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mattyt36

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Everything posted by mattyt36

  1. Anyone have any idea when the Doubletree signage will be replaced?
  2. Adding to the confusion (or mine at least) the City does run the Houston Sports Park, which houses the Dynamo and Dash training facility and the rugby team.
  3. Sorry, got confused with the City exclusively buying the land for BBVA. In my recollection (but living away at the time) I thought it was driven by the City and that impression must have never left me. But, rest assured, Houston19, make yourself known at the next Astros game and I will buy you an overpriced beer to complement that feather in your cap.
  4. In rereading the above I left an open quotation and seem to have invented a new word ... “flurfty” (covfefe?) ... I’m not sure what I was even going for there, but I’ll let it stand because it does seem an appropriate adjective for Aramark.
  5. Thanks for that. You are correct, although I’m sure it’s no coincidence Aramark runs the concessions at NRG and Toyota Center as well. Not sure about BBVA, but that is City-run, not County run. In any case (1) I’m sure the selection of a concessionaire is subject to County procurement rules; and (2) the point still stands. Blame HCSA or the Astros. If HCSA didn’t choose Aramark, or influence the Astros to choose Aramark, they created the lease that allowed the Astros to choose Aramark. Of course this was all done 20 years ago, “best practice” at the time to deliver new stadia to Houston without burdening property owners through a tax levy. High priced concessions are only a part of it ... I’m pretty sure there’s a hotel tax and a car rental tax dedicated to the stadia which are (or used to be) among the highest in the country. I’m sure they wouldn’t do it the same way now. However, if the Astros re-upped through 2050, I’m sure they retained the favorable lease terms ... after all, why not? I haven’t looked at it in a while but at one point the HCSA bonds that funded MMP, Reliant, and Toyota were junk bonds recently enough (i.e., within the past 5 years) because it was largely variable rate with swaps underwater dating back to the 2008 financial crisis. I’m confident they must have been refinanced since then because I’m sure we would have heard about it otherwise. Anyway, I’m not defending Aramark, I only go to MMP with any regularity and have been to plenty of away games. MMP is the worst, no doubt, with the exception of a couple concessions not run by Aramark (e.g., the St Arnold bar behind the Crawford Boxes). The stadium design doesn’t help, either, with very narrow circulation spaces (I assume because (ironically, in Houston) they had to fit it on those blocks, and those dimensions weren’t exactly spacious, which makes the stadium quite “dense). It’s infuriating to watch those concessions operate, they seem to have plenty of people but absolutely zero efficiencies. That’s why getting a hot dog on $1 hot dog night takes two full innings, with the line stalled for a full half inning because they’ve “run out,” and most people just give up. Since the Astros have a direct financial incentive in improving such flurfty service, blame them (or HCSA). Don’t waste your time complaining about Aramark.
  6. Um, no, you can blame the HCSA for giving them the concession contract.
  7. Well creating a satellite campus in Conroe in this environment sounds like a real winner.
  8. That can’t be the Angels considering they’re talking about moving to Long Beach.
  9. Also the Braves’ new stadium https://www.multifamilyexecutive.com/design-development/atlanta-developer-takes-on-mixed-use-development-next-to-braves-new-baseball-stadium_o
  10. Wondered how long this would take. Great news!
  11. We have gone from having relatively few public recreational areas to having so many on the drawing board that I shudder to think of the long-term implications regarding upkeep. (Not necessarily with this one, as it will be privately operated, but in the same vein I question their business model.) With all that is conceptual on the drawing board for downtown and environs, I hate to say it but it seems like total overkill. Some concepts include cap parks from 45-10/59 interchange to the Spur, along with a “High Line” on the Pierce Elevated. And the downtown master plan includes the “Green Necklace” (or whatever it’s called) circling the inner core of downtown. And whatever East River is going to try to do. Certainly looks beautiful on paper but good Lord (1) how will such acreage be “populated”; and (2) who the hell is going to maintain it? I guess, though, if I had to choose between this and how things were 20 years ago in re lack of imagination, I’d choose now.
  12. Midtown’s Cotswold Project ... destined to become a urinal/bath.
  13. Quoting myself ... Just read that this extension has already been abandoned due to lack of planning before November ballot. It probably was already when I posted back in July ... I need to keep up!
  14. Well if there are a lot of concessions throughout the market, it still shows strong relative demand for all of the new units downtown. People could choose to live somewhere else, after all.
  15. Article referenced indicates Mia Bella GreenStreet location closing, which would make sende. I only ate there once ... wasn’t impressed ... but I could’ve ordered the wrong thing.
  16. Thank you Crockpot, I just saw that and of course came right here. I think it's worth noting from the article how much interest there was in the location and the other work going on at the park (a canopy and lighting over the stage and lawn modifications) from an article in the HBJ: Owner Ramon Soriano Tomka’s business was chosen out of 300 total initial applicants, he said. Those 300 were whittled down to 20 applicants chosen to provide a business plan and then eight finalist. In addition to updating the food kiosk, the Midtown Redevelopment Authority also is upgrading Bagby Park with changes such as the addition of a canopy and lighting to the stage, enhancing outdoor performances and lawn modifications, according to a June 9 blog post. The 5,000-square-foot dog park will remain open during the project, which is expected to be completed this fall. https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2019/08/07/downtown-houston-taco-restaurant-to-open-second.html?ana=e_me_set1&j=89757171&t=Morning&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiT0dKbE5EUTJPRGM0TVdZNCIsInQiOiIwSFwvZHFHQjBESFRDZWtkZmt2MGlPWkpxUnowczN6bDlSSVBkSUt5TlVTU21JNXRwRDlDSm4wREVqT3BcLzdBM252XC9JQVdNUU43Rm42ck0rODBybnd5dTJQZEp1YTQ2YW1UZkp4YWF0bUl4ZlwvWlBsSVZDTzQ1U1VzbVBqaXRPYWsifQ%3D%3D
  17. The main reason Midtown “still looks bad” IMO is that it’s still a drive-through neighborhood with way too wide streets connecting to the Spur. “Complete streeting” the entire neighborhood would make it a much different place.
  18. The SpringHill Suites actually WERE apartments for a good 15+ years though, right?
  19. I guess it actually has happened before recently enough with the SpringHill Suites in the Humble Oil complex . . . what were those apartments called? Not sure if that was short sighted or not. With hotels you do have seasonality and swings based on the day of week. But of course with all I've read on downtown living units becoming "second homes" for suburbanites on the weekend, I'm not sure it's any worse.
  20. Well maybe then we have to use a "Love After Lockup" approach to attract more female residents downtown.
  21. What was this area like back in the day? Mostly railroad-related shops and warehouses?
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