J.A.S.O.N.

Carnival to add another year-round ship to island operations

Posted: Thursday, April 24, 2014 8:06 am | Updated: 9:56 am, Thu Apr 24, 2014.By LAURA ELDER

GALVESTON -- Carnival Cruise Lines next year will base a third year-round ship in Galveston, luring thousands of additional visitors to the island while marking the first time a cruise line has deployed three passenger liners in Texas.The Miami-based company, which homeports ships Magic and Triumph in Galveston, said it would add Carnival Freedom to that lineup in February 2015, beginning with a special six-day Caribbean voyage before the start of year-round seven-day departures from Galveston.The news secures Galveston’s status as the No. 1 Gulf Coast cruise port and underscores Carnival’s bullishness on the seaport city.“In partnership with the Port of Galveston and the local community, we have been able to increase our passenger counts fivefold since we first launched service from Galveston in 2000,” Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said.Moving the 2,974-passenger Freedom from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Galveston represents a 38 percent capacity increase for Carnival in Galveston; the cruise line’s ships from Galveston carry about 600,000 passengers a year.Before arriving in Galveston, Freedom will undergo a multimillion dollar makeover, Carnival officials said...

http://www.galvestondailynews.com/news/local_news/article_33618be6-cbb1-11e3-afba-001a4bcf6878.html?TNNoMobile

I'm glad to see Baybrook is doing so well. I remember going in there around the 1980s bust and it was a ghost town sometimes. The expansion is also a bit surprising. We keep reading about how malls are declining, and yet some like this seem to have found the secret sauce to continue growing.

Baybrook Mall began getting its act together when Tanger Outlets moved down the road in Texas City. I had never seen an Almeda billboard/advertisment in the Texas City/Dickinson area until Tanger went up. These malls serve the same area. An amusement park was announced near Tanger, now Almeda is adding a Dave and Busters, plus 30 stores. The local news paper reported Tanger is expected to announce an expansion this summer.

I would be suprised if this ever gets built. There was a proposal for a similar amusement park one exit down (next to the Gulf Greyhound Racetrack). It never happened, just a sign on the property for several years. 

I sure hope it does.  Galveston County will add to Schlitterbahn, Kemah Boardwalk, and Pleasure Pier!

We sooo needed this in our area!!

From the Galveston County Daily News site...

With the relocation of most of the clinical operations formerly housed in the PCP building (Port Holiday Mall) to various sites in League City, I heard that only the second floor of the building will be used now...The first floor will remain mostly vacant and used for storage. Another sad end to a Galveston building.

I remember shopping at The Fair as a kid...slow slow cashiers stand out in my mind the most. Wasn't there also a Craig's in the Port Holiday Mall?

Thanks for the info! Your username is in Hebrew right? I've seen your photos on flickr for years now, you take some great shots. Welcome to the forum

Never heard of this mall, before my time It's the PCP building here right? I've been in this building a lot, and quite recent. It resembles nothing of a mall on the inside. They've sectioned it off with walls and doors for a variety of clinics. Now that you mention it, it does look of an old mall, go figure

Yes, the public housing should go to the burbs (La Marque and Texas City)

I'm sure the Mainlanders would greatly appreciate that.

Why would you say such a thing? These people are Galvestonians, products of the Galveston school system, and the GHA. Texas City and West Texas City/La Marque have been making their own strides in building a better community as of late.

The Texas House Select Committee's Plan:

I think they're waiting until they have something to advertise. Once they get some bars, I can see them throwing out some advertising, because it will then be a place where you can go for dinner followed by drinks.

Gotcha

Perhaps some of the problem lies in advertisement? No one that I've spoken to (around Galv Co.) about the development even knows it exists. I'm only aware of it because I'm a HAIF geek.

UTMB

Great win for the team on the road last night! GO ROCKETS!!!

Just so everyone knows for the record, that even though I put up pics of the "dirty underbelly" of Galveston, I LOVE GALVESTON ! Grew up my whole life going down there, when I was a wee lad, going to Sea Arama and playing Putt Putt at Stewart Beach in the 70's,many times in the 80's, during my teenage years when I wasn't supposed too, and getting into trouble. I like taking my family down there now. Lots of great memories from there. I just feel more can be done to make it cleaner. I mean cleaner by groomed beaches, it would make a WORLD of difference. I admit I have been spoiled by seeing what other beaches around the country have to offer. I also know how to implement a way to make Galveston able to compete with those other touristy beaches. Unfortunately, I am a lone voice in the dark.

The people of Galveston don't truly want any NEW growth on the island anyways, so why keep the beaches clean? They are trying very hard right now to shoot down the proposed new plans out on 8mile and 11mile roads. They claim it will "obstruct their view of the Gulf". NEWSFLASH, you can't see the beach or the Gulf from where your houses are people, you are on the north side of the those roads ! They are worried about "traffic" also. The plan also calls for widening the roads also to alleviate the "traffic".

Are they really "The people of Galveston"? Think about this, some of those same "Galvestonian's" residential developments were frowned upon by earlier "Galvestonians" who were out west first. Now they have the audacity to oppose new development out there LOL!! By the way, they perfer to be called "West Galveston", seriously.

The point I'm trying to make is that Galveston ain't the prettiest beach on the gulf coast...BY FAR!! Nobody on here can have a difference of opinion unless you and your cult join together to insult somebody. If you think that Beaumont is responsible for the Texas...not just Galveston, waters looking like mud, then maybe your the one that needs to do research. So I like Destin. So what! Just because I found the only group of people in Houston who feels Galveston is natural "beauty" does not mean everybody has to agree with you!!!

LOL

Why else does Galveston's water look like mud?

There was also a Foot Locker and an urban clothing store named Q.T.'s next to the "Pizza Place" on that map.

This pic is from the 13th. I thought DT's club scene was doing well

It was ok to draft a ROOKIE QB last year but not this year ? Ridiculous, I used to like 'ol Jake the Smake, but he has floundered as a pro. He would make a good backup since he already knows Kubiak's system and could help a Rookie learn the system, but Jake ain't no starter for the Texans.

Like Isaid before, take an impact player, you got 2 good choices of QBs this year. I would take Quinn, because I personally think Smith is too short, but Doug Flutie was shorter, and did amazing things.

What do you think about Russell TJones? He's a pretty big guy!

Troy Smith would be the better picc for the Texans. Here is what I would do if I were the Texans:

First off, in the first round, I would draft Troy Smith as our QB. I would try and get a trade for picks for David Carr. If not possible, just keep Carr.

If a second rounder for Cedric Benson from the Chicago Bears does not go through, then I would take either Marshawn Lynch from California or Michael Bush from Louisville (if he is available in the second round). The next five rounds, I would focus on CB and OL.

We could get Asante Samuel from the Patriots and Lance Briggs from Chicago is we try hard enough. They would help out our secondary a lot, and we could use the draft picks for sone OL. Also, if Dwight Freeney does not resign with the Colts, we could try him, too, but by that time, I think we would be above the salary cap.

The 2-12 Raiders may have their eye on Troy though :

What I told y'all. The Texans don't have a chance in hell on beating New England. I mean look at the score, 40-7.

David Carr has to go! No questions asked. This man SUCKS! If I were Kubiak I'll start the rookie quarterback in these last remaining two games.

Or how about the Texans pick up Jamarcus Russell in the draft! (lol) I'd really like to see that guy play for Houston... ok I'm done with my campaign

Does anyone know when LSU's Jamarcus Russell is entering the draft?

I'm a Texan fan, but I found this video to be quite funny lol

Anyone think it would work? I guess it would kind of be like DFW Airport

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.l...24d2e0994d73b18

Maps and Data as of August 2006 about Katrina evacuees living in Houston (and Texas)

http://www.houstonhurricanerecovery.org/Po...07/Default.aspx

I'm glad to see outsiders have the huevos to move there and take advantage of the big lots, proximity and cheap prices. Smart, early money says follow the urban artists. They have proven themselves to be the pioneers in the urban ecosystem. Sort of like the biblical dove that carried the olive branch back to Noah or the seed that sprouts amid the manure (no offensive intended). The poor are typically the decomposers in a neighborhood's life cycle which can only break an area down so far until the prices and location attract a less destructive organism who signal the end of the decline and the beginning of the rebirth.

Nature is a beautiful thing.

vivid