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Spacesuit uniforms for the groundkeepers as they prepare the diamond for the first game in the Astrodome, Houston, Texas, April 12, 1965.

The dome, as seen here, had a translucent roof to allow the grass to grow but glare caused the panes to be painted over, which caused the grass to die, until eventually Monsanto invented AstroTurf as a replacement.

Photograph: Robert Riger/Getty Images It hosted the biggest stars in sports and entertainment and became one of the most iconic and influential buildings in America.

Now forlorn and empty, the Astrodome in Houston could soon be razed and replaced by a parking lot.

On Tuesday the NFL’s owners meet in Boston to decide which cities will host the 50th anniversary Super Bowl in 2016 and the following year’s game.

Santa Clara and Miami Gardens are vying for 2016 and the Bay Area is the firm favorite because the San Francisco 49ers are soon to move from venerable Candlestick Park to a new stadium, while Florida’s politicians recently refused to pay for upgrades to the Miami Dolphins’ ageing home.

The loser from the 2016 contest will battle Houston for the right to host Super Bowl LI.

While south Florida undeniably has a trendier beach scene than south Texas, Reliant Stadium has a strong sporting case.

Opened in 2002, the arena has a retractable roof and successfully hosted American football’s showpiece in 2004.

The Houston Texans are currently installing the largest HD in-stadium video screens in the world, to boost the bid and outdo the Dallas Cowboys in a classic piece of “Everything’s bigger in Texas” one-upmanship.

The main problem with Houston’s case is the landmark only 200ft away: a decaying relic that now resembles a sad gray souffl .

Roger Goodell hinted in March that bulldozing the Astrodome would help Houston’s Super Bowl prospects.

Said the commissioner: “Those are decisions that have to be made by the community.

It sounds like a very positive change because they’ll be able to use the space that the Astrodome sits on in a very positive way.

Whether it’s more parking, whether we can have more events there on that space – it’s not just the stadium itself, it’s the area surrounding it that’s valuable.

And, I think that could be a very positive change in their Super Bowl bid.” In March, the Texans and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo revealed they had commissioned a report that claimed the Astrodome could be imploded and replaced with 1,600 parking spaces for $29 million – less than half the cost of previous estimates.

But the Reliant Park complex already boasts more than 26,000 spaces.

“I don’t think it’s about the parking spaces.

I think they don’t want a giant derelict stadium sitting next to the Super Bowl in 2017,” said Tory Gattis, a Houston business strategist.

The 1962 ground-breaking ceremony was conducted in truly Texan style: local dignitaries used guns to shoot blanks into the earth.

It opened in 1965 and was home to Astros baseball and Oilers football.

It inspired the construction of multi-sport venues elsewhere and its artificial grass became popularly known as AstroTurf.

During the 1960s it was a symbol of American ambition and modernity and the pride of “Space City”, together with NASA’s Mission Control.

Muhammad Ali fought there, Evel Knievel soared over cars on his motorbike and Billie Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match.

Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Jackson Five and many more headline acts performed in the once-futuristic, air-conditioned surrounds of the world’s first domed stadium.

In 1970, Robert Altman directed Brewster McCloud, a film about a young man living in the Astrodome who plans to build a pair of wings.

Thirty-five years later, it was a temporary home to thousands of refugees from Hurricane Katrina who were bussed from New Orleans as conditions worsened inside the SuperDome.

Refugees of Hurricane Katrina fill the floor of the Astrodome in 2005.

Photograph: Richard Carson/Reuters The Astros quit for a new downtown ballpark in 2000 and when the rodeo moved to Reliant Stadium in 2003 there were no major tenants left.

It was officially shut in 2008 after an inspection found that it was unsafe for occupancy, though the structure remains sound.

Now, as pictures show, the stadium is slowly, spookily, rusting towards oblivion.

Numerous ambitious and inventive renovation schemes have foundered due to a lack of funds and political inertia but the attention on the Super Bowl bid has given the debate fresh impetus and a resolution finally seems near.

Knocking it down would be the least expensive solution, but a blow to nostalgics in a forward-looking city with few historical buildings.

June 10 is the deadline to submit proposals to the Harris County Sports and Convention Corporation, which will then make recommendations to local government later in the month.

Ideas that require significant taxpayer funding are likely to be put to a public vote in November.

Says Gattis: “For Houstonians it carries a lot of weight and for Americans in general it’s a known thing.

It was such a big deal in the 60s.

Houston is a city that’s lacking in distinctive icons.

It’s still magnificent inside.

When you’re under that roof it’s just a spectacular space.

It just feels impressive.” Gattis suggests the Astrodome could become a national museum of technology and innovation.

“If we did a flagship museum on the scale of the National Air and Space Museum in DC that could put us on the map,” he said.

Chris Alexander heads a non-profit group called Astrodome Tomorrow, which is putting together a proposal for the Astrodome to become a public park with museums on topics such as sports, oil and gas and rodeo.

He said he first fell in love with the arena as a 15-year-old attending its inaugural concert in 1965, which featured Judy Garland and The Supremes.

“We know there is sentiment in the Texans to knock the building down,” he said.

“There’s a better solution on parking that satisfies the Texans’ needs.” Alexander wants to build a garage elsewhere on the site.

“Our biggest priority is to save the building and preserve it for future use,” he said, adding that he thinks it could last for another century.

He estimates his park plans would cost between $800m – $1bn.

Even the University of Southern California reportedly has a secret plan for the Astrodome.

Given USC’s Los Angeles location, there is speculation it could involve turning the site into a giant film studio.

Other ideas include a hotel and convention center, a lake and an amusement park.

In the meantime, Alexander is seeking donations to buy a pressure-wash for the grimy, dulled exterior and make what was once called the Eighth Wonder of the World sparkle again.

Super Bowl 2016 and 2017 announcement: 2pm ET.