The Astrodome Conservancy has unveiled its plan to give the Astrodome a purpose for the future.
Members of the conservancy group held a press conference Wednesday to lay out their vision for the historic Houston landmark, which has been closed to the public for 15 years.
The plan has a $1 billion price tag to bring life back to what is also known as the 8th Wonder of the World. Some of the highlights of the plan include creating 450,000 square feet of space with four new state-of-the-art buildings, an event floor for entertainment and plenty of retail areas all under the roof of the dome.
According to chairman of the Astrodome Conservancy Board of Directors Phoebe Tudor, 86% of people surveyed are in favor of repurposing the Astrodome and agree that public money should be spent to do so. She said the Astrodome is one of the most popular landmarks throughout the state and is deserving of having a useful purpose moving forward.
"Can you imagine not preserving the Alamo?" Tudor asked. "We cannot lose our iconic Astrodome. The time to speak up to save it is now."
The Astrodome also has no debt and is completely owned by Harris County. Over $3.5 million has already been raised through private funds and philanthropy to promote the future plans of the dome.
Tudor said a report from the International Structural Engineers says the Astrodome is in great condition and ready for it's next development.
"This ambitious vision reflects some of the creativity of the original builders of the dome and is a great catalyst for the future of NRG Park," Tudor added. "This is something we can all be for and we can work together to make it happen."