Legislator proposes casino for ‘Eighth Wonder’

Monday, Dec. 23, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

HOUSTON -- The world's first indoor baseball park could become its biggest luxury casino if a Texas lawmaker has his way.

State Rep. Ron Wilson wants to bring the Astrodome back to life, wagering that the state and county could pull in probably $1 billion in revenue a year running the gambling operation.

"I think it's an excellent idea; the Eighth Wonder of the World. You've already got 30,000 parking spaces," Jordy Tollett, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the Houston Chronicle in Saturday's editions.

Wilson has bet against the odds before. The Houston Democrat concedes he's sponsored state gaming proposals in the recent past that never went anywhere.

The Astrodome, once the venue of former President Lyndon Johnson's barbecue for astronaut heroes and former President Bush's second nomination to the presidency, was also once home to the Houston Astros' National League team.

But since a retractable-roof facility was designed for construction next to the Astrodome, its fate has been in question. When the Astrodome opened in 1965, it was the largest such facility ever.