Video: The Tacoma Dome turns 25

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TACOMA, Wash. - Guess who's turning 25 this year?  The Tacoma Dome. And believe it or not, the facility has outlived the Kingdome. 

The Tacoma Dome has become a very prominent feature of the Tacoma skyline. But Tacoma Dome officials are concerned about the future of the dome.  So they're making a big change to celebrate its 25th year in Tacoma. 

Fans will be back in the dome Thursday, mostly looking at the courts below for the state basketball tournaments which begin at 9 a.m.  It's just one of 137 events at the dome and convention center last year. 

But look high and you'll see a new addition.  It's a massive steel grid, funded in part by a $4 million city loan. 

"This was to get us more competitive," said Mike Combs, Tacoma Dome manager. 

Dome managers believe the grid will allow the dome to hang curtains, to form a small theater and compete with arenas in Seattle, Everett, and soon Kent.  

"We're a big building 23,000 seats and a lot of acts can't sell 20,000 seats," said Combs.  "A lot of concerts are not selling 3 to 4 to 5 to 6,000, so we need to cut down our facility." 

Call it a reinvention for the dome. The dome opened in 1983 and used to fill up for indoor soccer's Tacoma Stars and other acts. 

Voters have turned down Tacoma's request to spruce up the wooden dome before, but Combs believe they'll have to ask again to keep the "Building By the Bay" competitive for the next 25 years and beyond.  

"At some point, we'll have to go back to the public for a major rehab of this facility," said Combs. 

But don't expect a vote anytime soon.  The strategy right now is clearly to make changes piecemeal, such as the grid.  There are already plans to remodel the dressing rooms this summer, but they know the seating is a longer term issue.  It could cost $15 million to $16 million to replace them and no one knows where that money would come from.