 Astrodome in 2014 | |
 | |
| Former names |
|
|---|---|
| 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 |
|
| Surface |
|
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 3, 1962 |
| Built | March 18, 1963[4]–November 1964[5]
 |
| Opened | April 9, 1965 |
| Renovated | 1988–1989 |
| Closed | 2008 |
| Demolished | December 8, 2013 (partial) |
| Construction cost | US$35 million ($338 million in 2023 dollars[3]) |
| Architect |
|
| Structural engineer | Walter P Moore |
| Services engineer |
|
| General contractor | H. A. Lott, Inc.[1] |
| Tenants | |
| |
The Astrodome | |
  Houston  Houston | |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001099[2] |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 15, 2014 |
| Designated TSAL | January 27, 2017 |
The NRG Astrodome,[6] formerly and also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, was the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, United States. It sat around 50,000 fans, with a record attendance of 68,266 set by George Strait in 2002.
It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston and known for pioneering modern stadiums. Construction on the stadium began in 1963, more than a year after the ceremonial groundbreaking, and it officially opened in 1965. It served as home to the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1965 until 1999, and the home to the Houston Oilers of the American Football League (AFL)/National Football League (NFL) from 1968 until 1996, and also the part-time home of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1971 until 1975. Additionally, the Astrodome was the primary venue of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1966 until 2002. When opened, it was named the Harris County Domed Stadium and was nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
After the original natural grass playing surface died, the Astrodome became the first major sports venue to install artificial turf in 1966, which became known as AstroTurf. In another technological first, the Astrodome featured the "Astrolite", which was the first animated scoreboard. The stadium was renovated in 1988–1989, expanding seating and altering many original features.
By the 1990s, the Astrodome was becoming obsolete. Unable to secure a new stadium, Oilers owner Bud Adams moved the team to Tennessee after 1996, and became the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The Astros played at the dome through 1999, then relocated to Enron Field (now Minute Maid Park) in 2000.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continued to be held at the Astrodome until the opening of the adjacent NRG Stadium in 2002 (which coincided with the debut of the Houston Texans, the team that replaced the Oilers). Although the Astrodome no longer had any primary tenants, it regularly hosted events during the early 2000s. It was used as a shelter for residents of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The Astrodome was declared non-compliant with fire code by the Houston Fire Department in 2008 and parts of it were demolished in 2013 after several years of disuse. In 2014, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2][7]
- ^ "Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes". Ballparks.com. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
- ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places listings for January 31, 2014". U.S. National Park Service. January 31, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
- ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
- ^ Association, Texas State Historical (February 7, 2017). "Astrodome". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "General Meeting: Astrodome: Engineering and Construction History". ACI - Houston. February 13, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
- ^ "NRG Astrodome - NRG Park". December 8, 2016.
- ^ Barks, Joseph V. (November 2001). "Powering the (new and improved) 'Eighth Wonder of the World'". Electrical Apparatus. findarticles.com. Retrieved July 22, 2019.