The nonprofit organization focused on preserving the legacy of the Astrodome is making a public call for ideas, feedback and potential redevelopment concepts.

The Astrodome Conservancy is seeking input from developers, investors and operators, as well as other stakeholders with experience in large-scale, mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects, through a request for information. Submissions are due Sept. 8.

“This RFI is an opportunity for the market to help shape a shared vision for the Astrodome,” Astrodome Conservancy Executive Director Beth Wiedower Jackson said in a statement. “We are looking to gather creative, feasible, and financially viable ideas that reflect both the significance of the Astrodome and its potential as a catalyst for future development.” 

The defunct baseball, football and event venue opened in 1965 as the world's first fully indoor and air-conditioned domed sports stadium. It closed to the public in 2009. 

The Astrodome neighbors Reliant Stadium, where the NFL’s Houston Texans play, and is the only nonoperational building in the 350-acre Reliant Park. The Houston Astros now play at Daikin Park in Downtown Houston. 

There have been numerous ideas proposed for reuse of the Dome, including a theme park, museum and disaster relief, but none have been presented with viable funding sources that would work within the operational structure of Reliant Park, according to the conservancy website. 

The Astrodome’s most promising chance for redevelopment came in 2018, when Harris County Commissioners approved a $105M plan to make the Dome an event space by raising the ground level two floors and adding 1,400 parking spaces. Budget concerns quickly emerged, and the project was put on hold in 2019.

The Astrodome Conservancy revealed its Vision: Astrodome, which engaged Gensler to create a redevelopment concept, in November 2024. That project would cost about $1B, the Houston Chronicle reported.

A commissioned study released in November 2025 pegged the price of restoring the Astrodome to basic functionality at more than $750M, while demolition would cost an estimated $55M. 

In April, the National Park Service determined that the Astrodome meets the criteria for consideration as a National Historic Landmark, an early step in the multiyear process toward official designation. 

The conservancy encourages RFI respondents to outline potential concepts, partnership structures, financing approaches and implementation strategies for the Dome. The feedback will inform the conservancy’s next steps.