The Dome Issue

Astrodome future not tied to Super Bowl, judge insists: But forget those neat save it ideas without money

Even as Houston celebrates its successful Super Bowl LI bid, the Astrodome is rearing its ugly or iconic (depending on your point of view) head.

At a press conference on the eighth floor of swanky One Park Place — the better to look over Discovery Green and swoon at the center of what's being dubbed Super Bowl El Centro by the local organizing committee — Harris County Judge Ed Emmett found himself fielding more questions about the old dome than the big game.

But Emmett insists they really have nothing to do with each — no matter what everyone else thinks.

"We're not short on good ideas for the Dome. We're short of a good set of ideas with money."

"This Super Bowl bid and the Astrodome are two totally separate issues," Emmett said. "They are not connected at all."

Emmett maintains that landing the Super Bowl does not increase the urgency to find an Astrodome solution because a clear timeline is already in place. The deadline for developer proposals for the dome is still a hardline June 10 — as CultureMap's Whitney Radley first reported back on April 17. But at the Super Bowl presser, Emmett was quick to point out that a good idea in this open proposal window will not mean anything if it comes without financing.

"We're not short on good ideas for the Dome," Emmett said. "We're short of a good set of ideas with money."

In other words, that proposal from the University of Houston grad student who wants to strip the Astrodome to its skeleton and put a park underneath it — and any other ideas like it — will not even be considered without a developer stepping forward with the financing for such a plan.

The Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation has until June 25 to submit its own public use ideas. Then, the five-person Harris County Commissioner's Court — which Emmett heads — will consider the plans and likely eventually put an option up for public vote.

"I do think the sports county commissioners will come forward with a definite plan," Emmett said. Emmett insists that it should all occur within "the next year, two years" — meaning the Astrodome's future would be put in motion in plenty of time to have it repurposed or demolished before Super Bowl 51 rolls around. Of course, Emmett will tell you that timeline isn't connected.

Houston's Super Bowl bid chairman Ric Campo did not mention the Astrodome in the official bid presentation and he had a quick answer for any NFL officials who questioned him about it. "When the Super Bowl was here in 2004, the Astrodome was there," Campo said, "and we put on a great event then."

Of course, no one wants the Astrodome to be just sitting there in disrepair again in 2017.

Want more on the debate? Read the contrasting viewpoints of CultureMap network news director Chris Baldwin's column on the need to tear down the Astrodome and CultureMap contributor James Glassman's plea to save what he calls "Houston's Eiffel Tower" at all costs.

Photo by Doug Miller KHOU Houston/Channel 11

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Cougar Red and Houston Blue

UH expands 'Houston Blue' uniforms, despite NFL cease-and-desist

UH continues using Houston Blue uniforms despite NFL rebuke

Photo courtesy of Houston Athletics

Luv ya Blue running wild.

University of Houston Athletics are in a “Luv ya blue” mood and they don’t care who knows it — not even the NFL.

The university has announced that its football and volleyball teams will wear new Houston Blue jerseys, reminiscent of the classic colors of the Houston Oilers era. The volleyball team's uniform will debut theirs starting November 9 against Texas Tech, while the football team will debut theirs against Baylor on November 23. At the latter event, the first 20,000 fans will receive commemorative Houston Blue rally towels.

The resemblance of the new colors to the Oilers brand was not lost on the NFL. When UH Athletics started incorporating Houston Blue into their uniforms in September 2023, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter claiming the uniforms were an attempt to leech off the legacy of the Oilers and the intellectual property of the team now known as the Tennessee Titans. As if to prove the point, the Titans have occasionally worn Columbia blue throwback uniforms at certain games.

UH is unbothered according to vice president for intercollegiate athletics Eddie Nuñez.

“As a university deeply connected to the fabric of Houston, incorporating ‘Houston Blue’ into our uniforms is a powerful way to celebrate the city’s rich history,” he said. “From iconic blue street markers to the Houston Police Department’s signature blue police cars and helicopters, this color holds a special place in the hearts of Houstonians. We’re thrilled to share this tradition with our fans and offer them the chance to show their pride through exclusive merchandise, making it an exciting time for Cougar Nation to rally together.”

The accompanying press release for the uniforms came with a helpful history lesson showing that the Oilers adopted a color widely associated with Houston, not the other way around. The city has incorporated blue into public infrastructure, from street curbs to city vehicles, since the 1920s. The Oilers weren’t even the first Houston team to use blue in their uniforms. That honor belongs to the minor league baseball team, the Houston Buffs. In addition, the university made minor changes to the uniform in response to the NFL's concerns.

UH will be offering a wide range of merchandise to sell in the new Houston Blue colors in person and online through the University of Houston Bookstore as well as at select local retailers. These include shirts, hats, polos, jerseys, and hoodies. Get them before the NFL sends a more strongly-worded letter.

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Fans of Houston sports and Houston food can now score tickets to The Tailgate, CultureMap's all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. The event, presented by Verizon, goes down from 6-9 pm November 11 at 8th Wonder. Find out more about it here.

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