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Aluminum Dome
In the late mid and late 1950's, Borger and Hutchinson County were experiencing an economic boom during the post war years and the community began pushing for an event center. Following the failure of a $425,000 bond election for the construction of a civic center, Borger Mayor L.D. Patton and Chamber of Commerce Manager Dave Moore saw a commercial on TV for a Kaiser Aluminum Dome. The duo felt the Dome could be a cheaper alternative to the failed civic center.
After a petition of 707 signatures was submitted to the Hutchinson County Commissioners Court, the Court called for a Bond Election on July 2, 1957. The vote passed with 598 votes for and 378 against. The opponents of the project blamed the record high temperature of 100 (remember, there was no air conditioning in 1957) that date for low voter turnout.
Construction finished later that year and the Hutchinson County Dome became the 1st Kaiser Aluminum Dome in the continental United States. Following the 1999 demolition of Kaiser's first dome in Hawaii, the Hutchinson County Dome remains the oldest remaining Kaiser Dome.
Over the years, the unique structure has become an iconic part of the community. Represented on the City Seal, the Dome has been home to the Magic Plains Oil Expo, the World's Largest Fish Fry, the Hutchinson County Junior Livestock Show and the Hutchinson County Oil Patch Extravaganza (HOPE). If your from, lived here or have family here, you have a memory of the Dome.
Ownership of the Dome was transferred to the City of Borger from Hutchinson County in 2018. Identified as a strategic pillar by the Borger City Council, the City of Borger has begun initial planning for a complete renovation and expansion of the Aluminum Dome Facility.
Proposal
Following the transfer of ownership, the City of Borger began assessing the dome for its structural integrity, current condition, weight load capacity, waterproofing system and future longevity. The City Engineer, Parkhill, Smith and Cooper, reached out to WJE Associates, Inc. to assist. WJE's previous work includes assessments on the Washington Monument and other unique structures. The assessment showed the dome to be structurally sound with a high load bearing rating and the future life expectancy of the dome could be in excess of 50 years.
Dome Assessment Report
A preliminary concept and opinion of probable cost was developed. Financial Information can be found using the link to the left or by clicking here. Details on the preliminary concept can be found below:
The preliminary concept includes:
- Renovation of the existing dome.
- This includes complete replacement of the floor, curtain wall and electrical. The dome panels will have a new engineered waterproofing system and the interior of the dome will be insulated and an acoustical panel will be added for sound deadening and appearance. New lighting, heating and air conditioning will be added. Existing restrooms will be demolished and removed.
- Annex Addition
- A new annex will be added to the east of the Dome. The annex will serve as the new central entry point. A new lobby, office, bathrooms, catering kitchen and two small meeting rooms will be added. New accessible parking and access will be added and a rear parking lot will be added for staff and/or event needs.
- Multi-Purpose Event Space (Banquet Hall)
- A new multi-purpose event space will be added that can accommodate up to 750 people in a banquet setting or that can be divided into three smaller spaces. A 1/2 space and two 1/4 spaces.