HOUSTON – A party to celebrate the storied past of the Astrodome is happening Monday.
The Astrodome Conservancy last month announced the “Domecoming” party to mark the 53rd anniversary of the so-called Eighth Wonder of the World.
Tickets were free through advanced registration at TicketMaster.com, but the event sold out fast.
PHOTOS: Astrodome through the years
Gates will open at 4 p.m. and public access begins at 5 p.m. The program begins at 5:30 p.m. on a stage in the blue lot of NRG Park.
Parking is available at NRG Park, but guests are encouraged to use public transportation.
PHOTOS: Astrodome's 50th Birthday Party in 2015
The party is most likely the last time people can see inside the Astrodome before a $105 million revitalization project begins in the fall.
When it opened in 1965, the Harris County Domed Stadium was the first of its kind, and was dubbed the "Eighth Wonder of the World."
The stadium hosted the Astros from 1965 to 1999 and the Oilers from 1968 to 1996.
The Dome was condemned and closed to the public in 2009.
What's next for the Dome
The $105 million plan would include raising the Astrodome's floor to create an underground parking garage and create 9 acres of open space.
The space is expected to be used for conferences, festivals and potentially commercial space.
The money to pay for the renovations would come from the county's general fund of property taxes, hotel occupancy taxes and parking fees.
Construction is expected to start in October 2018 and would take 17 months to complete.
The Texas Historical Commission will have to approve the plan since it designated the Astrodome as a state antiquities landmark last year.