In February, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved moving forward with a $105 million project to turn the Astrodome in Houston, Texas into a revenue-generating event and convention space. According to the Houston Business Journal, plans for the project include raising the Astrodome floor 30 feet to ground level, which would create more than 500,000 square feet of rentable space. Additionally, the renovation would create 1,400 parking spaces and nearly 8 acres of space that could be used for outdoor events. The economic benefits from a project of this scope will be seen through not only revenue from events, but also will come in the form of newly created jobs.

The newly released timeline says engineers and officials plan to commence construction immediately following the 2019 Houston Rodeo.