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    New Plan for Astrodome

    Houston's Astrodome could become world's biggest indoor park

    Clifford Pugh
    Aug 30, 2014 | 5:01 pm

    With rolls of Astroturf lying on carts and seats scattered about like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, Houston's Astrodome has obviously seen better days. But standing in the middle of the concrete floor of the hot and musty-smelling arena during a press conference earlier this week, Harris County judge Ed Emmett laid out a different and brighter future for the Eighth Wonder of the World.

     

    Looking up at the roof, which remains a magnificent site, Emmett said he envisions removing the paint from the panels to allow sunlight in so "we can find out what grows in here." A large, open green space in the rotunda would make a great place for festivals, he said.

     

     

      "Having a climate-controlled park would really put Houston back on the world stage again," said Judge Ed Emmett.

     
     

    Hike, bike and fitness trails could wind through the upper levels, while an archery range and horseshoe pits could find permanent homes under the dome. An income-generating amphitheater could draw concertgoers, while a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics center could become a magnet for area students.

     

    "Converting the dome to the world's largest indoor park is a vision worth pursing, so we can restore life to this building," Emmett told reporters, preservationists and a smattering of officials.

     

    Emmett said that because Harris County already owns the Astrodome, converting it into a park makes sense. He says the dome is structurally sound and paid for. Attractions can be added as public or private funds become available; some, like the amphitheater, could attract sponsors to become moneymaking operations.

     

    "This is a paid-for asset. And before we toss it on the trash heap, we need to take a look at what do people need in our community? I think we're very short of park space," Emmett said. "Having a climate-controlled park would really put us back on the world stage again."

     

    Emmett dodged questions about the cost, saying, "It depends on what goes into it like any other park. You start by acquiring the park land. In this case, the county's already got the land. Everything after that will determine how much the total cost is. It will always be a vision-in-progress."

     

    He has asked the Harris County Sports & Convention Corporation to consult with architects and come up with a plan within the next three months to submit to Harris County Commissioners Court. Officials from the Urban Land Institute, who will be in Houston next week, also will be asked for ideas, Emmett said.

     
     

      "I've really just wanted someone to come up with a big vision that was very forward-looking," said preservationist Phoebe Tudor.

     
     

    He sees the park open "in some form or fashion" before the February 2017 Super Bowl, to be held next door in NRG Stadium. "But that doesn't mean it's complete," he said. "Obviously some sort of green space on the floor is a start, because that makes it available for people to use.

     

    "We own this park space," he reiterated. "Now it is a question of what to do with it."

     

    Preservation officials seemed excited with the idea. "We want the dome saved; it's a little bit less about how we reuse it, but it's about let's reuse it in a way that captures this architectural majesty," said Stephanie Ann Jones, executive director of Preservation Houston.

     

    "I'm happy to see a big vision," said preservationist Phoebe Tudor, who has been a leader in the fight to preserve the Astrodome. "I've really just wanted someone to come up with a big vision that was very forward-looking. I think there are so many possibilities that could be brought to bear in this."

     

     Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials, who have floated their own plan to demolish the domed stadium and replace it with an outdoor park, appeared to have a wait-and-see attitude.

     

    In a statement, rodeo officials said they have received "only a preliminary conceptual briefing on a proposal for repurposing the NRG Astrodome into an air-conditioned indoor park. The briefing contained no drawings, renderings or detailed information.

     

    "[We] look forward to evaluating the proposal in depth when presented with a defined plan that exhibits program space, planned vehicle and pedestrian ingress and egress, and operational and economic feasibility.

     

    "Until such detail is presented and until such analysis is completed, Show officials will have no further comment on this proposal."

    Harris County judge Ed Emmett held a press conference on the floor of the Astrodome to talk about plans for an indoor park.

    Astrodome interior August 2014
      
    Photo by Clifford Pugh
    Harris County judge Ed Emmett held a press conference on the floor of the Astrodome to talk about plans for an indoor park.
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    Dallas section of Cotton Belt Trail near DART Silver Line finds funds

    Teresa Gubbins
    Jul 4, 2025 | 1:05 pm
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    A trail in the works for north Dallas has received an infusion of cash: The Cotton Belt Trail, located northwest of Dallas and planned as a regional trail corridor, will receive federal funds from the Regional Transportation Council (RTC).

    The trail currently stretches 19.84 miles, stretching between North Richland Hills and Grapevine, with two additional sections in North Richland Hills and Carrollton. There are currently gaps between Grapevine and Carrollton, and another gap between Carrollton and Richardson, across Addison and north Dallas.

    The funding was originally supposed to be funded city by city, says Dallas City Council member Carah Mendelsohn.

    “We were told each city along the Silver Line would have to fund its portion of the trail project, but we worked together to get funding,” Mendelsohn says. “This RTC funding saves the City of Dallas approximately $7 million and helps complete a vision years in the making. We now have funding for the final unfunded segment of the Cotton Belt Trail in District 12, as well as the missing link of the Marni Kaner Trail needed to complete the North Dallas Triangle."

    The North Dallas Triangle is a 4-mile urban trail circuit linking the Preston Ridge, Cotton Belt, and Marni Kaner Trails. When complete, this amenity will provide seamless access, enhanced further by upgrades to Preston Green and Campbell Green Parks, and the new Davenport Trailhead.

    With design already underway and construction beginning next month, this 26-mile trail will follow the path of the Silver Line rail from Plano to DFW Airport, ultimately linking to Tarrant County and extending to Fort Worth.

    The Cotton Belt Trail follows the former St. Louis Southwestern Railway, nicknamed the Cotton Belt Line, which began running in the late 1800s and was discontinued in the 1970s.

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