Dome deal lives on

I'm going to quit wondering about the viability of the Astrodome Redevelopment project. The thing has more lives than Jason Voorhees.

The on-again-off-again Astrodome convention hotel plan is on again after Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to seek a deal with the project's developers.

The court authorized county officials to mediate differences between Astrodome Redevelopment Co. and two opponents of the project, the Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

County Judge Ed Emmett said the vote was not needed because negotiations could continue without any action by the court.

But Commissioner Jerry Eversole urged the court to take a position.

"If we do absolutely nothing, that sends the message that we aren't supportive of what is happening," Eversole said. "I want to make sure that I vote today for us to continue looking at the project."

As part of the vote, the court agreed that the Harris County Sports and Convention Corp., which oversees Reliant Park, could entertain other proposals to redevelop the Dome.

I'm okay with this. Until such time as someone proposes spending public money on some aspect of this project, I see no reason to not let it play out and see where it goes. If a developer with his own funding thinks he can make something out of the Dome, I say good luck. We can always tear it down later if all else fails. And if someone else proposes something more sensible than what ARC has put on the table so far, then so much the better.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on February 20, 2008 to Elsewhere in Houston