Chris Shelton Chris Shelton[/caption]

Harris County's $105 million Astrodome repurposing plan involves raising the facility’s floor 30 feet to ground level, providing 9 acres of open space for events and adding two levels of underground parking.


County officials said the proposal—for which the architectural engineering contract was awarded in February—would not involve a property tax increase; instead, it would be funded evenly through the county’s general fund, hotel occupancy tax funds and parking enterprise funds.


However, State Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, whose district includes Humble and Atascocita, wants residents to vote on Harris County’s Astrodome repurposing plan.   


He introduced Senate Bill 884, dubbed by Whitmire’s office as the Harris County Taxpayer Protection Act, which would require Harris County to obtain voter approval for any improvement or redevelopment to the facility costing $10 million or more.