View source for Astrodome

{{Short description|Stadium in Houston, Texas, US}}
{{About|the stadium in Houston, Texas|aeronautical use|Astrodome (aeronautics)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = NRG Astrodome
| logo_image = 
| image = Reliant Astrodome in January 2014.jpg
| image_size = 260px
| caption = Astrodome in 2014
| address = 8400 Kirby Drive
| location = [[Houston, Texas]], U.S.
| coordinates = {{Coord|29|41|6|N|95|24|28|W|display=title,inline}}
| broke_ground = January 3, 1962
| opened = April 9, 1965
| renovated = 1988–1989
| closed = 2008
| demolished = December 8, 2013 (partial)
| owner = [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]]
| operator = Astrodome USA
| surface = {{ubl|Grass (1965)|Painted dirt (1965)|[[AstroTurf]] (1966–present)}}
| architect = {{ubl|Hermon Lloyd & W. B. Morgan|Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson|Praeger-Kavanagh-Waterbury}}
| structural engineer = [[Walter P Moore]]
| services engineer = {{ubl|I.A. Naman Associates, Inc.|John G. Turney & Associates}}
| general_contractor = H. A. Lott, Inc.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/index.htm|title=Ballparks by Munsey and Suppes|publisher=Ballparks.com|access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref>
| dimensions = {{ubl|Original|'''Left field''' – {{Convert|340|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Left center''' – {{Convert|375|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Center field''' – {{Convert|406|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Right center''' – {{Convert|375|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Right field''' – {{Convert|340|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Backstop''' – {{Convert|60.5|ft|0|abbr=on}}||Final|'''Left field''' – {{Convert|325|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Left center''' – {{Convert|375|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Center field''' – {{Convert|400|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Right center''' – {{Convert|375|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Right field''' – {{Convert|325|ft|0|abbr=on}}|'''Backstop''' – {{Convert|52|ft|0|abbr=on}}}}
| nrhp = {{Infobox NRHP
 | name                           = The Astrodome
 | embed                          = yes
 | locmapin                       = USA#Texas
 | map_label                      = Houston
 | locmap_relief                  = yes
 | refnum                         = 13001099<ref name="NRHP listing">{{cite web|title=National Register of Historic Places listings for January 31, 2014|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/weekly-list-2014-national-register-of-historic-places.pdf|publisher=U.S. [[National Park Service]]|date=January 31, 2014|access-date=January 31, 2014}}</ref>
 | added                          = January 15, 2014
 | designated_other1              = TSAL
 | designated_other1_date         = January 27, 2017
 | designated_other1_number       = 
 | designated_other1_num_position = bottom
}}
| tenants = {{ubl|[[Houston Astros]] ([[MLB]]) 1965–1999|[[Houston Cougars football|Houston Cougars]] ([[NCAA]]) 1965–1997|[[Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo]] 1966–2002|[[Houston Stars]] ([[United Soccer Association|USA]]/[[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]) 1967–1968|[[Houston Oilers]] ([[American Football League|AFL]]/[[NFL]]) 1968–1996|[[Bluebonnet Bowl]] (NCAA) 1968–1984, 1987|[[Texas Southern Tigers football|Texas Southern Tigers]] (NCAA) 1968–2004|[[Houston Rockets]] ([[NBA]]) 1971–1975|[[Houston Texans (WFL)|Houston Texans]] ([[World Football League|WFL]]) 1974|[[Houston Hurricane]] ([[North American Soccer League (1968–84)|NASL]]) 1978–1980|[[Houston Gamblers]] ([[USFL]]) 1984–1985|[[Houston Bowl]] (NCAA) 2000–2001|[[Houston Energy]] ([[Women's Professional Football League|WPFL]]) 2002–2006}}
| publictransit = [[NRG Park (METRORail station)|NRG Park]]
| construction_cost = US$35 million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|35000000|1965}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| former_names = {{ubl|Harris County Domed Stadium (1965)|Houston Astrodome<br>(1965–2000)|Reliant Astrodome<br>(2000–2014)}}
| record_attendance = [[George Strait]] concert, 68,266
| built = March 18, 1963<ref>{{
cite web
| access-date=September 16, 2023
| date=February 7, 2017
| first=Texas State Historical
| last=Association
| title=Astrodome
| url=https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/astrodome
| website=Texas State Historical Association
}}</ref>–November 1964<ref>{{
cite web
| access-date=September 16, 2023
| date=February 13, 2020
| title=General Meeting: Astrodome: Engineering and Construction History
| url=https://acihoustonchapter.org/meetinginfo.php?id=176
| website=ACI - Houston
}}</ref>
[[File:AstrodomeDimensions.svg|frameless]]
}}

The '''NRG Astrodome''',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nrgpark.com/nrg-astrodome |title=NRG Astrodome - NRG Park |date=December 8, 2016}}</ref> formerly and also known as the '''Houston Astrodome''' or simply the '''Astrodome''', was the world's first [[Multi-purpose stadium|multi-purpose]], [[stadium#Types|domed]] sports [[stadium]], located in [[Houston]], Texas, United States. It seated around 50,000 fans, with a record attendance of 68,266 set by a [[George Strait]] concert 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 Houston Astros season|1965]] until [[1999 Houston Astros season|1999]], and the home to the [[Houston Oilers]] of the [[American Football League]] (AFL)/[[National Football League]] (NFL) from [[1968 Houston Oilers season|1968]] until [[1996 Houston Oilers season|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 Houston Astros season|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 Houston Oilers season|1996]], and became the [[Tennessee Titans]] in [[1999 Tennessee Titans season|1999]]. The Astros played at the dome through [[1999 Houston Astros season|1999]], then relocated to Enron Field (now [[Daikin Park]]) in [[2000 Houston Astros season|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 [[2002 Houston Texans season|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]], thus preventing the rest of the structure from being demolished.<ref name="NRHP listing"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Barks |first1=Joseph V. |title=Powering the (new and improved) 'Eighth Wonder of the World' |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3726/is_200111/ai_n9011574 |website=Electrical Apparatus |publisher=findarticles.com |access-date=July 22, 2019 |date=November 2001}}</ref> As of 2024, most of the Astrodome structure is still standing, but it has been closed to the public since 2009 and is currently being used as a storage facility for the surrounding NRG Park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Solomon |first=Dan |date=May 19, 2014 |title=Will It Cost $2.3 Million A Year to Keep the Astrodome Open? Number Crunchers Say No. |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/will-it-cost-2-3-million-a-year-to-keep-the-astrodome-open-number-crunchers-say-no/ |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=[[Texas Monthly]] |language=en}}</ref> Various plans to redevelop the Astrodome have been proposed since the structure was abandoned.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2024 |title=A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome |url=https://apnews.com/article/houston-astrodome-redevelopment-plan-57e7b215717ee4ac04157d561d75968d |access-date=December 9, 2024 |website=[[AP News]] |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
===Conception===
[[Major League Baseball]] expanded to Houston in 1960, when the National League agreed to add two teams. The Houston Colt .45s (renamed the [[Astros]] in 1965) were to begin play in 1962, along with their expansion brethren [[New York Mets]]. [[Roy Hofheinz]], a former [[mayor of Houston]], and his group were granted the franchise after they promised to build a covered stadium. It was thought a covered stadium was a must for a major league team to be viable in Houston due to the area's [[subtropical climate]] and hot summers. Game-time temperatures are usually above {{cvt|97|F}} in July and August, with high humidity and frequent rain. Hofheinz claimed inspiration for what became the Astrodome from a tour of Rome, where he learned that the builders of the ancient [[Colosseum]] installed a giant ''[[velarium]]'' (fabric awning) to shield spectators from the sun.

The Astrodome was conceived by Hofheinz as early as 1952, when he and his daughter Dene were rained out once too often at [[Buffalo Stadium]], home of Houston's minor league baseball team, the [[Houston Buffs]]. Hofheinz abandoned his interest in [[The Galleria]], and set his sights on bringing major league baseball to Houston.<ref name="Storied"/>

===Design and construction===
{{quote box |align=left |width=22em |text={{pad|0.5em}}The county commissioner was positively indignant at the way everybody, particularly the news media, kept calling the new county facility by the wrong name. "The county built it and the county paid for it," he loudly complained to a packed hearing room, "and, dammit, the county ''owns'' it!" Growing purplish, the commissioner blustered that "People by God ought to start calling it by its right name: ''The Harris County Domed Stadium''!!"<br />{{pad|0.5em}}"Well," soothed the agreeable Judge, "you can call it whatever you wanta call it." With the temperate grace of a statesman he smiled amicably, puffed his cigar and added, "But the World is gonna know it as the Astrodome." |source="An Astrofable" (April 1975), ''[[Texas Monthly]]''<ref name=8th-Wonder-1975>{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qywEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA82 |title=Greetings from the Eighth Wonder Of The World |date=April 1975 |magazine=Texas Monthly |author=Reinert, Al |pages=82–90;98 |issn=0148-7736 |volume=3 |issue=4 |publisher=Mediatex Communications Corporation |location=Austin, Texas}}</ref>}}

The Astrodome was designed by architects Hermon Lloyd & W. B. Morgan, and Wilson, Morris, Crain and Anderson (Morris Architects). Structural engineering and structural design were performed by [[Walter P Moore]] Engineers and Consultants of Houston. Credit<ref>{{cite book |last1=Zimmerman |first1=Kenneth E. |last2=Gosain |first2=Narenda |last3=Moore |first3=Walter P. |title=Astrodome, An Engineering Marvel of the 1960s |publisher=Texas Tech College of Architecture |url=http://www.arch.ttu.edu/courses/2008/fall/5604/Project%20Info/Astrodome_Paper_Final.pdf |access-date=July 26, 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=May 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> for the design work on the dome roof structural goes to Dr. G. R. Kiewitt and Mr. Louis O. Bass of Roof Structures, Inc. It was constructed by H. A. Lott, Inc. for [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]]. It stands 18 stories tall, covering {{cvt|9.5|acre}}. The dome is {{Convert|710|ft}} in diameter and the ceiling is {{Convert|208|ft}} above the playing surface, which itself sits {{Convert|25|ft}} below street level.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Ballparks/Hou/Astrodome.htm |title=Houston Astros – Stadium |publisher=Baseball-statistics.com |access-date=April 2, 2013 |archive-date=April 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425131040/http://www.baseball-statistics.com/Ballparks/Hou/Astrodome.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

The air conditioning system was designed by I. A. Naman; other aspects that were considered included visibility (which could be reduced by cigarette smoke), light admittance, and acoustics (requiring approximately {{frac|2}} the roof area to be covered with sound-absorbing materials), the air handling units were designed to move {{cvt|2500000|ft3/min}} of air, with approximately 10% of that being fresh air from outside to limit carbon dioxide buildup.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ianaman.com/IsraelNamanASHRAEarticlev2.pdf |title=Domed Stadium Air-Conditioning Design |author=Naman, I.A. |date=June 2009 |magazine=ASHRAE Journal |archive-date=April 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414191413/https://www.ianaman.com/IsraelNamanASHRAEarticlev2.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Astrodome (Houston) Skylights.jpg|thumb|175px|Astrodome Skylights]]

The scoreboard, eventually known as the "Astrolite", was designed by [[Fair Play Scoreboards]] of [[Des Moines, Iowa]].<ref name="Astrolite">{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-09-04-sp-2073-story.html |title=Astrodome Scoreboard Headed for Scrap Heap |author=Graczyk, Michael L. |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=September 4, 1988 |access-date=February 16, 2016}}</ref> Having designed the scoreboard for [[Dodger Stadium]] several years prior, team owner Roy Hofheinz was not impressed with the initial proposal for a much more generic type of scoreboard. Project designer Jack Foster teamed up with a creative professional based in Kansas City to create the first animated scoreboard. Its reported cost was $2.1 million.<ref name="Astrolite"/>

The Dome was completed in November 1964, six months ahead of schedule.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Prominent-Houstonians-ideas-on-what-to-do-with-1683126.php |title=Prominent Houstonians' ideas on what to do with Dome|work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |date=April 4, 2011 |access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> Many engineering changes were required during construction, including the modest flattening of the supposed "hemispherical roof" to cope with environmentally induced structural deformation and the use of a new paving process called "lime stabilization" to cope with changes in the chemistry of the soil. The [[air conditioning]] system was designed by Houston [[mechanical engineer]]s Israel A. Naman and Jack Boyd Buckley of I. A. Naman + Associates.

The multi-purpose stadium, designed to facilitate both football and baseball, is nearly circular and uses movable lower seating areas. It also ushered in the era of other fully domed stadiums, such as the [[Caesars Superdome]] in [[New Orleans]], as well as the all now-demolished [[Pontiac Silverdome]] near [[Detroit]], [[Georgia Dome]] in [[Atlanta]], [[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome]] in [[Minneapolis]], [[Kingdome]] in [[Seattle]], and [[RCA Dome]] in [[Indianapolis]].

To test what effect the enclosed air-conditioned environment might have on the delivery of [[breaking ball]]s, [[Satchel Paige]], in full Astros uniform, threw the first pitches at the Astrodome on February 7, 1965.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dome is Hurlers' Heaven |work=[[The San Bernardino Sun]] |date=April 11, 1965 |page=69}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=No Real Difference: Baseball Won't Change Indoors |author=Tagliabue, Emil |work=[[Corpus Christi Caller-Times]] |date=February 11, 1965 |page=24}}</ref> He later concluded that it was a "pitcher's paradise", as the lack of wind allowed for greater control of sensitive pitches.

Hofheinz had an opulent apartment in the Dome, which was removed when the facility was remodeled in 1988.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Conniff |first1=Richard |title=Farewell To An Odd Dome Home Judge Hofheinz's private Astrodome quarters will soon be just a gaudy memory |url=https://www.si.com/vault/issue/702653/93 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 22, 2019 |date=March 14, 1988}}</ref> The seven-floor apartment was adjacent to the right field bleachers and included a shooting gallery, a bowling alley, a chapel, and a [[presidential suite]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=J. Michael |date=March 18, 1988 |title=7 Floors Decorated in 'Early Farouk': Hofheinz's Gaudy Suite in Astrodome Being Razed |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-03-18-mn-1682-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |accessdate=October 17, 2024}}</ref>

===Opening and reception===
The stadium's opening day took place on April 9, 1965. A sold-out crowd of 47,879 watched an exhibition game between the [[1965 Houston Astros season|Astros]] and the [[1965 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]]. [[President of the United States|President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] and his wife [[Lady Bird Johnson|Lady Bird]] were in attendance, as well as [[Governor of Texas|Governor]] [[John Connally]] and [[List of mayors of Houston|Mayor]] [[Louie Welch]]. Governor Connally tossed out the first ball for the first indoor MLB game. [[Turk Farrell|Dick "Turk" Farrell]] of the Astros threw the first pitch. The Yankees’ [[Mickey Mantle]] had both the first hit (a single) and the first home run in the Astrodome, but the Astros won 2–1 in twelve innings.<ref name=fdded>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MDtWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=QekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6696%2C1853597 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Houston, Atlanta fields dedicated |date=April 10, 1965 |page=2B}}</ref><ref name=ablstf>{{cite news |url=
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ukcqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OE8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=7421%2C3578239 |work=Pittsburgh Press |agency=UPI |title=Yanks hit by Astros' 'blastoff'|date=April 10, 1965 |page=7}}</ref><ref name=OZY>{{cite web | url=http://www.ozy.com/flashback/when-texas-opened-the-eighth-wonder-of-the-world/40459 | title=Flashback: When Texas Opened the 8th Wonder of the World | work=[[OZY]] | date=April 9, 2015 | access-date=May 22, 2015 | author=Braswell, Sean | archive-date=September 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923164337/http://www.ozy.com/flashback/when-texas-opened-the-eighth-wonder-of-the-world/40459 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Astrodome 1965.jpeg|thumb|200px|The Astrodome [[1965 Houston Astros season|in 1965]]]]
President Johnson stopped at the Astrodome that evening en route to his home in [[Johnson City, Texas|Johnson City]] and paid his respects to baseball and Astros president Roy Hofheinz, a campaign manager for Johnson in the 1940s, just as the second inning got underway. He and Lady Bird watched the opening night game from behind the glass in Judge Hofheinz's private box high in the right field just to the right of the giant scoreboard. LBJ ate hors d'œuvres and chicken and ice cream while watching the game.<ref name=OZY/> 

"Roy, I want to congratulate you; it shows so much imagination," he was heard to say. Later, he called the stadium "massive" and "beautiful." Although the president's visit overshadowed all others, dignitaries swarmed through the "Eighth Wonder of the World" during the three days of the exhibition series and for opening night against the [[1965 Philadelphia Phillies season|Phillies]] on April 12. Chris Short of the Phillies shut out the Astros on four hits, with 12 strikeouts.<ref>"Bob Hulsey (April 9, 1965). {{cite web |url = http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/19650409/|title = First Game In The Astrodome: The Indoor Era Begins}}''AstrosDaily''.</ref><ref>John Wilson (April 24, 1965). {{cite web |url = http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/19650409/#article|title = Everyone in Orbit Over Astrodome – LBJ, Plus 188,762 Attend Liftoff of 'Eighth Wonder' }}''[[The Sporting News]]''.</ref>

The first artist to play the Astrodome was [[Judy Garland]] on December 17, 1965; [[The Supremes]] were her opening act, and tickets were priced $1.00 to $7.50. The dome seated 48,000, and another 12,000 seats were added for this show. Paid $43,000 for the one show, Garland appeared on stage at 10&nbsp;p.m. and sang for forty minutes, with her set of songs including: "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"; "Just in Time"; "My Kind of Town, Houston Is"/"Houston"; "As Long As He Needs Me"; "Joey, Joey, Joey"; "Do it Again"; "What Now My Love?"; "By Myself"; "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby"; "San Francisco"; "Chicago"; and "Over the Rainbow." [[Mort Lindsey]] conducted.<ref name="Schechter2006">{{cite book|author=Schechter, Scott |title=Judy Garland: The Day-by-Day Chronicle of a Legend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GMtT0rOMyS4C|access-date=April 9, 2013|date=August 25, 2006|publisher=Taylor Trade Publishing|isbn=978-1-4616-3555-0|page=310}}</ref>

==="The Rainout"===
The Astrodome suffered a [[Rainout (sports)|rainout]] on June 15, 1976. The [[1976 Houston Astros season|Astros]]' scheduled game against the [[1976 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pittsburgh Pirates]] was called when massive flooding in the Houston area prevented all but a few fans from reaching the stadium. Both teams had arrived early for practice, but the umpires were several hours late. At 5 pm that day, with only a handful of fans on hand and already several hours behind, the umpires and teams agreed to call the game off. Tables were brought onto the field and the teams ate dinner together.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/hoffman/6485163.html |title=Hoffman: Astros made history with a rainout|work=Houston Chronicle |date=June 17, 2009 |access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> Although the Astros still had a home series with Pittsburgh in August, this game was made up in Pittsburgh in July.

===Recent history===
[[File:Astrodome interior 2004.jpg|180px|thumb|The Astrodome interior in 2004]]
In 1989, four cylindrical pedestrian ramp columns were constructed outside the Dome for [[accessibility]]. This enabled the Astrodome to comply with the [[Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990]].

The [[1992 Republican National Convention]] was held at the Astrodome in August of that year. The [[1992 Houston Astros season|Astros]] accommodated the convention by taking a month-long road trip. A manually operated scoreboard debuted that season.

On August 19, 1995, a scheduled preseason game between the [[1995 Houston Oilers season|Oilers]] and the [[1995 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]] had to be canceled due to the dilapidated condition of the playing field. Oilers owner [[Bud Adams]] demanded a new stadium, but the city of Houston refused to fund it. After years of threats, Adams moved the team to [[Nashville, Tennessee]] after the 1996 season.<ref name="governing1">{{cite web |last=Holeywell |first=Ryan |url=http://www.governing.com/topics/economic-dev/when-team-leaves-its-stadium-what-do-you-do.html |title=When Teams Leave, What Do You Do With the Stadium? |publisher=Governing.com |date=November 30, 2011 |access-date=April 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508053624/http://www.governing.com/topics/economic-dev/when-team-leaves-its-stadium-what-do-you-do.html |archive-date=May 8, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Around that time the Astros also threatened to leave the city unless a new ballpark was built.<ref name="governing1"/> The retractable-roofed [[Enron Field]] (now known as Daikin Park) opened for the [[2000 Houston Astros season|2000 season]] in downtown Houston.

One of the largest crowds in the Astrodome's history, more than 66,746 fans, came on Sunday, February 26, 1995, to see [[Tejano music|Tejano]] superstar [[Selena]] and her band Los Dinos perform for a sell-out crowd during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tejanomusicvideos.com/play.php?vid=2249 |title=Mazz - Cuando Tu Te Vayas.wmv |publisher=Tejanomusicvideos.com |access-date=April 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140114114649/http://www.tejanomusicvideos.com/play.php?vid=2249 |archive-date=January 14, 2014 }}</ref> Selena y Los Dinos performed two consecutive times before at the Astrodome, breaking previous attendance records each time. This was Selena's last televised concert before she was [[Murder of Selena|fatally shot]] on March 31, 1995, by [[Yolanda Saldívar|her fan club president]].
[[File:Astrophoto of Astrodome.jpg|thumb|left|250px|[[NRG Park]] area, Houston, Texas. Astrodome, with [[NRG Stadium]] at center of this 2010 astronaut photo]]

The Astrodome was joined by a new neighbor in [[2002 Houston Texans season|2002]], the retractable-roofed Reliant Stadium (now known as [[NRG Stadium]]), which was built to house Houston's new [[NFL]] franchise, the [[Houston Texans]]. The [[Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo]] moved to the new venue in 2003, leaving the Astrodome without any major tenants. The last concert at the Astrodome was [[George Strait]] & the [[Ace in the Hole Band]] during the 2002 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, before a record crowd of 68,266; the performance was recorded in ''[[For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome]]''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-the-last-time-live-from-the-astrodome-r626617 |title=For the Last Time: Live from the Astrodome – George Strait : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |publisher=AllMusic |date=February 11, 2003 |access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref>

===Hurricane Katrina===
[[File:Katrina-14637.jpg|thumb|Survivors of Katrina in the Astrodome, 2005]]
On August 31, 2005, in the wake of [[Hurricane Katrina]], the [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]] Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the State of [[Louisiana]] came to an agreement to allow at least 25,000 evacuees from [[New Orleans]], especially those that were sheltered in the [[Louisiana Superdome]], to move to the Astrodome until they could return home. The evacuation began on September 1, 2005. All scheduled events for the final four months of 2005 at the Astrodome were cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=2148638 |title=Superdome evacuation disrupted after shots fired |website=ESPN |date=September 2, 2005 |access-date=September 27, 2020}}</ref> Overflow refugees were held in the surrounding Reliant Park complex. There was a full field hospital inside the [[Reliant Arena]], which cared for the entire Katrina evacuee community.

The entire Reliant Park complex was scheduled to be emptied of hurricane evacuees by September 17, 2005. Originally, the Astrodome was planned to be used to house evacuees until December. However, the surrounding parking lots were needed for the first Houston Texans home game. Arrangements were made to help Katrina evacuees find apartments both in Houston and elsewhere in the United States. By September 16, 2005, the last of the hurricane evacuees living in the Astrodome had been moved out either to the neighboring Reliant Arena or to permanent housing north of Houston.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-08-31-astrodome_x.htm | work=USA Today | first1=Thomas | last1=Frank | title=Astrodome to take refugees | date=September 1, 2005}}</ref> As of September 20, 2005, the remaining Katrina evacuees were relocated to [[Arkansas]] due to [[Hurricane Rita]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://articles.latimes.com/2005/sep/21/nation/na-rita21/3 | work=Los Angeles Times | first1=John-Thor | last1=Dahlburg | first2=Scott | last2=Gold | first3=Maria L. | last3=La Ganga | title=Hurricane Rita Rattles Coast | date=September 21, 2005 | access-date=May 23, 2012 | archive-date=September 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923175924/http://articles.latimes.com/2005/sep/21/nation/na-rita21/3 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Closure==
In 2008, the facility was cited for numerous code violations. Since then, only maintenance workers and security guards have been allowed to enter the stadium while it is brought up to code.<ref name="code violations">{{cite web|url=http://www.click2houston.com/news/16918767/detail.html |title=Astrodome Hit With Code Violations |access-date=July 18, 2008 |publisher=click2houston.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722053539/http://www.click2houston.com/news/16918767/detail.html |archive-date=July 22, 2008 }}</ref> The city council rejected demolition plans on environmental grounds, over concerns that demolition of the Dome might damage the dense development that today closely surrounds it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.khou.com/news/Harris-County-officials-consider-the-future-of-the-Astrodome-145849295.html |title=Harris County officials consider the future of the Astrodome &#124; khou.com Houston |publisher=Khou.com |date=April 2, 2012 |access-date=April 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103093020/http://www.khou.com/news/Harris-County-officials-consider-the-future-of-the-Astrodome-145849295.html |archive-date=November 3, 2013 }}</ref>

==Refurbishment plans==
Numerous renovation/refurbishment plans for the dome have been presented over the years. Houston's plan to host the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] included renovating the Astrodome for use as an Olympic Stadium hosting the ceremonies, athletics and soccer finals.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1683&dat=20020626&id=170aAAAAIBAJ&pg=4576,4598265|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118200329/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1683&dat=20020626&id=170aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=lz8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=4576,4598265|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 18, 2015|title=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Google News Archive Search|date=November 18, 2015}}</ref> Houston became one of the [[United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee|USOC]]'s bid finalists, but the organization chose [[New York City]] as its candidate city, and the [[2012 Summer Olympic Games]] were held in [[London]], Great Britain by the [[IOC]].

[[File:The Astrodome, aerial view.jpg|thumb|190px|An aerial view of the Astrodome in 1999]]
Plans to convert the Astrodome into a luxury hotel were rejected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Financial-crunch-may-stall-effort-on-Astrodome-1647842.php |title=Financial crunch may stall effort on Astrodome hotel|work=Houston Chronicle |date=December 8, 2008 |access-date=April 2, 2013}}</ref> A proposal to convert the Astrodome into a movie production studio was also considered but rejected.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wrigley |first=Deborah |url=https://abc13.com/archive/6111544/ |title=Proposal suggests turning Astrodome into movie studio &#124; abc13.com |website=Abclocal.go.com |date=April 29, 2008 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203040451/http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=6111544 |archive-date=February 3, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Regardless of the type of renovation, all renovation plans must deal with the problem of occupancy code violations that have basically shuttered the Astrodome for the near future.<ref>{{cite web|author=Liz Austin Peterson |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/realestate/6273706.html |title=Broken-down Astrodome may have seen its last rodeo |website=Houston Chronicle |date=February 20, 2009 |access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref>

In June 2013, a comprehensive plan was unveiled that would have seen the aging structure undergo an almost $200 million renovation into a multi-purpose event/convention facility. The measure would have to have been approved first through a bond election in Harris County for the publicly funded project to go forward or else, officials warned, the iconic structure would be demolished.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fans React to,4 Million Astrodome Renovation Plan |work=KHOU khou.com |url=http://www.khou.com/news/Fans-react-to-194-million-Astrodome-renovation-plan-212266641.html |access-date=July 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215183014/http://www.khou.com/news/Fans-react-to-194-million-Astrodome-renovation-plan-212266641.html |archive-date=December 15, 2013}}</ref> Voters ended up rejecting the measure on November 5, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abc13.com/archive/9313897/ |title=Voters strike down proposal to save Astrodome &#124; abc13.com |website=Abclocal.go.com |date=November 6, 2013 |access-date=May 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215181043/http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=9313897 |archive-date=December 15, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===2013 referendum and aftermath===
On November 5, 2013, voters in Houston turned down a $213 million referendum to renovate and convert the Astrodome into a state-of-the-art convention center and exhibition space known as "New Dome Experience".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hernandez |first=Pat |url=http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/1376411501-Astrodome-Referendum-Will-Be-On-The-November-Ballot.html |title=Astrodome Referendum Will Be On The November Ballot |work=[[KUHF]] |date=August 13, 2013 |access-date=March 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222165022/http://app1.kuhf.org/articles/1376411501-Astrodome-Referendum-Will-Be-On-The-November-Ballot.html |archive-date=February 22, 2014}}</ref> Until a final disposition is made, [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]] commissioners will not approve demolition of the dome. "The building's still there. There's no formal plan or authorization to demolish the building, and until somebody brings such a plan to fruition, there's a chance," according to Willie Loston, executive director of the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation. "The proposal was rejected by the voters. We're back to where we were. Square one," according to Steve Radack, Harris County commissioner.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ramit |last=Plushnick-Masti |url=http://www.csnhouston.com/texans/astrodome-may-see-1-last-inning-after-no-vote |title=Astrodome may see 1 last inning after 'no' vote |work=[[CSN Houston]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=November 10, 2013 |access-date=March 26, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030202106/http://www.csnhouston.com/texans/astrodome-may-see-1-last-inning-after-no-vote |archive-date=October 30, 2014}}</ref>

Three exterior pedestrian ramp towers were demolished on December 8, 2013. Around that time, the ramp bridges were disconnected from the main structure and the surrounding grass berms were lowered. The ticket booths were also removed along with the interior seats. The demolition was planned prior to the referendum.<ref>{{cite news |title=3 pedestrian towers razed at Houston Astrodome. |url=http://www.chron.com/default/article/3-pedestrian-towers-razed-at-Houston-Astrodome-5047730.php |newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=July 22, 2019 |date=December 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215175938/http://www.chron.com/default/article/3-pedestrian-towers-razed-at-Houston-Astrodome-5047730.php |archive-date=December 15, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
 |last=Russell
 |first=Rucks
 |title=Astrodome ramps demolished as clock ticks on its future
 |url=http://www.khou.com/news/local/Astrodome-ramps-demolished-as-clock-ticks-on-its-future-235151391.html
 |work=[[KHOU]]
 |access-date=December 11, 2013
|date=December 9, 2013
|url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214010859/http://www.khou.com/news/local/Astrodome-ramps-demolished-as-clock-ticks-on-its-future-235151391.html
 |archive-date=December 14, 2013}}</ref>

===Astrodome Indoor City Park===
After the failed bond election of 2013, the county went back to the drawing board and in August 2014 the County Commissioners Court announced a new plan to save and rejuvenate the Astrodome. The new concept centered around leaving the Dome's roof intact and converting the Astrodome's vast central space into a covered semi-climate-controlled city park that could have flexible uses for both public recreation and gatherings such as festivals and concerts. The remainder of the complex would have been redeveloped over time using a combination of public and private funds and include elements such as an educational exploration area to encourage students to learn about the sciences and engineering and possibly meeting, exhibition, and restaurant areas that would not only serve the general public, but could also add value to the Houston Texans' Game Day Experiences and be used by the Rodeo. A key element of this proposal centered around the ability for the county to proceed with the initial phases of the project using existing funds without having to seek voter approval for an expensive bond referendum.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/houston/article/New-Astrodome-concept-would-turn-the-landmark-8196601.php|title=New Astrodome concept would turn the landmark into an outdoor, usable space|website=Houston Chronicle |date=June 15, 2016 |access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref> However, this plan failed as well.

===Astrodome Revitalization Project===
After the failed plans of past years, the Astrodome Revitalization Project was proposed in September 2016. This plan would turn the dome into a massive underground parking garage. Specifically, the first step would raise the dome floor and use the space underneath that as parking, leaving the floor above for other uses. On September 27, 2016, the Harris County Commissioners approved the first part of the plan. This marked a major turning point for the dome, as some feared if the plan wasn't approved the building would be demolished.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Astrodome-parking-plan-could-save-Houston-s-9240124.php|title=Astrodome parking plan could save Houston's historic 8th Wonder|website=Houston Chronicle |date=September 22, 2016|access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Pulsinelli |first1=Olivia |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2016/09/27/astrodome-renovation-project-gets-approved.html |title=Astrodome renovation project gets approved |access-date=August 12, 2020 |work=Houston Business Journal |date=September 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/What-105-million-buys-for-the-Astrodome-9289084.php|title=What $105 million buys for the Astrodome|website=Houston Chronicle |date=September 26, 2016|access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref> 

In January 2017, the Texas Historical Commission voted unanimously to designate the dome a State Antiquities Landmark.<ref name=SAL>{{Cite news|title=Astrodome joins Alamo as state antiquities landmark|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Astrodome-joins-Alamo-as-state-antiquities-10889746.php?t=433c576c3e438d9cbb|last=Banks|first=Gabrielle|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=January 27, 2017|location=Houston, Texas|access-date=January 30, 2017}}</ref> Under the designation, the Astrodome may no longer be removed, altered, damaged, salvaged, or excavated without a permit from the commission.<ref name=THC/>
The Harris County Commissioners voted to approve a $105 million renovation plan on February 13, 2018. This plan keeps the parking garage from the Revitalization Project. Construction was set to start in October 2018 and would be completed sometime in 2020.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/news/politics/houston/article/Harris-County-Commissioners-Court-OKs-105M-plan-12610107.php|title=Harris County OKs $105 million renovation of Astrodome|newspaper=Chron |date=February 13, 2018 |last1=Zaveri |first1=Mihir }}</ref> 

The construction start date was later moved to early 2019 and was expected to finish in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Astrodome-redevelopment-should-begin-after-13260820.php|title=Astrodome extreme makeover should begin after RodeoHouston 2019 concludes|first=Craig|last=Hlavaty|date=September 26, 2018|website=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> In September 2019, the plan was put on hold with no word when construction might take place.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McGuinness |first1=Dylan |title=What's going on with the Astrodome? Nothing, really |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/What-s-going-on-with-the-Astrodome-Nothing-14423650.php |access-date=August 12, 2020 |work=Houston Chronicle |date=September 9, 2019}}</ref> It was announced in November 2019 that the Revitalization Project has been scrapped by Commissioners Court Judge [[Lina Hidalgo]]. Hidalgo explained that "The plan that had been designed wouldn't have yielded truly a usable building". As of November, there have been no new plans for the Astrodome.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.click2houston.com/news/2019/11/20/what-happened-to-potential-plans-for-the-astrodome/|title=What happened to potential plans for the Astrodome?|last=Arnold|first=Robert|date=November 21, 2019|website=KPRC|language=en|access-date=January 17, 2020}}</ref>

==Notable events==
{{multiple image
<!-- Essential parameters -->| align = right
| direction = vertical
| width = 190
| image1 = Houston Cougars vs UCLA Bruins, Game of the Century, 1968.png
| caption1 = [[Houston Cougars men's basketball|Houston]] and [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]] play against each other in the 1968 [[Game of the Century (college basketball)|Game of the Century]] at the Astrodome
| image2 = Elvin Hayes during celebration after Houston's win over UCLA in 1968 Game of the Century.png
| caption2 = The aftermath of Houston's 71–69 victory over UCLA
| header = '[[Game of the Century (college basketball)|Game of the Century]]'
| header_align = center
}}

=== Baseball ===

*The first home run in the Astrodome was hit by [[Mickey Mantle]] off pitcher [[Turk Farrell]] on April 9, 1965, in an exhibition game between the [[1965 Houston Astros season|Astros]] and [[1965 New York Yankees season|Yankees]].<ref>{{cite web
 |title=Mickey Mantle's NYC
 |access-date=May 18, 2008
|url=http://www.mickeymantles.com/facts25.html
 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080602225547/http://www.mickeymantles.com/facts25.html
 |archive-date=June 2, 2008
|url-status=live
}}</ref> The first official home run was hit by [[Dick Allen]] of the Philadelphia Phillies in a game on April 12 of that year—a 2–0 Astros loss.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.astrosdaily.com/history/1965/ |title=Houston Astros history - 1965 season |website=Astrosdaily.com |access-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref>
* [[Lindsey Nelson]], an announcer for the visiting [[1965 New York Mets season|New York Mets]], broadcast a game on April 28, 1965, while perched in a gondola suspended from the roof above second base.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metsmerizedonline.com/2013/12/life-under-the-big-top.html/|title=Life Under the Big Top|last=Strubel|first=John|publisher=metsmerizedonline.com|date=December 10, 2013|access-date=June 25, 2014}}</ref>
*On September 19, 1979, during a "Back the Astros" night, [[KILT (AM)]] radio announced that the Astros's number one fan, "Astroman," would live on top of the domed stadium and would not come down until the Astros won their first pennant.<ref name=Austin20>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-astroman-denve/170201548/ Astros Heading the Wrong Way], Bill Sullivan, Austin-American Statesman, Sept 20, 1979</ref> Over the next 10 days, Astroman, played by KILT-AM salesman Denver Griffith, lived on top of the Astrodome in an eight-man tent. On top of the Astrodome was also a telephone from which Griffith would report as Astroman to KILT-AM listeners throughout the day. He could retreat inside the Dome to a gondola near the ceiling for bad weather, watching a game, and deliveries. At first Astroman got his food and drink by lowering a rope with a basket the 18 stories from the top of the Astrodome to the center of the playing field. He grew tired of this and would later get deliveries at the end of the catwalk instead. At one point Griffith got so desperate for food and drink that his mother had to intervene, interrupting the NFL football coach, [[Bum Phillips]], during practice so that she could deliver the supplies. Every night a local TV station would sign off with a shot of Astroman on top of the Astrodome waving to a circling news chopper. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/597163/2018/10/18/the-forgotten-adventures-of-astroman-who-spent-10-days-living-on-the-roof-of-the-astrodome/|title='Astroman lives!': The forgotten story of 10 days and nights on the Astrodome roof|first=Rustin|last=Dodd|work=The New York Times |date=October 18, 2018 |via=NYTimes.com}}</ref>
Although the Astros never played in a World Series while at the Dome, they have participated in five Fall Classics at [[Daikin Park]] ({{wsy|2005}}, {{wsy|2017}}, {{wsy|2019}},  {{wsy|2021}}, and {{wsy|2022}}). By the time the Astros finally won the Series in 2017, they had switched to the American League.
*On October 15, 1986, the Astros and the visiting [[New York Mets]] played Game 6 of the [[1986 NLCS]]. The 16-inning contest was at the time the longest game in MLB post season history. The [[1986 New York Mets season|Mets]] would take a 7–4 lead into the bottom of the 16th inning and hold on for a 7–6 victory over the [[1986 Houston Astros season|Astros]]. Coincidentally, the record was broken in Houston 19 years later at [[Minute Maid Park]] during the [[2005 NLDS]] when the [[2005 Houston Astros season|Astros]] won an 18-inning game against the [[2005 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]].
* On October 3, 1999, the [[1999 Houston Astros season|Astros]] played their final regular season game at the Astrodome, clinching the NL Central Division title with a 9–4 win over the [[1999 Los Angeles Dodgers season|Dodgers]]. The final Astros game in the stadium occurred 6 days later when the [[1999 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] eliminated the Astros in Game 4 of the Division Series.

===Basketball===
*The '[[Game of the Century (college basketball)|Game of the Century]]' between the [[University of Houston]] [[1967–68 Houston Cougars men's basketball team|Cougars]] and the [[UCLA]] [[1967–68 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|Bruins]] took place at the Astrodome on January 20, 1968, before a crowd of 52,963—the record for the largest attendance ever at a basketball game until 2003. The first [[NCAA]] regular-season game broadcast nationwide in prime time, the Game of the Century established college basketball as a sports commodity on television, and paved the way for the modern "March Madness" television coverage. The Cougars, coached by [[Guy V. Lewis]], defeated coach [[John Wooden]]'s Bruins, led by [[Lew Alcindor]], 71–69 behind a 39-point scoring effort from [[Elvin Hayes]].
*The Astrodome hosted the [[1989 NBA All-Star Game]]. Attendance was 44,735 and [[Karl Malone]] won [[NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] honors.

===Tennis===
The [[Battle of the Sexes (tennis)|Battle of the Sexes]] [[tennis]] match occurred on September 20, 1973, aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] with [[Billie Jean King]] defeating [[Bobby Riggs]] in three straight sets. While more of a publicity stunt than a serious match, it made national headlines and stands as a milestone in the progress of women's sports. Scenes were filmed in the Astrodome for the 2017 film ''[[Battle of the Sexes (2017 film)|Battle of the Sexes]]'' which starred [[Emma Stone]] and [[Steve Carell]], who played King and Riggs, respectively.

===Boxing & WWE===
*[[File:WMX-Seven1 b.jpg|thumb|[[WrestleMania X-Seven]] set an attendance record for the Astrodome]]Three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion [[Muhammad Ali]] fought [[Cleveland Williams]] in the Astrodome in November 1966; [[Ernie Terrell]] in February 1967; [[Jimmy Ellis (boxer)]] July 1971 and [[Buster Mathis]] November 1971.
*On April 1, 2001, [[WWE]] (then known as the WWF) hosted [[WrestleMania X-Seven]], which set an all-time record attendance for the Astrodome of 67,925. The main event of the card saw Texas native [["Stone Cold" Steve Austin]] challenge and defeat [[WWF Champion]] [[Dwayne Johnson|The Rock]] in a No Disqualification Match for the WWF Championship. The card also featured the first of Houston native [[The Undertaker]]'s three [[WrestleMania]] victories over [[Triple H]], and the second [[TLC match]] for the WWF Tag Team Championship with [[Edge & Christian]] defeating WWF Tag Team Champions [[The Dudley Boyz]], and [[The Hardy Boyz]]. The event was met with universal acclaim, often rated the greatest WrestleMania of all time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Troy L. Smith |first=Cleveland com |date=November 21, 2019 |title=50 greatest wrestling pay-per-views of all time |url=https://www.cleveland.com/life-and-culture/g66l-2019/11/29137a8da15528/50-greatest-wrestling-payperviews-of-all-time.html |access-date=September 18, 2023 |website=cleveland |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 15 best pay-per-views ever |url=https://www.wwe.com/node/26146880/page-17 |access-date=September 18, 2023 |website=WWE |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&view=statistics |access-date=September 18, 2023}}</ref>

===Concerts===


* [[Frank Sinatra]] would perform “Fly me to the Moon” as a tribute to the Apollo 11 mission astronauts on August 16th, 1969. He would also perform “The Lady is a Tramp” and “God bless America.” All Apollo 11 astronauts were present during this show. 
* [[Elvis Presley]] gave six performances there between February and March 1970, setting an attendance record with 200,000 over the six shows. He performed there again on March 3, 1974, setting a single day attendance record.
* The first annual Astrodome Jazz Festival presented by [[George Wein]] and the [[Newport Jazz Festival]] took place on July 7–8, 1972. Performers included [[Ike & Tina Turner]], [[B.B. King]], [[Cannonball Adderley]], [[Roberta Flack]], [[Lou Rawls]], [[Herbie Mann]], [[Dave Brubeck]] with [[Paul Desmond]], [[Jimmy Smith (musician)|Jimmy Smith]], and [[The Giants of Jazz]]" supergroup featuring [[Gerry Mulligan]], [[Dizzy Gillespie]], [[Thelonious Monk]], [[Art Blakey]], [[Kai Winding]], and [[Al McKibbon]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.houstonarthistory.com/a-houston-timeline-19721985|title=A Houston Timeline 1972-1985|website=Houston Art History}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blog.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2012/05/dome-of-the-month-the-astrodome-jazz-festival/|title=Dome of the Month: The Astrodome Jazz Festival|last=Gonzales|first=J.R.|date=May 29, 2012|website=Houston Chronicle}}</ref>
* [[The Rolling Stones]] played October 28 & 29, 1981 on their [[The Rolling Stones American Tour 1981|American Tour 1981]]. They again played November 8, 1989, on the [[Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour]].
* [[The Jacksons]] performed there during their [[Victory Tour (The Jacksons tour)|Victory Tour]] on two nights in November 1984. With [[Michael Jackson]] as the lead performer, the group performed on November 9, 1984, and November 10, 1984, with attendance of 80,000.
* [[Madonna]] played a concert on July 24, 1987, as part of her [[Who's That Girl World Tour]].
* [[Pink Floyd]] played a concert on November 18, 1987, as part of their [[A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour]].
* September 4, 1992; Co-headlining tour of [[Metallica]] and [[Guns N' Roses]] with special guest [[Faith No More]]. News footage of this concert can be found on YouTube.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CsH-TnpBdI |title=News Clip: Metallica & Guns N Roses in Houston (1992) |date=October 15, 2015 |last=RageTV |access-date=April 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/4CsH-TnpBdI |archive-date=December 12, 2021 |url-status=live |via=YouTube |website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Additionally, [[MTV]] filmed an episode of ''Live n' Loud'' during the show.
* [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] played a concert at the Astrodome, as part of the [[We Can't Dance Tour]] on May 9, 1992.
* ''[[Live! The Last Concert]]'' is a live album by Mexican-American singer [[Selena]]. It was recorded on February 26, 1995, at the Houston Astrodome and was televised live on [[Univision]]. Over 67,000 people attended.
*U2 played at the Houston Astrodome during their [[Popmart Tour]] in 1997.
*On August 6, 2000, the [[Up in Smoke Tour]] came to the Astrodome.

===Motorsports===
The Astrodome held several motorsports events throughout its lifetime. The [[AMA Grand National Championship]] held events starting in 1968 and running for 18 years, utilizing the Short Track and TT Steeplechase track configurations in their visits. The [[AMA Supercross Championship]] held its first ever indoor Supercross at the Astrodome in 1974, won by [[Jim Pomeroy (motocross)|Jim Pomeroy]]. 

In the mid-1980s, the [[Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group]] held several Stadium Off-Road Racing Series events, showcasing such drivers as [[Ivan Stewart]], [[Robby Gordon]], and [[Walker Evans (racing driver)]]. Beginning in the early 1980s, both [[TNT Motorsports]] and the [[United States Hot Rod Association]] held events showcasing mud bogging, truck and tractor pulling, and monster trucks in the Astrodome. After a buy-out of TNT Motorsports, the USHRA continued holding events that would later transform into the current [[Monster Jam]] events.

[[United States Auto Club|USAC]] held the Astro Grand Prix as part of the [[United States Auto Club#USAC National Midget Championship|National Midget Championship]] in the Astrodome on a temporary {{frac|1|4}}-mile dirt oval—which was called the Eighth Wonder International Motor Speedway. [[Gary Bettenhausen]] and Lee Kunzman won the feature races in 1969, while Tom Bigelow won the overall event championship.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ottum |first=Bob |date=March 17, 1969 |title=Poor Li'l Midgets Texas Style |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/03/17/poor-lil-midgets-texas-style |access-date=April 9, 2025 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en |publication-date=March 17, 1969}}</ref> The event returned for 1970, hometown favorite [[A. J. Foyt]] won the feature race.<ref>{{cite web |title=USAC Midget:1970-04 |url=https://thethirdturn.com/wiki/USAC_Midget:1970-04 |website=The Third Turn |access-date=August 12, 2020 |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200801161437/https://thethirdturn.com/wiki/USAC_Midget:1970-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bettenhausen won the final edition in 1972.

With the opening of [[NRG Stadium]] in late 2002, the events held in early 2002 by AMA Supercross and Monster Jam would be their last in the Astrodome before moving next door for 2003, where they continue to hold events every year.

*[[KTRK-TV]] Channel 13 Eyewitness News anchorman [[Dave Ward (reporter)|Dave Ward]] was injured during a motocross exhibition race (which also included Channel 13 sports anchor Bob Allen, as well as other local media figures) in the Astrodome in the early 1970s.
*[[Evel Knievel]] jumped 13 cars two nights in a row, drawing over 100,000 spectators to the Astrodome in January 1971, and though there was talk of him making an actual jump over the stadium itself sometime in the future, it never happened.
*The Astro Spiral car jump was performed January 12, 1972, by Chick Galiano of J.M. Productions' Hell Drivers. This stunt was later performed in the 1974 [[James Bond]] film ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]''.

'''<big>Domecoming</big>'''

On April 9, 2018, the Astrodome was used as a museum for the event known as "Domecoming".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://astrodomeconservancy.org/domecoming/|title=Join Us for Domecoming – April 9, 2018 – Astrodome Conservancy|website=astrodomeconservancy.org|language=en-US|access-date=June 27, 2018}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
*[[Robert Altman]]'s 1970 comedy film ''[[Brewster McCloud]]'' is set at the Astrodome: the eponymous hero is an eccentric young man who lives at the stadium.
*In the "[[King of the Hill (season 7)|Get Your Freak Off]]" episode of ''[[King of the Hill]]'', parts of the episode showed the Astrodome and took place there.
*The 1972 special ''[[Road Company]]'' was videotaped here, which starred [[Dom DeLuise]], [[Bob Hynes]], [[Sheila MacRae]] & [[Kenny Rogers]].
*The Astrodome was the setting for the filming of an exhibition game with the fictional Houston Toros in the 1977 movie ''[[The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training]]''.
*The made-for-TV movie ''[[Murder at the World Series]]'' was filmed here, about a fictional [[1977 World Series]] between the Astros and [[Oakland Athletics]] (the real 1977 World Series featured the Yankees and Dodgers).
*In the science-fiction movie ''[[2010: The Year We Make Contact]]'', the 1984 sequel to ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]'', Dr. Heywood Floyd ([[Roy Scheider]]) and the spaceship ''Discovery'''s designer Walter Curnow ([[John Lithgow]]) discuss their favorite sports stadium hot dogs; Curnow says he likes the hot dogs at the Astrodome, while Floyd prefers those at Yankee Stadium.
*In 2001, [[U2]] filmed the music video for "[[Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of]]" inside the Astrodome.
*In the 2004 movie ''[[Friday Night Lights (film)|Friday Night Lights]]'', the Astrodome hosted the 1988 5A Football State Championship between the [[Permian High School|Permian Panthers]] and the [[David W. Carter High School|Carter High Cowboys]]. (The actual 1988 game was a state semifinal and was played elsewhere.)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blum |first1=Eric |title=My time in Permian Panthers country |url=https://deadspin.com/my-time-covering-permian-panthers-football-1848441522 |website=Deadspin |date=January 28, 2022}}</ref>
*The Astrodome is a playable field on [[MVP Baseball 2005]] as it was in 1999.
* A fictional meeting in the Astrodome between the narrator, Pocahontas and Indian rights activist actor Marlon Brando is mentioned in the song "[[Pocahontas (song)|Pocahontas]]." It was written by [[Neil Young]] and was first released on his 1979 album ''[[Rust Never Sleeps]]''.
* In the animated film [[Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood]], the Astrodome and its construction was featured when describing Houston in the 1960s.

==Awards and recognitions==
*On June 19, 2013, the Astrodome was named to the [[National Trust for Historic Preservation]]'s annual list of [[America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places]] as well as to its<ref>{{cite web |title=National Treasures |url=https://savingplaces.org/national-treasures |website=National Trust for Historic Preservation |publisher=savingplaces.org |access-date=July 22, 2019}}</ref> portfolio.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/National-spotlight-shines-on-Dome-4639324.php|title=National spotlight shines on Dome|work=Houston Chronicle|access-date=October 20, 2017}}</ref>
*The Astrodome was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in January 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/hou/astrodome-lands-on-national-register-of-historic-places?ymd=20140201&content_id=67351980&fs=true |title=Astrodome lands on National Register of Historic Places &#124; astros.com: News |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |access-date=March 26, 2014}}</ref>
*The dome celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 9, 2015. A time capsule buried under the site at the time of construction was located. However, it was not extricated to celebrate the occasion, based on concerns about the cost and potential to compromise the structure of a retaining wall. This was also one of the very few times that the Astrodome has been open for the public since 2006.<ref>{{cite web|last=Banks |first=Gabrielle |url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Search-for-Dome-time-capsule-hits-a-snag-6233773.php |title=Search for Dome time capsule hits a snag |date=April 30, 2015 |publisher=Hearst Newspapers |access-date= May 2, 2015}}</ref>
*In 2017, the [[Texas Historical Commission]] designated the dome as a [[Texas State Antiquities Landmark|State Antiquities Landmark]].<ref name=THC>{{cite press release|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Houston Astrodome Receives State Antiquities Landmark Designation from Texas Historical Commission|url=http://www.thc.texas.gov/news-events/press-releases/houston-astrodome-receives-state-antiquities-landmark-designation-texas|location=Austin, Texas|agency=[[Texas Historical Commission]]|access-date=January 30, 2017}}</ref>
*On May 29, 2018, the dome received a Texas State Historical Marker from the Texas Historical Commission.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/The-Astrodome-got-some-new-shiny-bling-Tuesday-12952282.php#photo-15635206|title=The Astrodome gets its own Texas State Historical Marker|newspaper=Chron |date=May 30, 2018 |last1=Hlavaty |first1=Craig }}</ref>

==Features==

===Scoreboard===
[[File:Astrodome scoreboard 1969.jpg|thumb|260px|Astrolite, the Astrodome's scoreboard, in [[1969 Houston Astros season|1969]]. It was the world's first animated scoreboard.]]
The Astrodome was renowned for its four-story "Astrolite" scoreboard, composed of thousands of light bulbs that featured animation. After every Astros home run, the scoreboard played a minute-long animated celebration of pistols, bulls, and fireworks.<ref name=dsthevr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0sFeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pjEMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2845%2C2586502 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=(Idaho) |agency=Associated Press |title=Domed stadium has everything |date=February 16, 1965 |page=11}}</ref> The scoreboard remained intact until 1988, when [[Houston Oilers]] (now [[Tennessee Titans]]) owner [[Bud Adams]] suggested its removal to accommodate increased capacity for football, baseball and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. [[Harris County, Texas|Harris County]] spent $67 million of public funds on renovations.<ref name="Loser">{{cite book |last=Fowler |first=Ed |title=Loser Takes All – Bud Adams, Bad Football, & Big Business |publisher=Longview Press |page=8 |year=1997 |isbn=1-56352-432-5}}</ref> Approximately 15,000 new seats resembling the 1970s rainbow uniform pattern were installed to bring [[seating capacity]] to almost 60,000 for football. On September 6, [[1988 Houston Astros season|1988]], a final celebration commemorating the scoreboard occurred prior to expansion renovations commencing.

===Playing surface===
The playing surface was originally Tifway 419 [[Bermuda grass]], bred for indoor use. The dome ceiling contained thousands of semi-transparent [[Lucite]] panes.<ref name=agfwpt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5Q8dAAAAIBAJ&pg=1385%2C3450389 |work=Tuscaloosa News |location=(Alabama)|agency=Associated Press |title=Astrodome glare fades with paint |date=April 23, 1966 |page=5}}</ref> Players soon complained that glare from the panes made it hard for them to track fly balls; to solve the problem, two sections of panes were painted white in April.<ref name=agfwpt/><ref name=ndsant>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GjlWAAAAIBAJ&pg=4293%2C3262038 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Dome needs another coat |date=May 24, 1965 |page=10}}</ref> Unfortunately, within a few months the grass died from lack of sunlight.<ref name="Cathedrals">{{cite book|last=Lowry|first=Phillip|title=Green Cathedrals|url=https://archive.org/details/greencathedralsu0000lowr_u1c9|url-access=registration|year=2005|publisher=Walker & Company|location=New York City|isbn=0-8027-1562-1}}</ref> For most of the [[1965 Houston Astros season|1965 season]], the Astros played on green-painted dirt and dead grass. Even before then, the grass tended to hold, then release moisture. The resulting condensation often forced games to be delayed while the grounds crews cleaned up the playing surface.

[[File:Astros clinch playoff berth!.jpg|thumb|The playing surface in 1999]]
The solution was to install a new type of artificial grass on the field, [[ChemGrass]], which became known as [[AstroTurf]], named after the stadium. Because the supply of AstroTurf was limited, only a small amount was available at the start of the [[1966 Houston Astros season|1966 season]]. There was not enough for the entire outfield, so the first phase covered only the traditional grass portion of the infield and foul territory,<ref name=asplfhf>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uPwrAAAAIBAJ&pg=6321,1673684|newspaper=Florence Times|location=(Alabama)|title=Astroturf planned for Houston field|agency=Associated Press|date=March 13, 1966|page=18}}</ref> at a cost of $2 per square foot. It was installed in time to test out during exhibition games against the Dodgers in March.<ref name=algbt>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R6tVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6860,4760340 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon)|agency=Associated Press|title=Astroturf looks great, but...|date=March 20, 1966|page=2b}}</ref><ref name=whnwas>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KFtQAAAAIBAJ&pg=5288,6122136|newspaper=Toledo Blade|location=(Ohio)|agency=Associated Press|title=What's new? Astroturf|date=March 21, 1966|page=23}}</ref><ref name=zgbhiad >{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JG0eAAAAIBAJ&pg=5803,3955242 |newspaper=Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal|location=(Florida)|agency=Associated Press|title=Zippered 'grass' big hit in Astrodome |date=March 20, 1966|page=1B}}</ref><ref name=mjsxsx>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ok0aAAAAIBAJ&pg=3929%2C5003712 |work=Milwaukee Journal |last=Bledsoe |first=Terry |title=Astrodome's synthetic grass gets 1st test with skids and bounces |date=March 20, 1966 |page=1, sports }}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=brcbtva>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cotLAAAAIBAJ&pg=6834%2C2708784 |work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |last=Rathet |first=Mike |title=Brickbats starting to fly over Houston's Astroturf |date=March 21, 1966 |page=8}}</ref> 

The outfield remained painted dirt until after [[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|the All-Star Game]]. The Astros completed a seven-game home stand on Wednesday, July 6, then went on a road trip on both sides of the All-Star break. The installation of the outfield portion of AstroTurf was completed for the three-game series with the Phillies starting on Tuesday, July 19, finally covering the entire field.<ref name=paptoag>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e7IhAAAAIBAJ&pg=2932,2223710|newspaper=Reading Eagle|location=(Pennsylvania)|agency=Associated Press|title=Phils, Astros plan tonight on artificial grass |date=July 19, 1966|page=23}}</ref><ref name=pfftunf>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EOdVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5602%2C4123933 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |location=(Oregon) |agency=Associated Press |title=Phil find Farrell, turf unfriendly |date=July 20, 1966 |page=3C}}</ref><ref name=asclph>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qLZdAAAAIBAJ&pg=7299%2C2360989|work=Victoria Advocate |location=(Texas) |agency=Associated Press |title= Astros clout Phils; Farrell leads way|date=July 20, 1966 |page=8}}</ref> Groundskeepers dressed as astronauts kept the turf clean with vacuum cleaners between innings. The infield design had the same large dirt arc and running paths as a traditional natural grass field.

In [[1973 Houston Astros season|1973]], the Astros installed an all-AstroTurf infield, except for dirt patches around the bases. This "sliding pit" configuration was introduced by [[1970 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati]] with the opening of [[Riverfront Stadium]] on June 30, 1970. It was then installed in the new stadiums in [[Veterans Stadium|Philadelphia]] in [[1971 Philadelphia Phillies season|1971]], and [[Kauffman Stadium|Kansas City]] in [[1973 Kansas City Royals season|1973]]. The artificial turf fields of [[Three Rivers Stadium|Pittsburgh]], [[Busch Memorial Stadium|St. Louis]], and [[Candlestick Park|San Francisco]], all installed in 1970, were traditionally configured like the Astrodome and later changed to sliding pits. San Francisco converted in [[1971 San Francisco Giants season|1971]], Pittsburgh in [[1973 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1973]], and St. Louis in [[1978 St. Louis Cardinals season|1978]]. [[Rogers Centre]] in Toronto was the last park in the majors to have sliding pits; it opened in [[1989 Toronto Blue Jays season|1989]] and switched to a traditional dirt skin infield in [[2016 Toronto Blue Jays season|2016]].

Throughout its history, the Astrodome was known as a [[pitcher's park]]. The power alleys were never shorter than {{Convert|370|ft|0}} from the plate; on at least two occasions they were as far as {{Convert|390|ft|0}}. Over time, it gave up fewer home runs than any other park in the National League.<ref name="Storied">{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Curt |author-link=Curt Smith (author)|title=Storied Stadiums |url=https://archive.org/details/storiedstadiumsb00curt |url-access=registration |year=2001 |publisher=Carroll & Graf |location=New York City |isbn=0-7867-1187-6}}</ref> The Astrodome's reputation as a pitcher's park continued even in the mid-1980s, when the fences were moved in closer than the [[Metrodome]], which had been long reckoned as a hitter's park.

===Seating capacity===
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Baseball
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Houston Astros}};"| Years
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Houston Astros}};"| Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1965
| style="text-align:center" | 42,217
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1966–1967 
| style="text-align:center" | 46,000
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1968–1974
| style="text-align:center" | 44,500 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1975–1981
| style="text-align:center" | 45,101
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1982–1989 
| style="text-align:center" | 47,690
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1990–1991
| style="text-align:center" | 54,816 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1992–1994
| style="text-align:center" | 53,821 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Houston Astros}};"|1995–1999
| style="text-align:center" | 54,370 
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Football
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"| Years
! scope="row" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"| Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1965–1978
| style="text-align:center" | 50,000
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1979–1981
| style="text-align:center" | 50,153
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1982–1983
| style="text-align:center" | 50,452
|- 
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1984–1986
| 50,495<ref>{{cite news |title=Prototype Astrodome Celebrates 20th Birthday|first=Bruce|last=Nichols|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xFhWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6580,4938802&dq=en|newspaper=[[The Spokesman-Review]]|date=April 10, 1985}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1987–1988
| 50,594<ref>{{cite news |title=Houston's Mistake|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3lMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=4949,428882&dq=en|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=January 2, 1988}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1989
| style="text-align:center" | 60,502
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1990–1991
| style="text-align:center" | 62,439
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1992–1994 
| 62,021<ref>{{cite news |title=Oilers Entertain Bears With Playoffs on Mind|first=Jerry|last=Bonkowski|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56244913.html?dids=56244913:56244913&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+07%2C+1992&author=Jerry+Bonkowski&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Oilers+entertain+Bears+with+playoffs+on+mind&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725101237/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/USAToday/access/56244913.html?dids=56244913:56244913&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+07%2C+1992&author=Jerry+Bonkowski&pub=USA+TODAY+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Oilers+entertain+Bears+with+playoffs+on+mind&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 25, 2012|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=December 7, 1992}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Houston Oilers}};"|1995–2001
| 59,969<ref>{{cite news |title=Revamped Oilers Fall to Browns 14-7|first=Al|last=Carter|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3D5FD2F60B313&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|date=September 18, 1995}}</ref>
|}
{{col-break}}{{col-end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas|Baseball|American football|National Register of Historic Places}}
* [[List of tennis stadiums by capacity]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Harris County, Texas]]
* [[Delta Dome]]
* [[List of tallest domes]]
{{Clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==

===Articles===
* Paige, Leroy "Satchel". "Dome is Hurler's Heaven, Says Satchel". ''San Bernardino Sun-Telegram''. April 11, 1965. pp. [http://www.mediafire.com/view/igrthv7v1ef9ag3 69], [http://www.mediafire.com/view/igrthv7v1ef9ag3 72]. 
* Mack, Darrell (UPI). [http://www.mediafire.com/view/4lymq9yx82lchoo "Roberto Draws Dome Cheers; Clemente's double grabs termed 'greatest ever'"]. ''The Franklin News-Herald''. June 16, 1971. p.&nbsp;21.

===Books===
* Chandler, Adam. "[https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/the-sad-fate-but-historic-legacy-of-the-houston-astrodome/281269/ The Sad Fate (But Historic Legacy) of the Houston Astrodome]." ''[[The Atlantic]]''. November 8, 2013.
* Trumpbour, Robert C., and [[Kenneth Womack]]. ''The Eighth Wonder of the World: The Life of Houston's Iconic Astrodome'' (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2016).

==External links==
{{Commons category|Astrodome}}
*{{Cite journal |last=Carlton |first=Harold |year=1968 |title=The 8th Wonder of the World—The Houston Astrodome |location=London |journal=Sunday Times Magazine}}
*{{Cite magazine|last=Smith |first=Liz |date=April 12, 1965 |title=Giltfinger's Golden Dome |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1965/04/12/giltfingers-golden-dome/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121211210806/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1077072/index.htm |url-status=live |archive-date=December 11, 2012 |magazine=Sports Illustrated }}
*{{Cite journal |last=Sarnoff |first=Nancy |date=April 26, 2010 |title=The Astrodome: 'Houston's Eiffel Tower' |url=http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/04/the_astrodome_houstons_eiffel.html |journal=Houston Chronicle |access-date=May 3, 2010 |archive-date=April 29, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100429074203/http://blogs.chron.com/primeproperty/2010/04/the_astrodome_houstons_eiffel.html |url-status=dead }}
*{{HAER |survey=TX-108 |id=tx1045 |title=Houston Astrodome, 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston, Harris County, TX}}
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=S1MEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA75 LIFE 23 Apr 1965]
*[https://texasarchive.org/taxonomy/term/116074 Film footage of the Astrodome] at [[Texas Archive of the Moving Image]]

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{Succession box
| title = Home of the<br />[[Houston Oilers]]
| years = 1968–1996
| before = [[Rice Stadium (Rice University)|Rice Stadium]]
| after = [[Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Home of the<br />[[Houston Astros]]
| years = 1965–1999
| before = [[Colt Stadium]]
| after = [[Daikin Park]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Home of the<br />[[Bluebonnet Bowl]]
| years = 1968–1984<br />1987
| before = [[Rice Stadium (Rice University)|Rice Stadium]]
| after = [[Rice Stadium (Rice University)|Rice Stadium]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = [[NCAA]]<br />[[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|Men's Division I]]<br />[[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|Basketball Tournament]]<br />Finals Venue
| years = 1971
| before = [[Cole Field House]]
| after = [[Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Host of the<br />[[MLB All-Star Game]]
| years = 1968<br />1986
| before = [[Anaheim Stadium]]<br />[[Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome]]
| after = [[Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium]]<br />[[Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Host of the<br />[[NBA All-Star Game]]
| years = 1989
| before = [[Chicago Stadium]]
| after = [[Miami Arena]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Host of [[WrestleMania]]
| years = [[WrestleMania X-Seven|2001]]
| before = [[Arrowhead Pond]]
| after = [[SkyDome]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{National Register of Historic Places}}
{{Houston Astros}}
{{Houston Rockets}}
{{Tennessee Titans}}
{{Houston Cougars baseball navbox}}
{{Houston Cougars football navbox}}
{{Texas Southern Tigers football navbox}}
{{Defunct MLB Ballparks}}
{{Defunct NFL stadiums}}
{{AMA Supercross venues}}
{{NFL indoor venues}}
{{Republican National Convention venues}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1965 establishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1965]]
[[Category:American football venues in Texas]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Texas]]
[[Category:Defunct college baseball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct college football venues]]
[[Category:Defunct multi-purpose stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Covered stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct Major League Baseball venues]]
[[Category:Defunct NFL venues]]
[[Category:Defunct soccer venues in the United States]]
[[Category:American Football League venues]]
[[Category:History of Houston]]
[[Category:Houston Astros]]
[[Category:Houston Astros stadiums]]
[[Category:Houston Gamblers stadiums]]
[[Category:Houston Rockets]]
[[Category:Hurricane Katrina disaster relief]]
[[Category:Defunct NCAA bowl game venues]]
[[Category:Houston Cougars baseball venues]]
[[Category:American football venues in Houston]]
[[Category:Houston Cougars football venues]]
[[Category:Houston Oilers stadiums]]
[[Category:Texas Southern Tigers football]]
[[Category:United States Football League venues]]
[[Category:Rodeo venues in the United States]]
[[Category:World Football League venues]]
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Texas]]
[[Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) stadiums]]
[[Category:Defunct sports venues in Texas]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Houston]]
[[Category:Sports venues on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Houston]]
[[Category:Soccer venues in Houston]]
[[Category:Wrestling venues in Houston]]
[[Category:Former NBA venues]]
[[Category:2008 disestablishments in Texas]]
[[Category:Defunct covered stadiums]]