HOUSTON – The one Houston Astrodome it has been in limbo, waiting for a chance at a second life since it was locked up more than 15 years ago.

It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965. But its heyday is long gone, and it hasn’t been home to a sports team since the Astros left in 1999, and it was closed to all events a decade later.

Over the years, ideas for its redevelopment and revival have abounded, everything from turning it into an indoor water park to flooding the sunken floor to recreate naval battle scenes. But none of these plans caught on enough public support or financing.

The latest Astrodome renovation proposal was unveiled Wednesday by a nonprofit focused on saving the beloved domed stadium. The group, Astrodome Conservancy, is proposing to redevelop the interior of the structure to create new areas for restaurants, retail, offices and cultural spaces. But like others before it, this plan could meet a similar fate, with a $1 billion price tag and an initial lack of support from local entities that would have to give their consent for the project to proceed.

Beth Wiedower Jackson, the conservancy’s executive director, said that unlike previous proposals, her organization believes theirs is supported by data and would be economically viable, in part because there would be enough private investment to make it happen. support.

“This is a big, big, bold vision. And those earlier plans, even admitted by Harris County officials, were a first step toward a future Astrodome. And this is full swing of the bat. And that gives people something to be excited about,” Jackson said.

The plan, Vision: Astrodome, proposes the construction of four state-of-the-art buildings inside the stadium that would provide space for restaurants, shops and offices. Similar shopping and dining spaces would also be located around the Astrodome and connected to other facilities around the stadium. The Astrodome is at NRG Park, a 350-acre complex that includes NRG Stadium, located right next to the Astrodome and home to the NFL’s Houston Texans, as well as an arena and exhibition halls.

“The Astrodome is now ready for its next chapter, redevelopment,” said Phoebe Tudor, president of the conservancy. “It’s time for all of us in Houston to come together and do something tough by working together to repurpose the Astrodome.”

Nicknamed “The Eighth Wonder of the World” Astrodome introduced a change in the way people attended sporting events. It has also hosted various cultural events, including concerts by music star Elvis and Tejano Selena, as well as the “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billie Jean King in 1973.

Some called for its demolition. But a 2017 designation by the Texas Historical Commission as a State Antiquities Landmark essentially protects it from wholesale destruction. The stadium also maintains a strong fulcrum in memories of many people both in Houston and beyond.

Rafi Kohan, whose 2017 book “Arena” explores the place of sports stadiums in American culture, said the construction of the Astrodome came at a time of incredible technological innovation in the United States and helped transform Houston from what some saw as a “backwoods”. cow town” in a technology leader. Houston became the home of the space program with the opening of the Johnson Space Center in 1964.

“There was and continues to be a lot of civic pride around the Astrodome, what it represented, the space-age kind of feat, you know, in stadium form,” Kohan said.

Douglas Brinkley, a historian and professor at Rice University in Houston, said the Astrodome has tremendous historical relevance and is worth saving.

“It was our fault that we neglected him or didn’t invest in him. But a turn is upon us right now. We’re going to do it,” Brinkley said.

But whether there is still enough support in Houston to renovate and save the Astrodome remains to be seen. The stadium costs between $100,000 and $200,000 a year to maintain.

The Astrodome is owned by Harris County and operated by the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation.

The office of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official, declined to comment on the conservation proposal.

James Dixon, president of the sports and convention corporation, said in a statement that he respects the conservancy’s efforts, but “over the past few years, we have seen some concepts that, while thought-provoking, have not resulted in viable funding and maintenance solutions. .”

Dixon said his organization and the county are working with other stakeholders on a plan for the future of NRG Park and “the solution for the Astrodome has to be decided in that context.”

One of those stakeholders, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, which holds its annual event at NRG Park and would have a say in what to do with the Astrodome, disagreed with the conservancy’s proposal.

“The Astrodome Conservancy’s proposed plan does not align with the strategic vision and operational requirements of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” Chris Boleman, the group’s president and CEO, said in a statement.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70