From being nicknamed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ to being abandoned for years, here is the story of one of the most revolutionary stadiums on the planet: the Astrodome.

Back in 1965, the Reliant Astrodome, which is also known as the Houston Astrodome, opened to the public and was the world’s first multipurpose, domed sports stadium. At the time, it had a capacity of around 50,000.

Construction began back in 1963, and it was financed and assisted by Roy Hofheinz, who was the mayor of Houston and someone who was known for pioneering modern stadiums.

Over the years, the Astrodome has housed teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), the American Football League (AFL), the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

What Made the Astrodome Special?

At the time, construction of the stadium, including broader infrastructure such as surrounding streets, bridges, storm sewers, and site preparation, came to around $40-$45 million, which, adjusted for inflation, would cost roughly $358 million in modern times.

Being the world’s first fully enclosed, air-conditioned, domed sports stadium, the Astrodome gave fans the first-ever opportunity to enjoy their favourite sports in comfort.

Due to its scale and futuristic design, it was nicknamed the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’ and it played a major part in how stadiums were built.

In 1996, the original natural grass surface died; the Astrodome became the first major sports venue to install artificial turf, bringing AstroTurf to the world.

The Astrodome was also the first stadium to have an animated scoreboard, called the ‘Astrolite.’

Over the years, the Astrodome became the catalyst for major sports teams in the US to look for a stadium that could provide more than just a place to watch a game.

The Astrodome shifted teams towards indoor venues, artificial turf, premium seating, and proved to many people that American football could work at a massive scale.

Who Played at the Astrodome?

The Astrodome housed a host of different teams over the years, including MLB side the Houston Astros, who played there from 1965 to 1999.

From 1968 to 1996, AFL and NFL outfit, the Houston Oilers, played at the stadium, while teams like the Houston Rockets (NBA) and the Texas Southern Tigers (NCAA) also served as tenants.

In 2001, the Astrodome played host to WrestleMania 17, which featured stars such as Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Women’s Professional Football League side Houston Energy played at the Astrodome up until 2006.

Partial Demolition & Failed Redevelopment Plans

Back in the 1990s, the Astrodome was already considered obsolete, with many teams starting to move away from the stadium in pursuit of newer homes.

For example, the Oilers left for Tennessee in 1996, and the franchise became the Tennessee Titans in 1999. The Astros left in 2000 for Daikin Park.

In 2008, the Astrodome was labelled as ‘non-compliant with fire code by the Houston Fire Department.' There were talks of a $200 million renovation into a multipurpose facility in 2013, but the idea was rejected by voters.

• April 1965 — Astrodome opened in Houston as the world's first domed, air-conditioned stadium.
• March 1966 — AstroTurf replaced the dome's dead natural grass, revolutionising playing surfaces worldwide.
• October 1999 — Astros played their final Astrodome game before moving to a new ballpark.
• March 2008 — Houston's fire marshal declared the Astrodome unsafe; the stadium closed in March 2009.
• November 2013 — Voters rejected a $217 million plan to convert the Astrodome.

Although the main dome, roof, and underlying stadium structure remain untouched, several parts have been removed or demolished over the years.

In 1998, the original Astrolite scoreboard was removed; thousands of seats were taken out in 2013; the famous artificial playing surface was stripped away when the stadium closed, and the four exterior pedestrian ramp towers were also demolished in 2013.

Back in 2024, another project to renovate the Astrodome was proposed to turn it into a multi-use destination with an arena, an elevated pedestrian boulevard, shops, restaurants, and a hotel. The cost was reported to be around $1 billion, and it is believed that the proposal did not align with strategic vision and operational needs.