mattyt36
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Posts posted by mattyt36
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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.
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9 hours ago, Angostura said:
AFAIK, the Astros retain all revenue from concessions at MMP, and the agreement with Aramark is with the team, not HCSA.
It's important to remember: much like Ticketmaster, the ticket-buying fan is not Aramark's customer, and much like Ticketmaster, Aramark is very good at delivering value to their ACTUAL customers, the venue operators.
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.
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1 hour ago, cougarpad said:
You can blame Aramark and their overpriced and crappy food for the ridiculous beer prices at Houston sports events. It amazes me how they basically have a monopoly on all the sporting venues. UH wisely just gave Aramark the boot from its sports facilities. I know many UH fans are happy about it.
Um, no, you can blame the HCSA for giving them the concession contract.
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Well creating a satellite campus in Conroe in this environment sounds like a real winner.
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4 hours ago, cspwal said:
The Angel's are also doing something similar, though half-heartedly https://www.anaheim.net/1072/Platinum-Triangle
It looks like they are trying to urbanfify it with apartments, by taking chunks out of the parking lot sea, but there's still a lot of parking that won't be touched
That can’t be the Angels considering they’re talking about moving to Long Beach.
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1 hour ago, CaptainJilliams said:
I believe so, I know St. Louis, San Diego, and Washington D.C. have mixed-use developments surrounding their stadiums.
And I know Denver is in the process of completing theirs, as seen below:
^^^ Again, this is in Denver, CO.
Also the Braves’ new stadium
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Wondered how long this would take. Great news!
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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.
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Midtown’s Cotswold Project ... destined to become a urinal/bath.
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55 minutes ago, corbs315 said:
Just curious is there any idea about the prospective tenants of this place? I'm sure I could click back a little but is it office/retail/apartments/etc?
Apartments
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On 7/26/2019 at 12:43 AM, mattyt36 said:
The light rail extension needs to be built and some derivative of the complete street also needs to be built to transform Washington Ave. A median would help so much.
Wasn’t Washington Ave TX-75 back in the day?
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!
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5 hours ago, kbates2 said:
Did you guys notice the plans to put a beer garden on the roof? I got to see the renders, if it happens, it will be pretty awesome.
Would be kind of small!
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18 hours ago, BeerNut said:
Lots of lease concessions in the Houston market.
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.
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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.
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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.
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OK, I’ll bite ... what exactly is different?
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5 hours ago, Response said:
I think Midtown is way better and more beautiful than it used to be and some blocks are so much better that I can hardly believe my eyes. But most of the streets (particularly east of Main) look about the same to me as they always did. A jumbled mess of parking lots, junky looking buildings, various distances from the buildings to the sidewalks, no cohesiveness, ect. 100 years? 35 years? What's the difference? Most of it has looked pretty run down in my lifetime. My point is most of Midtown is still not that great and Camden's are FAR BETTER than what we currently have on many of those blocks. In fact, I think they have helped Midtown way more than hurt it. So no need to call for their destruction just yet. I get your concerns with Camden. They are far from ideal. But if I could replace every instance of this:
and this:
with this:
and this:
I would.
Not saying these Camdens are making Midtown much more walkable. But at least they look better and they aren't making Midtown less walkable. They are putting more people in the city center, so just their very existence is helping walkability. No it isn't NYC or SF, but it's not bad for Houston. Besides, there's more to life than 'walkability'. I have a feeling that 'walkability' is on it's way out in the rest of the world anyway. It will just be turned into a novelty by the internet - like vinyl records. But please keep fighting for perfection and don't let them off the hook! Surely Midtown wouldn't be improving each and every day if it wasn't for all the complaints on HAIF.
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.
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6 hours ago, downtownian said:
Also, the Great Southwest Building was originally going to be renovated into apartments but then there was an ownership change and it is now a Cambria Hotel.
The SpringHill Suites actually WERE apartments for a good 15+ years though, right?
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14 hours ago, downtownian said:
I strongly prefer residents to hotel guests downtown. Creates a more vibrant neighborhood and community. I like hotel development downtown but would never want to see a residential building flip to hotel.
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.
4 hours ago, H-Town Man said:Why do you think residents make a more vibrant neighborhood? I am genuinely curious, this is something I've thought about. It seems to me that hotel guests are always going out to restaurants since they don't have kitchens in their rooms, so that adds vibrancy, while a certain number of apartment or condo owners will just stay tucked away or perhaps have multiple residences and only occupy their flat on certain days/weeks out of the year. At the same time though, having residents creates relationships and community that are perhaps more healthy for building the fabric of a neighborhood.
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.
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Well maybe then we have to use a "Love After Lockup" approach to attract more female residents downtown.
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What was this area like back in the day? Mostly railroad-related shops and warehouses?
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The light rail extension needs to be built and some derivative of the complete street also needs to be built to transform Washington Ave. A median would help so much.
Wasn’t Washington Ave TX-75 back in the day?
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Much appreciated Crockpot!
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On 7/2/2019 at 11:17 AM, Nate99 said:
Does Southwest just outbid the other carriers when the slots come up, or is there some other backroom deal going on?
There are no slots at either IAH or HOU, or at the vast majority of other U.S. airports.
Minute Maid Park Mixed-Use Development
in Going Up!
Posted · Edited by mattyt36
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.