When it opened in 1965, the Houston Astrodome, nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World, captured the attention of an entire nation, bringing pride to the city and enhancing its reputation nationwide. It was a Texas-sized vision of the future, an unthinkable feat of engineering with premium luxury suites, theater-style seating, and the first animated scoreboard. Yet there were memorable problems such as outfielders’ inability to see fly balls and failed attempts to grow natural grass—which ultimately led to the development of Astroturf. The Astrodome nonetheless changed the way people viewed sports, putting casual fans at the forefront of a user-experience approach that soon became the standard in all American sports. The Eighth Wonder of the World tears back the facade and details the Astrodome’s role in transforming Houston as a city while also chronicling the building’s pivotal fifty years in existence and the ongoing debate about its preservation.

The Eighth Wonder of the World: The Life of Houston's Iconic Astrodome

History

Womack, Kenneth

Trumpbour, Robert C.

Americas

University Of Nebraska Press

Stadium construction has altered the physical landscape of many major metropolitan areas throughout North America and has had a profound psychological and economic impact on these urban centers. The ways athletic facilities have been constructed, from the ritual-centered beginnings of stadium construction in ancient Greece to the large-scale construction of professional sports facilities in present day global centers, reveal a culture’s values and priorities and how it defines its recreational needs. Drawing on thorough and wide-ranging research, Robert C. Trumpbour examines the political institutions, commercial entities, civic leadership, and media organizations that influenced stadium construction. The author analyzes three significant recent historical periods: the Progressive Era, when modern fireproof stadiums were first built; the late 1960s and early 1970s, when multipurpose stadiums were built in downtown areas to promote urban redevelopment; and the late 1990s, when retro ballparks were designed to accommodate commercial and entertainment space. Charting this evolution, Trumpbour convincingly argues that there has been a dramatic shift in the role of the media, with media access emerging as a vital element in setting the ground rules for the debate on stadium construction. Written in lucid, jargon-free prose, this book combines a detailed history of stadium construction with an analysis of current stadium issues.

New Cathedrals: Politics and Media in the History of Stadium Construction (Sports and Entertainment)

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Syracuse University Press

2017 Seymour Medal from the Society for American Baseball Research 2016 Pete Delohery Award for Best Sports Book from Shelf Unbound When it opened in 1965, the Houston Astrodome, nicknamed the Eighth Wonder of the World, captured the attention of an entire nation, bringing pride to the city and enhancing its reputation nationwide. It was a Texas-sized vision of the future, an unthinkable feat of engineering with premium luxury suites, theater-style seating, and the first animated scoreboard. Yet there were memorable problems such as outfielders’ inability to see fly balls and failed attempts to grow natural grass—which ultimately led to the development of AstroTurf. The Astrodome nonetheless changed the way people viewed sports, putting casual fans at the forefront of a user-experience approach that soon became the standard in all American sports. The Eighth Wonder of the World tears back the facade and details the Astrodome’s role in transforming Houston as a city while also chronicling the building’s storied fifty years in existence and the ongoing debate about its preservation.

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Books by Trumpbour, Robert C.