Astrodome proposal could mean higher taxes for residents

Although the Astrodome is miles from Cy-Fair, county residents could see higher taxes if a proposal to revamp the building into a multipurpose facility is approved by commissioners court in late June.

In a presentation to the county's sports and convention corporation May 23, CSL Consulting proposed several options for the unused facility. Commissioners may vote to do nothing with the Astrodome, turn it into the multipurpose facility, or demolish it and build an outdoor plaza. In addition to the $270 million multipurpose facility option, the report from CSL Consultants recommends the county consider replacing Reliant Arena for $385 million, for a total of about $523 million.

The Astrodome is not in use today, but it still has nearly $30 million in debt.