was a "pitcher's paradise" because there was no wind to mess with the ball.
Grand Opening Day
The Astrodome officially opened on April 9, 1965. A huge crowd of 47,879 people watched an exhibition baseball game. The Astros played against the New York Yankees. Important guests like President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird, were there.
President Johnson even watched the game from a special box. He praised the stadium, calling it "massive" and "beautiful." The Yankees' Mickey Mantle hit the first home run in the Astrodome during this game. The Astros won 2–1.
The first artist to perform at the Astrodome was Judy Garland on December 17, 1965. The Supremes opened for her. She sang many popular songs to a crowd of 60,000 people.
Recent Years and Hurricane Katrina
In 1989, new ramp columns were added outside the Dome. This made it easier for everyone to access the stadium. The 1992 Republican National Convention was held at the Astrodome in August 1992. The Astros baseball team went on a long road trip to make space for it.
By the mid-1990s, the Astrodome was getting old. The Oilers football team moved away in 1996. The Astros baseball team also moved to a new stadium in 2000. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo moved to the new NRG Stadium in 2003.
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the Astrodome became a temporary home for over 25,000 people who lost their homes. It was a safe place for them to stay.
The Astrodome's Future
Why the Astrodome Closed
In 2008, the Astrodome was found to have many safety problems. Because of this, it was closed to the public. Only maintenance and security staff were allowed inside. There were talks about tearing it down, but the city council stopped this idea. They worried that demolishing it could harm the buildings around it.
Plans to Save the Astrodome
Many ideas have been suggested to give the Astrodome a new life. Houston once hoped to use it as an Olympic Stadium for the 2012 Summer Olympics. There were also ideas to turn it into a luxury hotel or a movie studio. However, these plans didn't work out.
In 2013, a plan for a $200 million renovation was proposed. It would turn the Astrodome into a modern event and convention center. But voters in Harris County said no to this plan.
After the vote, some parts of the Astrodome were taken down, like three outside ramp towers and the old seats. These changes were planned before the vote.
New Ideas for the Dome
In 2014, a new plan was announced to save the Astrodome. This idea was to keep the roof and turn the huge inside space into a covered city park. This park could be used for recreation, festivals, and concerts. Other parts of the complex might have educational areas, meeting rooms, and restaurants. This plan also didn't move forward.
In 2016, the "Astrodome Revitalization Project" was proposed. This plan suggested turning the lower part of the dome into a massive underground parking garage. The floor above would then be used for other things. In September 2016, Harris County officials approved the first part of this plan. This was a big step, as many worried the building would be torn down otherwise.
In January 2017, the Texas Historical Commission declared the Astrodome a State Antiquities Landmark. This means the building cannot be removed or changed without special permission. In February 2018, a $105 million renovation plan was approved. This plan included the parking garage idea. Construction was expected to finish in 2020. However, in November 2019, the plan was put on hold. As of 2025, there are no new plans for the Astrodome.
Memorable Moments at the Astrodome
Baseball Highlights
- Mickey Mantle hit the first home run in the Astrodome on April 9, 1965.
- In 1979, a fan nicknamed "Astroman" lived on top of the Astrodome for 10 days. He promised not to come down until the Astros won their first championship. He watched games from a gondola near the ceiling.
- On October 15, 1986, the Astros played a very long 16-inning game against the New York Mets. It was the longest playoff game in baseball history at the time.
- The Astros played their last regular season game at the Astrodome on October 3, 1999. They won and became division champions.
Basketball Games
- The famous 'Game of the Century' happened here on January 20, 1968. The University of Houston Cougars played the UCLA Bruins. Over 52,000 people watched, a record for a basketball game back then. The Cougars won 71–69.
- The Astrodome hosted the 1989 NBA All-Star Game.
Tennis and Other Sports
- The "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match took place on September 20, 1973. Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs in three sets. This event was a big moment for women's sports.
- Famous boxer Muhammad Ali fought in the Astrodome several times in the 1960s and 70s.
- WWE (then WWF) held WrestleMania X-Seven here on April 1, 2001. It set an attendance record for the Astrodome with 67,925 fans.
Concerts and Shows
- Frank Sinatra performed a tribute to the Apollo 11 astronauts in August 1969.
- Elvis Presley gave six shows in 1970, with 200,000 people attending. He returned in 1974, setting another attendance record.
- The first Astrodome Jazz Festival happened in 1972, featuring many famous musicians.
- The Rolling Stones played concerts here in 1981 and 1989.
- The Jacksons, with Michael Jackson, performed two shows in November 1984.
- Selena performed for a record crowd of over 66,746 fans in February 1995. This was her last televised concert.
- George Strait played the last concert at the Astrodome in 2002, setting an all-time attendance record of 68,266.
Motorsports Events
The Astrodome hosted many motorsports events.
- AMA Supercross Championship held its first indoor Supercross race here in 1974.
- Monster trucks and mud bogging events were also popular.
- Evel Knievel jumped 13 cars two nights in a row in January 1971.
Astrodome Features
The Astrolite Scoreboard
The Astrodome was famous for its four-story "Astrolite" scoreboard. It used thousands of light bulbs to create animations. After every Astros home run, the scoreboard would show a minute-long celebration with pistols, bulls, and fireworks. The scoreboard was removed in 1988 to add more seats.
The Playing Field
The original playing field was a special type of Bermuda grass. However, the clear panels in the dome's ceiling caused too much glare for players. When some panels were painted white, the grass died from lack of sunlight. For a while, the Astros played on green-painted dirt and dead grass.
The solution was to install artificial turf called AstroTurf in 1966. This was a big change for sports stadiums. Groundskeepers even dressed as astronauts to clean the turf between innings! In 1973, the Astrodome got an all-AstroTurf infield, with dirt patches only around the bases.
The Astrodome was known as a "pitcher's park" in baseball. This meant it was harder to hit home runs there than in other stadiums.
Seating Capacity Over Time
The number of seats in the Astrodome changed over the years.
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Awards and Recognitions
- In 2013, the Astrodome was named one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places."
- It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in January 2014.
- The Astrodome celebrated its 50th birthday on April 9, 2015.
- In 2017, it was named a Texas State Antiquities Landmark.
- In 2018, it received a Texas State Historical Marker.
Images for kids
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The Astrodome interior in 2004
See also
In Spanish: Astrodome para niños
