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The driving force behind the creation of the Astrodome was Roy Hofheinz, an entrepreneur and former mayor of Houston. Inspired by the Coliseum in Rome during a visit, Hofheinz envisioned a fully enclosed stadium that utilized advanced technology to provide comfort and entertainment to spectators. Initially, Hofheinz imagined an indoor shopping mall, but his aspirations shifted to create a stadium as his collaboration with architect Buckminster Fuller revealed the potential of a large, column-free dome.