On Apr 14, 8:25*pm, LouB wrote:
aemeijers wrote:
BobR wrote:
On Apr 14, 10:20 am, "maynard" wrote:
"BobR" wrote in message

....

On Apr 13, 8:37 pm, "Stormin Mormon"

wrote:
Is that ASTRO or AFRO?
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.exmormon.org
.
"BobR" wrote in message
....

If that doesn't work...ASTROTURF.
Since I lived in Houston for 40 years...it is ASTROTURF. *That was the
original name used when the AstroDome was built and they installed the
first artificial grass. *The name is no longer in use except by us old
codgers.

reply: *It was funny how the "Astro" wave came and went. *The big
stadium,
the special turf, the initial problems with the air conditioning,
lots and
lots of historic games, demolition derbies, Evel Knievel jumping there
several times, all sorts of things. *I guess it is still there. *I
worked as
a bartender at the Astroworld Hotel for two years.

Maynard

Yes it is still there but it may not be for much longer. *Since they
built the new baseball stadium downtown and the new football stadium
next door, the place has fallen into disrepair. *I loved going to the
dome for all sorts of events. *It was a great stadium and still could
be used for any number of different events but with all the event
space around it, they just don't seem to care. *I keep hoping someone
will come up with a permanent year around use for it but I doubt it
will happen and we will see it torn down very soon.

Yep. Pontiac MI, a burb of Detroit, has the 'Silverdome' that has been
sitting empty a few years, too, but the city is too broke to tear it
down. Indianapolis tore down their not-very-old arena a couple years
ago. Personally, I think it is criminal stupidity that these venues have
such a short lifespan. Almost all of them have tax money in them
somewhere, either directly, or through roads/water/sewer that was
upgraded to handle them. A commercial-grade space should last for 50-75
years minimum, not 20 or 30. Hell, a trailer lasts that long. They did
it better in the old days- if it hadn't been stripped for parts (like to
build the Vatican with), the Colosseum in Rome would probably still be
in usable condition. If I was the kindly dictator in charge, the team
owners would be personally liable for the demo costs if the places
didn't make it till their 50th birthday- indicates ****-poor planning on
somebody's part, and the taxpayers should not be on the hook for it. Of
course, if I was dictator, no public money would have gone into building
the damn things.

--
aem sends....

Its usually not a case of the building being so bad as the desire for a
fancier building. Giants stadium in NJ is a prime example of this.
Also, they often do not maintain the buildings very well.

Lou- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You hit the focal point of the entire deal. The AstroDome was one of
the greatest stadiums in the country but it just wasn't enough for Bud
Adams and his football team. He wanted his OWN stadium that he would
have to share with the baseball team. He pitched a fit and had them
spend millions to upgrade but wasn't satisfied. He then threatened to
move the team if the taxpayers wouldn't build him a very expensive NEW
stadium just for football. They refused and he move to Tenn. Good
damn riddance but that wasn't the end.

Next, the Astros decided the dome wasn't working for them and a new
downtown stadium was built. Then they decided to negotiate a deal for
a new NFL football team and the rodeo chipped in to convince the
voters to build a new football stadium right next to the dome.
Following all of that bull****...the Houston Rockets weren't satisfied
with everyone else getting new diggs and they had to have a new
facility...all at taxpayer expense. Now I live in Arlington Tx and
guess what, the idiots here have voted to pay a large portion of the
new Dallas Cowboys stadium in spite of the fact that the DALLAS
Cowboys haven't played a game in Dallas in 30 years.

Sometimes the taxpayers can really be stupid.