HOUSTON, TX – Parking in Houston is expensive, especially during the rodeo. But if the latest proposal facing the Astordome comes to pass, it could get even worse.
A study commissioned by the Houston Texans and the rodeo proposes demolishing the 48-year-old stadium and pouring a parking lot in its place. All for the low cost of $29,000,000.
“I’m not necessarily convinced that $29,000,000 is worth a parking lot,” Houstonian Linda Butler says.
Neither did anyone else we talked to.
“I don’t think they should demolish it just to make a parking lot,” said Jerry Okay
In fact, with a total of 1,600 spots planned for the lot, it would run about $18,000 per spot. How’s that for expensive parking?
“I don’t think they should tear the astrodome down at all because that’s Houston history,’ Dome supporter Michael Jackson (yes that’s his real name) said. ‘Every time I pass by it now it brings back memories.”
Most folks agree parking at Reliant Center sucks.
“Something needs to be done for the rodeo events for sure,’ Butler admits.’ Parking is definitely a challenge for people.”
But the real culprit behind the plan could be something else entirely; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell admitted in a press conference today that tearing down the crumbling building and adding parking wouldn’t hurt Houston’s bid for the Super Bowl in 2017.
But replacing a land mark with a parking lot doesn’t seem like the answer Houstonians have in mind.
“I was mad when they took down Astroworld,’ Jerry Okay told us, ‘so for them to take this one down too, I feel that, just leave it, you know.”
