Year opened: 1965
Capacity: 62,439
Names:
Harris County Domed Stadium, 1965
Houston Astrodome, 1965-2000
Reliant Astrodome, 2000 to date
Pro football tenants:
Houston Oilers (AFL/NFL), 1968-96
Houston Texans (WFL), 1974
Houston Gamblers (USFL), 1984-85
Postseason games hosted:
AFC Wild Card playoff, Oilers 13 Broncos 7, Dec. 23, 1979
USFL Quarterfinal playoff, Wranglers 17 Gamblers 16, July 1, 1984
AFC Wild Card playoff, Oilers 23 Seahawks 20, Jan. 3, 1988
AFC Wild Card playoff, Steelers 26 Oilers 23, Dec. 31, 1989
AFC Wild Card playoff, Oilers 17 Jets 10, Dec. 29, 1991
AFC Divisional playoff, Chiefs 28 Oilers 20, Jan. 16, 1994
Other tenants of note:
Houston Astros (MLB – NL), 1965-99
Univ. of Houston (college football), 1965-97
Houston Hurricane (NASL), 1978-80
Notes: Hosted AFL All-Star game, Jan. 17, 1970. Hosted annual Bluebonnet Bowl, 1968-84, 87. Hosted Houston Bowl, 2000-01. Hosted annual Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, 1966-2003. Also hosted high school football playoff games. World’s first air-conditioned domed stadium when completed in 1965 and dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, it was also the world’s largest self-supporting dome at the time of construction. Original grass surface proved impractical and was replaced with AstroTurf in 1966 (the first such use of an artificial surface). Underwent major renovation in 1989, with external ramps added outside the structure, the dirt floor converted to concrete, and a new artificial surface installed. Conceived by Judge Roy Hofheinz, an entrepreneur and politician who was instrumental in bringing major league baseball to Houston and who maintained a large luxury apartment in the Astrodome that was removed as part of the renovation (Hofheinz died in 1982). Located in what is now Reliant Park; Reliant Stadium was constructed adjacent to it.
Fate: Facility is closed but still standing.
(more recent view, showing external renovations)
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