Sinking shovels into a mound of earth in the middle of what is now the Astrodome parking lot, officials broke ground on the Harris County Stadium. When built, the arena will be home to Houston's brand new football team. McNair joined NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, former Oilers and city officials at the morning rally. Thursday's groundbreaking was sweet vindication for fans who never quite recovered from the loss of the Houston Oilers after the 1996 season. We should have never let the team go in the first place.
Plans call for glass walls, natural turf and an illuminated, retractable roof.
Work on the stadium is barely under way, but Houston already is spinning heady dreams of spectacular events to come. Houston also has its eye on the 2012 Olympics, city officials said Thursday. Even Bill Lamza, president of the Dallas Cowboys Fan Club, turned out to celebrate professional football's return to Houston. But the state needs this rivalry. Money to erect the 69,500-seat stadium comes from rental car and hotel taxes.