Grand Texas Theme Park At 23065 Highway 242

[treblelino]

I think people hate the Texas theme because the theme always represents one ethnic group - Caucasian (example: a white cowboy and a western theme.), when Texas is more diverse than that. If you ask someone from outside of Texas what race is depicted in the representation of Texas or what race do they think of when it comes to they're idea of Texas, I'll bet they would say white, which is why I dislike the theme. The theme should be more international and diverse to represent all of us.

[Timoric]

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Edited July 8, 2019 by Timoric

[Metro West]

Trebelino, I think you're over thinking it. It's just meant to be an escape from the real world. If you are going to throw politics or all the awful things the white man has done to the world into it then I guess you will have a hard time having any fun. 

 

If it makes you feel any better, the plans call for the "Plaza Feliz" section at Grand Texas to be the largest section in the park and is the section that is supposed to have the 2 big roller coasters.

 

Edited July 7, 2014 by Metro West

[august948]

I think people hate the Texas theme because the theme always represents one ethnic group - Caucasian (example: a white cowboy and a western theme.), when Texas is more diverse than that. If you ask someone from outside of Texas what race is depicted in the representation of Texas or what race do they think of when it comes to they're idea of Texas, I'll bet they would say white, which is why I dislike the theme. The theme should be more international and diverse to represent all of us.

 

The Texas FRONTIER theme that they seem to be going for gives the opportunity to represent 4 major ethnic groups, white European-Americans, blacks, American indians, and hispanics (both Spanish and Mexican and perhaps some others).  Is that not sufficient? 

 

As for the modern diversity of Texas, we don't need a theme park.  Just drive down Bellaire, Harwin, Beechnut, or a hundred other roads around Houston and see if for real.

 

[arche_757]

I think this is getting some backlash because of the following two reasons:

1) The hokey pictures/rendering/marketing material initially presented to the media.

2) The fact this is out in the far north-eastern rural stretches of greater Houston.

 

That and there are some - both "native" and "non-native" - who look at the idea of a park dedicated to Texas as hokey.  As opposed to say... a giant mouse wearing pants (sometimes) or talking chipmunks.  Nah, those aren't silly at all.

[august948]

That and there are some - both "native" and "non-native" - who look at the idea of a park dedicated to Texas as hokey.  As opposed to say... a giant mouse wearing pants (sometimes) or talking chipmunks.  Nah, those aren't silly at all.

 

Exactly.  This is a theme park, not a curated history exhibit.

 

[Metro West]

I went to Six Flags Over Texas recently and noticed that what was once called 'The Confederacy' section has been changed to 'The Old South'.

 

'Old South' must be a less offensive term than 'Confederacy'. As a kid, I always wondered if some people were offended by it.  I guess it can be difficult to celebrate one culture without offending another if people want to take this stuff too seriously.

 

I have no problem celebrating the American Old West, but I must admit AstroWorld had the politically correct right idea. There were 9 themed areas when they opened in 1968... 

 

Americana Square

Oriental Corner

Plaza de Fiesta 

Children's World 

Western Junction 

European Village 

Alpine Valley

Modville (my personal favorite)

and Fun Island

 

later they added...

 

Country Fair,

Coney Island

Nottingham Village (used to be Country Fair)

Looney Toons Town 

 

I suppose it might have been offensive to people from Iraq, Uganda and Australia, but I guess there just wasn't enough land to please everyone.

 

Edited July 7, 2014 by Metro West

[Luminare]

To me it just seems like its marketing trying to hard to sell something which should be an easy sell just by its own merit. It's equal to an adult trying to be "cool and hip" in front of their kids while the kids think they are just being fools and embarrassing themselves lol. Oh no we can't just have a regular theme park no it has to be a "Texas" themed park with a capital T size font 9000.

 

A theme park is probably the easiest thing to sell. As long as you are able to get the concepts down, ideas for rides, and proper access it's a no brainer. Nope we have to rub Texas all up in your face!

 

While there are theme parks devoted to a mouse, bunny rabbit, etc.... They live in worlds that we want to visit but can't because it isn't possible except for a theme park. A theme park is best when we can step into a fantasy world that is so out there we can't believe someone created it on Earth for us to see. If you want "old Texas" then go visit San Antonio or small towns in Texas lol.

Edited July 10, 2014 by Luminare

[Marcus Allen]

Amen Luminare, and without sounding blasphemous, again I say Amen. I wasn't forced to return to TX, circumstance led me to this place, which has a plethora of merits as long as one looks for them, quite frankly, in many cities and small towns around the state. But then come and visit TEXAS! Not a theme park devoted to a conceptualized version of TX. Sigh. I suppose THEY are gleaning off of the California Adventures concept, which works BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL THEME PARK IN PLACE! But I must say, as a resident of California for 20 years, the only way they get tourists to buy the double park ticket is to put theme attractions Like, the haunted hotel, areal view over California, Toy Story Arcade, and the new Cars Land. Without these, attendance would be dismal. I wish they would go in this direction: Americas Over Texas or something of that venue. I like the EarthQwest idea as well that celebrates ecology and nature and morphs it into a theme park. I agree that plastering a glorification of TEXAS into a theme park limits it from the get go. Think of all of those people nationwide and world wide that equate our state with backwoods racism, good ole boy mentality, and a very limited view of our increasingly diverse world. Right away, we just prohibited them from attending. I don't have the golden answer, unfortunately, but IMO, this is certainly not it.

[Marcus Allen]

OR, I was toying with this the other day; do something along the lines of Epcot, which is highly successful, and have a From Sea To Shining Sea Theme Park concentrating on the various regions of our great country. Sure, to do us proud, the TEXASland area can be the largest In the park, LoL.

Then at least Americans from our country could be curious enough to visit, if it is done well and marketed even better, just to see how the common concept of their regions are perceived. I mean go all out and highlight the New England village feel, the NYC experience, James Coney Island, the Southeast, Florida, Midwest, Deep South, Pacific Northwest, SoCal and of course Hawaii and Alaska. Then have the TX area be a focal point of a conglomerate of most cultures our country houses. (Houston is labeled one of the most diverse cities in our country). And then sure, replicate The Alamo, Spindletop, and the Gulf culture. But, an entire park resting it's laurels on the allure of TX. I am jot sure it will fly.

[Nate99]

Think of all of those people nationwide and world wide that equate our state with backwoods racism, good ole boy mentality, and a very limited view of our increasingly diverse world. Right away, we just prohibited them from attending.

 

If one could preselect a theme to automatically filter out such bigots, I'd call it a good thing.  Do you honestly think that someone with such a parcohial, cartoonishly simplistic idea of Big Dumb Texas is going to any theme park in New Caney?

 

I don't think it makes for much of a theme park for various reasons, but if you look at Texas history and see KlanLand, you've spent far too much time looking for a grevance.

[mollusk]

Do you honestly think that someone with such a parcohial, cartoonishly simplistic idea of Big Dumb Texas is going to any theme park in New Caney?

 

 

Betting is now open on whether it will have a PO box in Kingwood to give it a Houston address, and all physical location descriptions will only refer to I-69 and perhaps the (whatever) exit.

[H-Town Man]

A priceless counter-intuitive bit of history is the reverse of today, Mexico liberalized its immigration policies so any settler of any race could settle in Mexico

Timoric, how is that the reverse of today? Are there any race laws limiting who can come to Texas today?

[august948]

Timoric, how is that the reverse of today? Are there any race laws limiting who can come to Texas today?

 

Perhaps the reverse is that we're trying to limit immigration into Texas and the US now whereas in the 1820's it was liberalized to allow immigrants in (by Mexico). 

 

Another rarely or never mentioned priceless tidbit of history is that the claim that Anglo settlers "took" Texas from Mexico.  The fact of the matter is that Spain, and independant Mexico afterwards, never really controlled much of Texas beyond San Antonio and the Valley.  Mexico may have claimed all of the territory of present-day Texas but in fact it was mostly controlled by the Comanches.  Another way of looking at who really had power in Texas; It took just over 6 months (Oct 2, 1835 to Apr 21, 1836) to defeat Mexico.  It took almost 40 years more (until Jun 2, 1875) until the Comanches were finally defeated.

 

[august948]

To me it just seems like its marketing trying to hard to sell something which should be an easy sell just by its own merit. It's equal to an adult trying to be "cool and hip" in front of their kids while the kids think they are just being fools and embarrassing themselves lol. Oh no we can't just have a regular theme park no it has to be a "Texas" themed park with a capital T size font 9000.

 

A theme park is probably the easiest thing to sell. As long as you are able to get the concepts down, ideas for rides, and proper access it's a no brainer. Nope we have to rub Texas all up in your face!

 

While there are theme parks devoted to a mouse, bunny rabbit, etc.... They live in worlds that we want to visit but can't because it isn't possible except for a theme park. A theme park is best when we can step into a fantasy world that is so out there we can't believe someone created it on Earth for us to see. If you want "old Texas" then go visit San Antonio or small towns in Texas lol.

 

I have to wonder what the intended target audience is for this.  If they are trying to draw out-of-state tourists then the Texas theme could work just fine.  You'd be surprised how many Americans, not to mention foreigners, who, never having been here, think we all ride horses and wear cowboy hats and boots whenever we go out.

 

I agree that there are better places to find "old Texas" and even colonial Mexico, but we don't really have much of that around here so, in true Houston fashion, we have to build it ourselves.  Now if the intended market is local, that could be a whole 'nuther story.  If that ends up being the case, I wouldn't be surprised to see them shift the theme as time goes on.  They've got a lot of land to build on so they could go in different directions.

 

At the end of the day, I'm glad someone at least is giving it a try.  Who knows what it might morph into down the road.

 

[H-Town Man]

Perhaps the reverse is that we're trying to limit immigration into Texas and the US now whereas in the 1820's it was liberalized to allow immigrants in (by Mexico).

Another rarely or never mentioned priceless tidbit of history is that the claim that Anglo settlers "took" Texas from Mexico. The fact of the matter is that Spain, and independant Mexico afterwards, never really controlled much of Texas beyond San Antonio and the Valley. Mexico may have claimed all of the territory of present-day Texas but in fact it was mostly controlled by the Comanches. Another way of looking at who really had power in Texas; It took just over 6 months (Oct 2, 1835 to Apr 21, 1836) to defeat Mexico. It took almost 40 years more (until Jun 2, 1875) until the Comanches were finally defeated.

That's not the reverse. We have no race laws on immigration, and there is a process in place for it, albeit a difficult one. Also, I believe Mexico limited the inflow of Anglos about a decade later when they decided it was too much.

[luciaphile]

... Mexico may have claimed all of the territory of present-day Texas but in fact it was mostly controlled by the Comanches.  Another way of looking at who really had power in Texas; It took just over 6 months (Oct 2, 1835 to Apr 21, 1836) to defeat Mexico.  It took almost 40 years more (until Jun 2, 1875) until the Comanches were finally defeated.

 

 

Just the other day my co-worker pointed out where the Austin paper reported on its front page that a tornado near Blanco "threw a home 150 years off its foundation."  I said I reckoned when those people walked out of their house: "Comanch!"

 

That's not the reverse. We have no race laws on immigration, and there is a process in place for it, albeit a difficult one. Also, I believe Mexico limited the inflow of Anglos about a decade later when they decided it was too much.

 

Not race, no, but ethnicity. From the pro-immigration Immigration Policy Center (http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-united-states-immigration-system-works-fact-sheet):

 

Per-Country Ceilings

In addition to the numerical limits placed upon the various immigration preferences, the INA also places a limit on how many immigrants can come to the United States from any one country. Currently, no group of permanent immigrants (family-based and employment-based) from a single country can exceed 7% of the total amount of people immigrating to the United States in a single year. This is not a quota that is set aside to ensure that certain nationalities make up 7% of immigrants, but rather a limit that is set to prevent any immigrant group from dominating immigration patterns to the United States.

 

I'm sorry for being mischievous, this may not get at what you meant at all -- but no matter where you stand on immigration you've gotta marvel at the unironic tone in which is explained the purpose of the limit.

[H-Town Man]

Just the other day my co-worker pointed out where the Austin paper reported on its front page that a tornado near Blanco "threw a home 150 years off its foundation." I said I reckoned when those people walked out of their house: "Comanch!"

Not race, no, but ethnicity. From the pro-immigration Immigration Policy Center (http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/how-united-states-immigration-system-works-fact-sheet):

Per-Country Ceilings

In addition to the numerical limits placed upon the various immigration preferences, the INA also places a limit on how many immigrants can come to the United States from any one country. Currently, no group of permanent immigrants (family-based and employment-based) from a single country can exceed 7% of the total amount of people immigrating to the United States in a single year. This is not a quota that is set aside to ensure that certain nationalities make up 7% of immigrants, but rather a limit that is set to prevent any immigrant group from dominating immigration patterns to the United States.

I'm sorry for being mischievous, this may not get at what you meant at all -- but no matter where you stand on immigration you've gotta marvel at the unironic tone in which is explained the purpose of the limit.

It's actually a fairly sound and reasonable practice for preventing a nation from changing too quickly in any one direction. And it's not ethnicity, it's nationality. Our immigration policies are actually fairly liberal compared to most European countries where great measures are taken to preserve national identity. No wonder, after a century of ethnic warfare and oppression over there.

I do think though that the 7% limit can be inhumane if there is, say, a great humanitarian crisis in Mexico and meanwhile no one else really wants to immigrate here. To hold them to 7% of total immigrants is unreal in that case.

[luciaphile]

^ I'm sorry. My import must not have been clear. Or perhaps we may be living in alternate universes; in mine, the gap between reality and this orderly 7% solution stuff is ... well, nevermind, I must be being pranked. Back to the topic of the anachronistic park.

Edited July 11, 2014 by luciaphile

[H-Town Man]

I think people hate the Texas theme because the theme always represents one ethnic group - Caucasian (example: a white cowboy and a western theme.), when Texas is more diverse than that. If you ask someone from outside of Texas what race is depicted in the representation of Texas or what race do they think of when it comes to they're idea of Texas, I'll bet they would say white, which is why I dislike the theme. The theme should be more international and diverse to represent all of us.

It is true that the image of Texas history for most of the world is cowboys but, like it or not, that is what people who visit here want to see. When tourists go to London, they want to see British history, which means Buckingham Palace and Beefeaters at the Tower and the Crown Jewels. Many people like that London is now largely Pakistani, but that is not what what drives tourism. Look at the relative success of the rodeo and the international fest, and tell me which concept you would bet money on if you were an investor.

[xsatyr]

It is true that the image of Texas history for most of the world is cowboys but, like it or not, that is what people who visit here want to see. When tourists go to London, they want to see British history, which means Buckingham Palace and Beefeaters at the Tower and the Crown Jewels. Many people like that London is now largely Pakistani, but that is not what what drives tourism. Look at the relative success of the rodeo and the international fest, and tell me which concept you would bet money on if you were an investor.

 

The Rodeo and a Texas themed park are completely different. One is a novelty act with rides and the other is a huge event with rides, high profiled musicians and numerous competitive events. Not to mention The Rodeo is temporary and not year round. If anyone thinks a Texas themed park is going to attract that much attention outside of Texas then their delusional. Often times that cowboy history is seen as a negative connotation for Texas.

[Metro West]

Please for the love of God. All of you need to stay as far away from this park as possible. Y'all could suck the fun out of Willy Wonka! 

[august948]

The Rodeo and a Texas themed park are completely different. One is a novelty act with rides and the other is a huge event with rides, high profiled musicians and numerous competitive events. Not to mention The Rodeo is temporary and not year round. If anyone thinks a Texas themed park is going to attract that much attention outside of Texas then their delusional. Often times that cowboy history is seen as a negative connotation for Texas.

 

I disagree.  When people from outside Texas, particularly from outside the US, think of Texas, cowboy and frontier are almost always what comes up.  And though you may see that in a negative light, most people don't.  Those not born and raised in the US, particularly in the south, aren't going to be carrying the baggage you asssume.  That's something that Malcolm-X marveled at in his autobiography...that people not raised in the US culture (of his time) didn't have the same negative attitudes.  Now, as an earlier poster pointed out, there are better places to go in Texas to find remnants of "old Texas", but as a theme it's not a non-starter.

 

Please for the love of God. All of you need to stay as far away from this park as possible. Y'all could suck the fun out of Willy Wonka! 

 

Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  Now that would make a great theme, too.

 

[H-Town Man]

The Rodeo and a Texas themed park are completely different. One is a novelty act with rides and the other is a huge event with rides, high profiled musicians and numerous competitive events. Not to mention The Rodeo is temporary and not year round. If anyone thinks a Texas themed park is going to attract that much attention outside of Texas then their delusional. Often times that cowboy history is seen as a negative connotation for Texas.

 

The Rodeo is the biggest thing we've got right now. If you don't believe the Texas theme can work in a theme park, how do you explain Six Flags Over Texas and Six Flags Fiesta Texas?

 

I grew up thinking the cowboy thing was mostly passe, but when I went to college in Chicago, I was astonished at how people's eyes widened when I said "Texas," and wanted to hear about cowboys. And we are talking some pretty liberal people from the northeast, west coast, etc. My best friend was a Jewish guy from the Chicago suburbs, as politically left of center as you can get, but he grew up wanting to be a cowboy, and his dad's favorite movie was John Wayne's The Alamo. I took him to the rodeo one year and he solemnly thanked me for it afterwards.

 

Then I lived in Europe a couple years, and oh my... instant recognition everywhere.  I once said to a Romanian friend, "Are cowboys really that unique? You have gauchos in Argentina, cossacks in Russia, all sorts of people around the world doing basically the same thing of moving livestock around and fighting off danger. Is the cowboy that special?"  He said, "No one cares about all those others. The cowboy is what is interesting. Everybody in the world wants to be a cowboy."

[IronTiger]

1. It's not a theme park, not a museum. Are you one of those people at Epcot who think that the pavilions are trash because they don't show what the "real" country is like?

2. The goofy "Texas" theme will still be everywhere. If you've explored an airport terminal in Texas (well, I can speak only for the Dallas airport, but you get my drift), they'll be some store selling touristy "Texas" crap.

3. Some article in Houstonia mocked the tourist view of Texas with a cartoon of someone standing in Discovery Green and thinking "I thought there'd be more cow poop" or something along those lines. If you want to experience a fake, cowboy theme park version of Texas, go to the theme park. That's why it's called "The Theme Park Version". If you want Real Texas, explore Houston or the areas outside of it.

[xsatyr]

I'm well aware of the affinity foreigners have towards cowboy culture. It's why whenever I go to Europe I tell people I'm from Texas because you get a better reception. The success of this park has nothing to do with it's gimmicky theme. The Rodeo is not gimicky because it's the real Mccoy. Their ability to add notable rides over the years is what's going to drive their success.

[Slick Vik]

The reception was pretty chilly during the bush years

[Ross]

The reception was pretty chilly during the bush years

 

I never noticed any of that, and I did a fair amount of traveling those years. Bush wasn't the most popular guy in the world, but I never felt any animosity against Texans in general, just specific ones who were jerks and deserved the scorn.

[towerjunkie]

In a perfect world, my idea of this particular park would go something like this.... Change the concept completely upside down. We are no longer celebrating Texas culture we are celebrating Houston culture in Texas. The park is basically Houston's playground the main centerpiece being a section of the park devoted to space exploration. The main thrill rides being a rollercoaster simulating a ride through space at the speed of light. A revamped taller, faster, more twisted version of the Ultra Twister for nostalgic pizazz. Throw in a tower that simulates a lift off from earth to space. Return of the looping starship and a newer and again faster,taller version of XLR-8. Another section of the park would be a combination of a boardwalk/rodeo with rides similar to any other county fair this would also include the return of the Texas Cyclone which would be WAY better, and safer than the Texas Giant. Another section of the park would celebrate Houston's position in energy with a rollercoaster zig zagging through a factory to simulate the production of oil. Add a spindletop recreation which would spill out thousands of Gallons of Chocolate Syrup every 4 hours which would then be cleaned up by a spectacular water feature extravaganza set to almost any kind of music a la Bellagio Fountains. Finally we celebrate Houston's world class culture with a mini-museum covering all the History of Houston and how we got to have world renowned museums. As an added bonus I would have an attraction which would give a nod to Houston's legendary sprawl which would be a maze through a collection of houses that would look the same. I think I let my imagination run extremely wildly.

[august948]

The reception was pretty chilly during the bush years