NRG Astrodome

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NRG Astrodome
Eighth Wonder of the World
House of Pain
The Astrodome
The Reliant Astrodome on December 31, 2005
The Reliant Astrodome on December 31, 2005
Earlier names

Harris County Domed Stadium (1965)
Houston Astrodome (1965-2000)
Reliant Astrodome (2000-2014)

Data
place 8400 Kirby Drive, Houston , Texas
United StatesUnited States 
Coordinates 29 ° 41 ′ 6 "  N , 95 ° 24 ′ 28"  W Coordinates: 29 ° 41 ′ 6 "  N , 95 ° 24 ′ 28"  W
owner Harris County
start of building January 3, 1962
opening April 9, 1965
First game April 9, 1965
Houston Astros - New York Yankees
Extensions 1989 ($ 60 million)
surface Turf ( dog tooth grass , 1965)
Colored ash (1965)
Artificial turf (Astroturf, 1966 – today)
costs 37 million US dollars
architect Hermon Lloyd & WB Morgan
Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson
capacity Baseball:
42,217 (1965)
46,000 (1966-1967)
44,500 (1968-1974)
45,000 (1975-1981)
47,690 (1982-1989)
54,816 (1990-present)
Football:
62,439
Wrestling:
67,925
playing area At the beginning:
Left Field - 340 feet (104 m)
Left Center Field - 375 feet (114 m)
Center Field - 406 feet (124 m)
Right Center Field - 375 feet (114 m)
Right Field - 340 feet (104 m)
Backstop - 60.5 feet (18 m)
Later:
Left Field - 325 feet (99 m)
Left Center Field - 375 feet (114 m)
Center Field - 400 feet (122 m)
Right Center Field - 375 feet (114 m)
Right Field - 325 feet (99 m)
backstop - 52 feet (16 m)
Societies)
Events
The interior of the Astrodome in 2004

The Astrodome is complete with a domed roof spanned multifunctional stadium in the US city of Houston , Texas . It was the world's first stadium with a closed roof. The building has several epithets such as Eighth Wonder of the World , House of Pain or The Astrodome . At first it was named Harris County Domed Stadium . The venue opened on April 9, 1965 as the Houston Astrodome . In 2000, a sponsorship agreement was signed with the energy supply company Reliant Energy for the right to name the entire stadium complex. The hall thus bore the name Reliant Astrodome . With a term of 32 years, the contract is worth 300 million US dollars . Reliant Energy is part of NRG Energy , which has been namesake since March 2014.

Map of the NRG Park

The entire facility with an area of ​​350 acres (1.4 km 2 ) was named NRG Park ; to which, next to the Astrodome , which opened in 2002, NRG Stadium with a maximum of 72,744 seats, the Congress Center NRG Center , the gymnasium NRG Arena with 8,500 seats, the sculpture garden Carruth Plaza and the temporarily-used street circuit JAGFlo Speedway at NRG Park belongs.

history

prehistory

In the 1950s, the city of Houston sought a professional baseball team. In 1957 the Houston Sports Association was founded . The most important members were then Mayor Roy Hofheinz, oil trader Robert Everett "Bob" Smith, ex-baseball player Paul Richards, and baseball organizer George Kirksey and businessman Craig F. Cullinan. The latter two had tried to bring the St. Louis Cardinals to Houston in 1952 . On 17 October 1960, the city received one of two Major League Baseball - franchise agreements for the National League . The second contract went to New York with the Mets . The construction of a covered stadium was a prerequisite for the conclusion of the contract. The reason for this condition was the humid climate and the high temperatures averaging up to 34 degrees Celsius in the months of July and August.

After a naming competition, the baseball team was named Houston Colt .45s . Until the roofed stadium was completed, the team competed in Colt Stadium , which was provisionally built for 2 million US dollars next to the location of the future arena and offered around 33,000 seats. The Colt .45s made their first game on April 10, 1962 against the Chicago Cubs (11: 2) in front of 25,271 visitors at Colt Stadium. The conditions in which the games took place there were difficult. The very high temperatures in the uncovered stadium well into the night and swarms of mosquitoes plagued players and spectators alike. 80 people had to be brought into the first aid room on a double header in 1962. The last game was played in the stadium on September 27, 1964. In the late 1960s, it was sold to the Torrean Cotton Pickers in Torreón , Mexico, for $ 100,000 , and later passed on to the Stevedores of Tampico .

Construction and equipment

The plans for the Astrodome came from the architects Hermon Lloyd & WB Morgan as well as Wilson, Morris, Crain & Anderson. Walter P. Moore Engineers and Consultants was responsible for the structural analysis and structural planning. The executing construction company was the Houston-based HA Lott, Inc. After the groundbreaking and the start of construction on January 3, 1962, construction work was completed in November 1964, six months ahead of schedule. The cost was $ 37 million, of which 6 million came from private investors.

The structure is 216 meters (710 ft ) in diameter . The highest point of the roof is 63.4 meters (208 ft) above the playing field, which is sunk 7.62 meters (25 ft) below street level. The interior would have space for an 18-story building. The stadium's floodlights use more electricity than a city of 9,000 people. The air conditioning system has a volume of over 7,079 m 3 (2,500,000 cft ) of air per minute. 53 luxuriously furnished boxes were set up in the stadium. There was also a $ 2 million electronic scoreboard and two private clubs. Restaurants and a large number of snack stands took care of the physical well-being of the visitors.

4,596 glass elements made of polymethyl methacrylate ( Lucite ) are integrated into the roof ; to supply the interior with the natural grass made of dog tooth grass with daylight. 30,000 parking spaces have been created around the Hallenstadion. The dome was designed as a baseball stadium and an American football stadium and event venue. In the lower tier there are mobile stands; to adapt it to the different playing fields and events. In conjunction with the established in Houston in 1961 NASA -Zentrum Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) and the Apollo program , the team was named the Houston Astros and the stadium was in Houston Astrodome renamed.

opening

At the inauguration on April 9, 1965, u. a. US President Lyndon B. Johnson in attendance. Already at the beginning of the modern arena became known as Eighth Wonder of the World ( German  The eighth wonder of the world ): It hit the Houston Astros in a match before a packed house at the New York Yankees , it suggested Mickey Mantle the first home run in the history of Stadium. Judy Garland and the Supremes appeared as the show program . Three days later, the Astros had their first game of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies , which the guests won 2-0. The first home run in an official game was scored by Dick Allen of the Phillies .

In the first game against the Yankees , problems with the translucent roof were discovered. In the case of high balls, the players were blinded by the sunlight while trying to catch the ball. The clear panes were then painted white and the problem seemed solved. But now the daylight was no longer enough for the natural grass of the dog tooth grass variety and let the lawn perish. For the 1966 season, an artificial turf ( ChemGrass , later known as AstroTurf ) was laid in the hall . The Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers played the first game on the artificial green on April 8th .

Also from 1965, the University of Houston NCAA football team , the Houston Cougars , was based in the covered arena. After 33 years, the team returned to Robertson Stadium in 1998, where they played their home games from 1946 to 1964. In 1968 the Houston Oilers of the American Football League moved from Rice Stadium to the Astrodome . Two years later, the AFL merged with the NFL and the Oilers became one NFL team. The team was relocated to Nashville in 1996 as Tennessee Oilers because the Astrodome was too small and uncomfortable for the team owner Bud Adams . The Oilers' last game in Houston was on December 21, 1997. The Houston Astros left the Astrodome on October 9, 1999 after losing their fourth play-off game to the Atlanta Braves . From the year 2000 the team played in the Ballpark at Union Station (now: Minute Maid Park ) , which was built for US $ 250 million and has a closable roof and 40,950 seats.

In 1989 the dome was renovated and expanded for $ 60 million. The stadium expansion fell a. victimized the large electronic scoreboard. The luxury apartment of Roy Hofheinz, who died in 1982, had to give way for a new upper tier. The capacity increased to a maximum of 65,000 places. There were 61,000 seats for football games and 55,000 for baseball games. Outside the stadium, four towers with spiral wheelchair ramps have been installed for better access for disabled visitors.

In addition to the long-term tenants of the sports facility, there were other sports teams that only stayed a few seasons in the Astrodome. From the 1974 season, the Houston Texans of the World Football League (WFL) played in the Dome , but before the end of the season the team was relocated to Shreveport , Louisiana due to financial difficulties . Four years later, football found its way into the Astrodome . The Houston Hurricane team from the North American Soccer League (NASL) played in the indoor stadium for the three years of its existence. The Houston Gamblers ( United States Football League , USFL) team resided at the stadium in 1984 and 1985. The last team to move to the Astrodome was the Houston Energy women's football team from the WPFL in 2002 . The stadium has been closed since 2004.

future

After the completion of the Reliant Stadium in 2002, almost all major events moved into the modern arena with a closable roof. Only a few events took place. Various conversion options are being considered. After lengthy discussions, the Astrodome was added to the National Register of Historic Places in January 2014 .

Events and events

Away from the games of u. a. For local baseball and football teams, the Astrodome has hosted many different events throughout its history.

  • From 1966 to 2003, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo horse and music show took place annually in the Dome . On February 27, 1970 Elvis Presley performed in front of 43,614 spectators.
  • On November 14, 1966, Muhammad Ali boxed in a title fight in front of 35,460 spectators against Cleveland Williams . Ali dominated the fight and in the second round Williams went down three times. After two more knockdowns in the third round, the referee broke off the fight and Ali won by technical knockout.
  • The MLB All-Star Game first made a stop in Houston in 1968. The National League defeated the American League 1-0 in front of 48,321 fans. For MVP was Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants selected.
  • On January 20, 1968, it came to the game of the best NCAA college basketball teams at the time. The Houston Cougars met the UCLA Bruins and already there was a Game of the Century ( German  Game of the Century ), respectively. The home team of the Cougars with Elvin Hayes defeated the Bruins with Lew Alcindor , who later renamed himself Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 71:69 points. With a attendance of 52,693 one held the attendance record for a college game until 1993. It was also the first regular season college basketball game to be televised nationwide. TVS Television Network paid $ 27,500 for the broadcast rights.
  • From 1968 to 1984 and again in 1987, the Bluebonnet Bowl for NCAA college football teams was played in the Hallenstadion. At the time, the competition was called the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl .
  • 1970 director Robert Altman shot the comedy Brewster McCloud (Eng. Title: Birds can kill too ). The Astrodome was an important location for this . For the premiere on December 5, 1970 in the hall, the film was projected onto a huge screen above the playing field.
  • On January 7th and 8th, 1971, the motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel was a guest in the covered hall and performed a stunt show with jumps over several cars.
  • The 1971 Final Four tournament in NCAA college basketball was played in Houston. In the semifinals, the Villanova Wildcats defeated the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 92:89. In the second semifinals, the Kansas Jayhawks and the UCLA Bruins faced each other. The Bruins moved into the final with a 68:60. The Bruins from Los Angeles won the title with a 68:62 against the Wildcats . The Hilltoppers won the game for 3rd place with 77:75 against the Jayhawks .
  • In 1973 the so-called Battle of the Sexes took place at the Houston sports stadium . In the battle of the sexes on September 20, the then 29-year-old world-class tennis player Billie Jean King met 55-year-old tennis player Bobby Riggs , who won the men's singles at Wimbledon in 1939 and the US Open in 1939 and 1941 . A total of 30,472 spectators followed the game over three winning sets and in the end Billy Jean King won 6: 4, 6: 3 and 6: 3.
  • From 1974 to 2002 an event of the AMA Supercross Championship was held annually .
  • On June 15, 1976 there was a curious event, because the game between the Houston Astros and the Pittsburgh Pirates had to be canceled due to rain. The reason was torrential rains that put the city under water. The referees and fans failed to get into the stadium. Tables and chairs were then placed on the playing field. The teams sat down to eat in their jerseys and flip-flops .
  • The second MLB All-Star Game at the Astrodome took place in 1986. The American League left the field as the winner of the National League after a 3-2 win in front of 45,774 spectators. Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox was awarded the title of MVP.
  • The 1989 NBA All-Star Game drew 44,735 viewers to the Astrodome. The West All-Stars defeated the East All-Stars 143: 134. For NBA All-Star Game MVP was Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz appointed.
  • The Republican Party held the Republican National Convention at the Astrodome from August 17-20 , 1992 . At the meeting, incumbent US President George Bush was nominated for the presidential election on November 3, 1992. Dan Quayle was re- elected as the candidate for the office of Vice President .
  • In 2000 and 2001, the Houston Bowl (then known as the Gallery Furniture Bowl ) for college football teams took place. In 2000 the Pirates of East Carolina University won against the Red Raiders of Texas Tech University in front of 33,899 visitors with 40:27. The 2001 game played the Aggies of Texas A&M University against the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University . In front of 53,480 spectators, the Aggies won 28: 9 against the Horned Frogs .
  • On April 1, 2001, the wrestling league WWF organized the Wrestlemania X-Seven in the covered hall. 67,925 spectators came to the dome for this spectacle . This meant record attendance for the Astrodome .
  • After the devastating Hurricane Katrina , the homeless victims were u. a. housed in the vacant Astrodome.

Concerts

The Astrodome was also used as a concert hall all year round. Many well-known artists and music groups performed, especially during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo horse and music show . Country musician George Strait gave the last concert on February 11, 2003.

A selection of artists and groups:

gallery

0Satellite image 0The roof dome 0East side of the dome 0Last regular game 1999 0Refugees from Storm Katrina
Satellite image of the Astrodome (right) and the Reliant Stadium The roof dome Close up of the east side Last regular season game on October 3, 1999 Refugees from Hurricane Katrina on September 2, 2005 at the Astrodome

Web links

Commons : NRG Astrodome  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ nflvenueinfo.com: Reliant Energy buys naming rights ( Memento from July 14, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  2. ↑ click2houston.com: Reliant Park, Stadium changing names to NRG Park, NRG Stadium after vote article from March 19, 2014 (English)
  3. ↑ reliantpark.com: Homepage of the Reliant Park (English)
  4. ↑ lib.utexas.edu: Report on George Kirksey (English)
  5. ↑ astrosdaily.com: History of the Houston Colt .45s (English)
  6. ↑ ballparkdigest.com: History of the Colt Stadium (English)
  7. ↑ emporis.com: Information on the architects
  8. ↑ lib.utexas.edu: A Guide to the Robert J. Minchew Houston Astrodome Architectural and Engineering Collection (English)
  9. ↑ yousaytoo.com: The Astrodome Opens on April 9, 1965 ( Memento from February 10, 2013 in the web archive archive.today ) (English)
  10. ↑ ballparks.com: Data on the Astrodome (English)
  11. ↑ sportsillustrated.cnn.com: Hofheinz's apartment has to give way to construction work ( Memento from August 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Article from March 14, 1988 (English)
  12. ↑ cdm.sos.mo.gov: Houston Texans move to Shreveport Article in Columbia Missourian of September 19, 1974 (English)
  13. ↑ chron.com: Future of Astrodome could fall under 3 scenarios Article from June 9, 2010 (English)
  14. ↑ reliantpark.com: Suggestions for possible modifications of the Astrodome ( Memento from June 23, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  15. ↑ ghpa.org: Astrodome on the website of the National Register of Historic Places (English)
  16. ↑ nps.gov: PDF of the National Register of Historic Places about the Astrodome ( PDF , English)
  17. ↑ bleacherreport.com: Events in the Astrodome (English)
  18. ↑ rodeohouston.com: History of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (English)
  19. ↑ youtube.com: Video from the boxing match Ali against Williams (English)
  20. ↑ mlb.mlb.com: Game report on the All-Star Game 1968 (English)
  21. ↑ chron.com: 20 years after the Game of the Century (English)
  22. ↑ tshaonline.org: Information on the Bluebonnet Bowl (English)
  23. ↑ youtube.com: Evel Knievel in the Astrodome (English)
  24. ↑ wtatennis.com: 40 LOVE History: The Battle Of The Sexes
  25. ↑ chron.com: Astros make history with canceled match (English)
  26. ↑ mlb.mlb.com: Game report on the All-Star Game 1986 (English)
  27. ↑ basketball-reference.com: Statistics of the NBA All-Star Games 1989 (English)
  28. ↑ Houston Bowl 2000 ( Memento from March 4, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  29. ↑ Houston Bowl 2001 ( Memento of March 4, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  30. ↑ Results of Wrestlemania X-Seven ( Memento from February 12, 2013 in the web archive archive.today )
  31. ↑ spiegel.de: In the Stadium of the Lost Children, article from September 3, 2005
  32. ↑ setlist.fm: Astrodome concert list (English)