Astroworld Plot Redevelopment News

[J.A.S.O.N.]

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[VelvetJ]

Not that this is something solid that a new park is coming to the area, but the interest is obviously out there, which is why I think Houston will see something sooner rather than later. Not in terms of a new park opening next year, but I think it will be sooner than some realize.

[gnu]

Not that this is something solid that a new park is coming to the area, but the interest is obviously out there, which is why I think Houston will see something sooner rather than later. Not in terms of a new park opening next year, but I think it will be sooner than some realize.

The company that owns Cedar Point is still showing interest in purchasing Six Flags

As well as Daniel Snyder's company - Red Zone.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=..._id=46371&rfi=6

I wouldn't write off Astroworld for dead just yet.

I have also heard that Fiesta Texas is pushing very hard to get the Texas Cyclone moved there - if they do close and relocate rides.

[C2H]

I kind of agree with THE KID on this one. La Marque doesn't strike me as a very fascinating place to open a theme park. The only benefit i see is it would be very close in proximity to many other Houston Area tourist attractions like those in Galveston, NASA, and Kemah Boardwalk, which might be a little more visitor friendly. But i would rather see a booming Suburb like Katy or Sugarland get the park!!!

Edited October 18, 2005 by C2H

[editor]

Put it on the island.

Even better -- put it on a pier in the water, just like Galveston used to have.

[gnu]

I heard today that SixFlags has, this week, started dismantling WaterWorld.

The Edge - the tall, near-vertical waterslide (between the wave pool and XLR8) - is already disassembled and gone.

Anyone see a waterslide heading down I-45 to Splashtown??

[nmainguy]

Put it on the island.

Even better -- put it on a pier in the water, just like Galveston used to have.

nmainguy bows to the editor's wisdom.

[gnu]

Put it on the island.

Even better -- put it on a pier in the water, just like Galveston used to have.

Didnt Fertitta get the lease to the Flagship so he could rebuild the Galveston Pleasure Pier?

Or did that fall through?

[Fierce Pancake]

If anyone intends to build a new park its to their advantage to be out in an undeveloped area, away from suburbs (which traditionally complain about noise and expansion) where land is cheap and the risk of sprawl creeping in's minimized. Most successful parks are way out of the way like Cedar Point, Magic Mountain, Great Adventure. Some of the older parks like Disneyland and Six Flags Over Texas (and even Astroworld) were originally in the boonies and the city encroached, boxing those properties in. I dont see anyone building along I45N in the Woodlands area and am skeptical about Katy.

Further, very few companies are building parks these days. Cedar Fair doesn't build parks. Six Flags doesn't build parks. Paramount and Busch stopped building parks long ago as well. Disney and Universal feel they have North America pretty well covered right now and are more concerned with Asia expansion. I wouldn't count on any of the large amusement park chains to move into Houston if Astroworld's land is sold out from beneath it.

[DJ V Lawrence]

Put it on the island.

Even better -- put it on a pier in the water, just like Galveston used to have.

Honestly, with the current hurricane vunerabilities of Galveston, I think it's a bad idea.

La Marque, or a suburb directly betwenn Houston sounds like the best idea to me for Galveston's sake, because I think it'd be a big economic opportunity for Galveston and that suburb.

A theme part IN Sugarland, Katy, or Woodlands would fail if Houstonians don't go to the park. But whatever you do, make it big. THREE times bigger than Astroworld. If it's small, I know I won't go.

[Kemet]

I don't think the reason officials have given are valid reasons to close a park that has been with this city for almost 30 years as part of the six flags chain. Or maybe i'm just being selfish because i have so many fond memories traveling to this park from Dallas every other summer as child. If this goes through and that park ends up becoming extra parking for Reliant or a piece of condo office park the city will regret the loss eventually. So if you guys have any thoughs on the issue i would like see them before i ship off to Africa (for my new assignment). P.S. people need to voice their opinions so this park won't go so quietly. Any way gotta go.

Edited October 23, 2005 by Kemet

[BayouCityGirl]

Can someone snapshot the picture of the "future stars" found on page "G4" from the "Cast of the Medicine Show". I have some friends who know Brent Spiner who would love to tell him this one! If not his mom would!

This is a great pic/article to read!! go online (www.houstonchronicle.com) and hear old Astroworld ads!!

[WesternGulf]

This is sad guys. The Chronicle has AstroWorld memories on the web site with old photos. It made it look as if it use to be the happiest place on earth. Man have times changed. LOL

http://www.chron.com/#

[Fierce Pancake]

I don't think the reason officials have given are valid reasons to close a park that has been with this city for almost 30 years as part of the six flags chain.

Six Flags needs money desperately because they are over $2 billion in debt and doesn't know how to come up with the quick cash other than to continue selling assets. Plus they get to save even more money by putting our used rides in other parks. What more validity do you need?

It's rotten, and Houston gets the shaft, but the guys from Premier Parks who took over SF in 1998 have treated the park like an unwanted child all along. Astroworld was performing well considering how poorly the Premier Parks buffoons cared for the property, it didn't deserve to die like this.

[Dominax]

Most people want the new Six flags amuesment park to be near water or along the water in Galveston

If they are planning on rebuilding a new park as they will anyway because this large city wouldn't be left out with no park if its one of the largest cities we have.

People should vote where they should have it for its new location.

[Dominax]

Honestly, with the current hurricane vunerabilities of Galveston, I think it's a bad idea.

La Marque, or a suburb directly betwenn Houston sounds like the best idea to me for Galveston's sake, because I think it'd be a big economic opportunity for Galveston and that suburb.

A theme part IN Sugarland, Katy, or Woodlands would fail if Houstonians don't go to the park. But whatever you do, make it big. THREE times bigger than Astroworld. If it's small, I know I won't go.

Your pretty Smart

You're about the only smart person that figures things out. Most people wants a new park to be on the island.

say no to Galveston

But as thinking on the island theres not alot of land to fit one on Galveston and yes say no to the pier it would make it pretty difficult to have it on the island of creating more traffic along the roads in Galveston as people would try to go to the park. We are looking at a larger larger park ahead of time and as for that looking at building a hotel and large large parking lots would be hardly no where to put. "Say no to Galveston".

My Idea

Id figure to put or relocate a larger park just along south of Highway 288 south of Pearland about at least 15 miles futher down. its morley country along that path. If they do they should rename that freeway 288 the name given to the amuesment park to make it easier for people to find the new park. Just only if they do.

[J.A.S.O.N.]

Your pretty Smart

You're about the only smart person that figures things out. Most people wants a new park to be on the island.

say no to Galveston

But as thinking on the island theres not alot of land to fit one on Galveston and yes say no to the pier it would make it pretty difficult to have it on the island of creating more traffic along the roads in Galveston as people would try to go to the park. We are looking at a larger larger park ahead of time and as for that looking at building a hotel and large large parking lots would be hardly no where to put. "Say no to Galveston".

My Idea

Id figure to put or relocate a larger park just along south of Highway 288 south of Pearland about at least 15 miles futher down. its morley country along that path. If they do they should rename that freeway 288 the name given to the amuesment park to make it easier for people to find the new park. Just only if they do.

There is sufficient land on the west end of Galveston to support a park of that magnitude. Have you ever seen the pastures out past 8, 9, 10, 11, & 12 mile roads?

Edited October 28, 2005 by J.A.S.O.N.

[gto250us]

Your pretty Smart

You're about the only smart person that figures things out. Most people wants a new park to be on the island.

say no to Galveston

But as thinking on the island theres not alot of land to fit one on Galveston and yes say no to the pier it would make it pretty difficult to have it on the island of creating more traffic along the roads in Galveston as people would try to go to the park. We are looking at a larger larger park ahead of time and as for that looking at building a hotel and large large parking lots would be hardly no where to put. "Say no to Galveston".

My Idea

Id figure to put or relocate a larger park just along south of Highway 288 south of Pearland about at least 15 miles futher down. its morley country along that path. If they do they should rename that freeway 288 the name given to the amuesment park to make it easier for people to find the new park. Just only if they do.

Not to mention the fact that it will most likely be destroyed every 5-10 years.

[Guest Plastic]

Today(Oct 30)was the last day Astroworld was gonna be opened under the Six Flags name. I't unknown if the park will reopen under somebody else.

Ironically it's been exactly 40 years since Six Flags bought the park.

Let's hope that somebody reopens it or builds another park in Houston.

[editor]

I never went to the park, but it would be cool if those of you who did could post pictures of your family outings. I bet it would be neat to see some really old pictures from the 70's and 80's.

[citykid09]

I never went to the park, but it would be cool if those of you who did could post pictures of your family outings. I bet it would be neat to see some really old pictures from the 70's and 80's.

I was looking throrugh some old pictures the other day and I found a picture of me my cousins parents uncles and aunts sitting in the front of that big globe right when you walk in Astroworld.

[Montrose1100]

Its so sad. It really doesn't seem like the park is closing, it feels like it will be open again next season. And I don't think anyone will buy the park. I wish they would send all the rides to Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, they only have 2 good rides there, and there usually broken or closed.

I can't belive there closed. Its rediculous.

SixFlags.com

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/astroworld/index.asp

CoasterGallery.com

http://www.coastergallery.com/2001T/AW.html

Joyrides.com

http://www.joyrides.com/sfaw/index.htm

Coasterfanatics.com

http://www.coasterfanatics.com/sec_coaster...tail.asp?id=216

ThemeParksOnline.org

http://www.themeparksonline.org/tponews.asp?ID=2545

Edited October 31, 2005 by Montrose1100

[DJ V Lawrence]

Not to mention the fact that it will most likely be destroyed every 5-10 years.

[texas911]

I just heard on the radio that Astroworld was in the top 5 destinations for all attractions in Texas. How can that lose money? Its the greedy corporation that is giving Houston the shaft as they want a quick buck off the land sale. If they had just invested some money into Astroworld, it would have performed well enough for it to be viable.

[DJ V Lawrence]

I just heard on the radio that Astroworld was in the top 5 destinations for all attractions in Texas. How can that lose money? Its the greedy corporation that is giving Houston the shaft as they want a quick buck off the land sale. If they had just invested some money into Astroworld, it would have performed well enough for it to be viable.

Six Flags didn't give a damn about Houston.

[Fierce Pancake]

Most people want the new Six flags amuesment park to be near water or along the water in Galveston

If they are planning on rebuilding a new park as they will anyway because this large city wouldn't be left out with no park if its one of the largest cities we have.

People should vote where they should have it for its new location.

Don't kid yourself. Six Flags has no plans to build a new park anywhere, let alone here. They are removing the rides from Astroworld as we speak and other parks around the country are getting ready to absorb them (except Cyclone, which will be soon destroyed). They've let go 90% of the employees, only a handful have been offered jobs to stay with Six Flags.

Honestly, Six Flags has not built a park sinice the 1970s and that was completely different management. The current guys in charge have never built a park and they never will. You can completely discount the notion of a new Six Flags Houston. Splashtown's it now.

For that matter, I'm not aware of anyone else with designs to build a park. We've got a big city here, but none of the big chains are in the business of building new properties from scratch in North America. Your only hope is a smaller indepdant like Tilman Fertitta, but that guy's involved in so many other local projects that a theme park here would compete with. So I don't know who's got the money and the guts to build here but you can bet on one thing, since we lost Six Flags there's going to be a long wait.

So enjoy the Kemah boardwalk, the new Schlitterbahn waterpark, and your travelling carnivals, that's all Houston has on the horizon for years to come.

[KimberlySayWhat]

Not to mention the fact that it will most likely be destroyed every 5-10 years.

:giggle giggle:

Sheesh, what a terrible thought, though. That would super suck.

travelling carnivals

Thank God for Fiesta and Kroger stores.

[Jeebus]

I'm telling you, San Antonio is where its at.

[kjb434]

Good thing it closed. It only means that we may eventually get something better.

Astroworld is not the first amusement park to close down. It actually opened when another popular park near Gulfgate was set to close.

Also, Six Flags or any amusement destination is not beholding to whether the people want to keep it open. Any amusement park is based on money, if more was to be made by selling, then it is so.

If some sees a need for an amusement park in Houston and has the money to invest, we'll see another get built. Probably in a better location with potential extra land for expansion.

[Guest Plastic]

AHh yes. Would you believe that the original DIsneyworld was set ot be in Houston? For some reason city council didn't approve of it and it went to Orland Flordia.

Yes this loss is gonna hit Houston hard. We have no major tourist attractions now. Lost tons of jobs. People are gonna be completly bored now. Sad the are gonna make it into Office or retail space. They ought to make this cool activity or entertainment center there.

Ahh yes Houston needed somethingbetter. Astroworld didn't rank high when it comes to the nations theme parks. You've got Cedar Point and even Majic Mountain. WHoever get's it is gonna inherit alot of space.

Only question is where to put the new park. I say Katy, I-45 and Gulf Freeway,near I-45 and 1960 or the Northeast corner of Beltway 8.

I was gonna say that big open pasture in Sugarland but the residents probrably wouldn't approve. Then there's the problem of would any company put in such an investment to build a park in Houston. We're often left out on many many things.

Edited November 1, 2005 by Plastic