In 2003, Lakewood Church bought the Compaq Center in Houston, Texas. Pastor Joel Osteen was in charge of the church. The Houston Rockets of the NBA and the Houston Aeros of the AHL used to play at the Compaq Center. When Lakewood Church was in a smaller building, they saw a chance to buy the Compaq Center and turn it into a bigger place for their growing congregation.
Lakewood Church’s Renovation of the Compaq Center Breathed New Life into an Iconic Arena
The purchase of the Compaq Center was not without controversy. Some people in the community were worried that the church buying the arena, which had been paid for with public money, would be a waste of money. But Lakewood Church bought the land for $7.5 million, which was less than what it was worth at the time.
After buying the Compaq Center, Lakewood Church started an extensive renovation project to turn it into a modern place of worship. It took almost two years and about $95 million to fix up the building. The renovation was meant to keep the arena’s historic parts while making it a modern place to worship.
Taking out the seating bowl was one of the most important changes made during the renovation. The seating bowl was taken out and replaced with a sloped floor, which makes worship more personal. The arena’s famous scoreboard, which had been there since it opened in 1975, was also taken down and replaced with an LED video board.
During the renovation, a 20,000-square-foot lobby, a bookstore, a café, and a prayer room were added, among other things. The building’s outside was also changed. It now has a new facade with a glass entrance and a roof that reflects light.
Lakewood Church Today: A Hub of Worship and Community
The Compaq Center was fixed up, and on July 16, 2005, Lakewood Church held its first service there. The first event in the building was a concert by country music star George Strait, which was sold out. Since then, the Compaq Center has been the site of many concerts, events, and conferences, as well as the weekly services of Lakewood Church.
Lakewood Church reached important milestones when it bought the Compaq Center and fixed it up. The new building gave the church more space for its growing congregation and helped it reach out to more people. Today, over 50,000 people go to Lakewood Church every week, making it one of the largest and most influential churches in the United States.
In the end, Lakewood Church’s purchase and renovation of the Compaq Center in 2003 was a big deal for both the church and the city of Houston. The renovation turned what used to be a sports arena into a modern place of worship that has become a local landmark.
Pastor Joel Osteen and the people at Lakewood Church saw the building’s potential and turned it into a place for worship and community. The Compaq Center is a sign of their hard work and vision.
Final Words
Lakewood Church renovated the Compaq Center to make it a modern place of worship, taking out the seating bowl and replacing it with a sloped floor. Lakewood Church’s purchase and renovation of the Compaq Center in 2003 was a big deal for both the church and the city of Houston, turning it into a modern place of worship.
The article is over now. I hope you may enjoy reading this article. please do share your thoughts and suggestions with us and do not forget to visit our website.
Comments are closed.