"The New Dome experiance" on November ballot (Houston: appointed, amphitheatre)

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by 14Bricks

What other convention centers does Houston have besides the GRB ? And the one we do have is already struggling t to bring in business, we don't need another one(one that's not even in a central business district ) that's going to cannibalize from the GRB.

"The missing piece of the puzzle, she said, is a new 1,000-room hotel nearby to accommodate more convention-goers"

"We know we can’t fully compete for more business because our inventory isn’t rich enough,” Ullrich said, referring to the need for more hotel rooms"

"Lacking that, GRB Houston is leaving money on the table, she said, though just how much is uncertain because the numbers haven’t been thoroughly crunched as yet."

Another downtown hotel would allow Houston to better attract bigger conventions, experts say - Houston Business Journal

So if the GRB is struggling to get business because of a lack of hotels, what makes you think that people are going to flock to a convention center in reliant thats in a crappy neighborhood that lacks the infrastructure(i.g. hotels, restaurants, entertainment)?

And I don't give a sh*t what other cities do, those cities are usually tourist cities that draw in huge amounts of tourist, people , and conventions to have more than one major convention center.

Cvent's Top 50 Meeting Destinations in the United States | Cvent

Like I said the politicians know what they're going, they're putting this ridiculous thing up for a vote because they know most people will vote against it, and they will have an excuse to tear it down.

The county run convention center is competing against the city run convention center. Adding space by utilizing the Astrodome will just suck business away from the city. That, in turn, will suck business away from the city run Convention Center.

Why not make the Astrodome a museum holding nothing more than itself? Nothing would have to be done to it. I bet people would drop their sushi in Japan at the chance of paying fifty bucks for a guided tour of the eighth wonder of the world.

[Schumacher713]

Originally Posted by binkyman

The county run convention center is competing against the city run convention center. Adding space by utilizing the Astrodome will just suck business away from the city. That, in turn, will suck business away from the city run Convention Center.

Why not make the Astrodome a museum holding nothing more than itself? Nothing would have to be done to it. I bet people would drop their sushi in Japan at the chance of paying fifty bucks for a guided tour of the eighth wonder of the world.

It is a convention center or a parking lot. They will demolish it if this fails. This project is an epic waste of money that will keep on giving as it loses money in the future.

[Dopo]

Museum = no money
that's why

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

It is a convention center or a parking lot. They will demolish it if this fails. This project is an epic waste of money that will keep on giving as it loses money in the future.

Indeed, Irving wasted no time at all laying waste to demolishing all those truly epic memories of Bob Lilly, Tom Landry, Bob Hayes, Jerry Jones, Roger Staubach, Emmit Smith, and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, nary a superbowl nor a world series was ever won by a team playing in the Astrodome. If that ain't a Texas sized hint as to what should be done in this case, none exists.

[binkyman]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Museum = no money
that's why

But if the museum itself is in fact the only piece within the museum, then that would cut way down on the expenses. The snack bars and restrooms wouldn't have to be built as they already exist. No need for rest areas as people would have plenty of places to sit. Or, better yet, it could be demolished in order to be utilized as a parking lot so that a brand new Six Flags could be built across the freeway from it?

You know, it is really difficult to put a positive spin on this thing. What is the world's record for size of tarp? This thing is just a big tumor that won't go away.

I can't understand what the difficulty will be in demolishing it. You blow it up, it falls inward into a big hole that doesn't even need to be dug out. What will cause people to weep is how unmassive it will all look afterwards. Just like the 911 world trade center buildings. In a matter of about six seconds, it will all be a pile of twisted rubble.

Yet, out from the rumble of the falling monument will be heard feint singing and cheering one last time of, "Houston Oilers! Houston Oilers! Houston Oilers number one! . . . "And there goes Earl breaking around the corner and accelerating down the sideline humiliating the Miami Dolphins forever into never never land! . . . "Oh, shut up Howard!" . . . "Wow, daddy, look at the size of that Monster Truck!" . . .

[hbcu]

I'm voting no for it as it'll kill the backroom deals....but be wary of the "verbage" used to trick you

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by Schumacher713

It is a convention center or a parking lot. They will demolish it if this fails. This project is an epic waste of money that will keep on giving as it loses money in the future.

How many public buildings make money? This is a intellectually dishonest position. Has the GRB ever "made" money ? Will Reliant Field ever make money, for the taxpayers of Harris County ? The answer to all those questions is of course, no. The real question we should ask is, will it generate revenue in the economy as a whole. And if we do tear it down, will we end up having to go with an even more expensive option at some future time?

Originally Posted by binkyman

Indeed, Irving wasted no time at all laying waste to demolishing all those truly epic memories of Bob Lilly, Tom Landry, Bob Hayes, Jerry Jones, Roger Staubach, Emmit Smith, and the rest of the Dallas Cowboys. Yet, nary a superbowl nor a world series was ever won by a team playing in the Astrodome. If that ain't a Texas sized hint as to what should be done in this case, none exists.

This is "not" about preserving the glory of the Dome. This is about taking advantage of a unique space that no other city will have. Texas Stadium was useless with that "Hole" in the roof, so down it came. The Dome "space" is what this is about, not the history of Houston professional sports.

Originally Posted by hbcu

I'm voting no for it as it'll kill the backroom deals....but be wary of the "verbage" used to trick you

The manipulation is coming from the people who want to tear this thing down. For the sake of a event that happens once a year, they want to remove any options Harris County has for the Dome. Once the Dome is history, they will then start to moan, and groan, that they need more space for this, or that, or that Houston needs a "World Class" Convention center that will cost a billion dollars, and of course be built by their friends in town. Then instead of a 1/2 cent increase in your property assessments its going to be 21/2 or 3 cents. Keeping the options open on the Dome is the only way not to get "back doored" (if that's a word) by those backroom deals.

[Schumacher713]

When I was talking about making money. I was talking about bringing money into the economy and attracting conventions. I think this thing is going to collect dust most of the time. We all have our opinions. Maybe I will be proven wrong. Or maybe I will be tailgating on a new parking lot!

[HouTXmetro]

I'm torn, I don't want the Dome torn down but I am NO fan of the way the County ram-roded their idea through at the expense of others. I want to see it saved but I don't like their plan.

[Jack Lance]

Originally Posted by HouTXmetro

I'm torn, I don't want the Dome torn down but I am NO fan of the way the County ram-roded their idea through at the expense of others. I want to see it saved but I don't like their plan.

Think of it this way. One, the plan preserves the Dome as a unique space. It may not be exactly what you wanted, but the Commissioners Court studied this option for a long time, and this is what that "elected" body settled on. Secondly it limits our tax damage to 1/2 cent of additional assessed value. That is a deal that is on the table now. If this is defeated, at the very least, it will re-ignite this debate, and will possibly lead to options that are far more expensive than this in the future, or the removal of the Dome as an option, forever. Passing this bond will end the debate, and any uncertainty of what future options will entail.