A plan to rehabilitate the aging Astrodome was formally presented to Harris County commissioners June 25, who unanimously decided to send the proposal to three county departments for further review.

The $194 million proposal will be sent to the budget office for a financial analysis, and the county attorney's office will study the legality and potential timing of what deadlines would need to be met to place the item on a potential ballot for public approval.

"If there is a bond, there will be a tax," County Judge Ed Emmett said. "Everybody needs to understand that, but the level of that tax right now is still undetermined."

Dubbed as the "New Dome Experience," the proposal does not call for demolishing the nearly 50-year-old facility, but instead reinvents the Astrodome as a gathering place for community and sporting events, festivals and conferences at Reliant Park. Additionally, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo would be able to use the new space to bring several outdoor activities inside.

"What we want the Dome to become for major events at Reliant Park is the front door," said Mark Miller, general manager for Reliant Park. "We want everybody to go to the Super Bowl through the Astrodome. We want everyone to go to the Final Four through the Astrodome. It's where you'll come and get greeted, and you'll have a great fan experience on your way to the game."

Emmett said he believes the concept is outstanding and would provide an opportunity to properly use a county asset.

"At the end of it, I believe Houston and Harris County will become the event capital of the world," he said. "As was pointed out, there is no open space like this anywhere else in the world, and the fact that it's going to be air conditioned and protected from the weather means the opportunities are endless."

The HCSCC received 19 outside proposals for what to do with the Dome before a June 10 deadline, but none met all the requirements set out by the organization. Therefore, the HCSCC recommended its own public-use plan, which executive director Willie Loston said incorporates several ideas from the private proposals.

"In reading through the proposals, one theme seemed to be fairly constant from those interested in saving the building, and that was dreams and memories," he said. "The Astrodome has a special significance to many members of our community, whether you were born and raised here, or whether you came as a visitor and inherited a love for the building and city."

The proposal involves clearing the interior of the Dome to create a 350,000-square-foot event space, raising the floor to street level, adding glass at the four compass points and creating a signature entry at the southern compass point. Sustainability efforts are also planned, including solar panels on the roof and a storm water storage system.

The Astrodome would also serve as the central event command post for Reliant Center, and features would be implemented to facilitate emergency operations in the county.

"We think there's a lot of opportunities to help support those activities when there is an emergency or disaster," Miller said.

Outside the Astrodome, the ramp towers and ticket buildings would be removed, and an exterior streetscape and green space would be created.

"What we're trying to create is a really inviting, green plaza with food opportunities and restroom opportunities," Miller said. "We want to get our events from being in the parking lot to a really amazing event space outside and around the perimeter of the Dome."

The New Dome Experience

The Astrodome proposal put forth by the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation calls for several changes to re-purpose the facility.

Inside:

• Remove interior seating structures
• Raise event floor to street level
• Add glass at four compass points
• Create signature entry at southern point
• Install energy-efficient building systems
• Consider sustainability initiatives
• Create centralized event command post
• Add features for emergency operations

Outside:

• Refresh the exterior
• Eliminate exterior ramp towers, ticket buildings, ramps, substation and high voltage transmission lines and poles
• Add green spaces and shade
• Add utilities for outdoor events
• Create an exterior streetscape at the base of the Dome