houstonsemipro Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 The question everyone is pondering. Is Houston slow? That is a big ummmm on that part, but Houston has alot to offer. Houston is a great city, with a rich diversity, vibrant economy, an popular international destination. Houston offers something to fit everyone needs, but I must say, is houston slow? That's a question everyone is thinking, saying, or even hearing it from their peers. First, let's list what makes houston a thriving city... -Oil and gas - Medical and health care - High technology - City, state and federal governments - International import and export - Education - Film and Media - Banking and finance - Manufacting and distribution - Agriculture - Petrochmical productionAlso, I like to add. Houston is home to 18 of the Fortune 500 companies. Now I ask you again, is houston slow? or should I say lacking? Certain areas, yes. Entertainment, is actually the major solution houston is lacking, and slow on getting it to involved. Houston is mainly a city for business, and for businessmen and women to zip in and out of houston only for meetings. Houston's downtown entertainment divison is trying to make downtown nightlife come back alive by having Main Street redo, with fine restaurants, clubs, bars, hotels, metro light rail running throught it, but I must say they have done a excellent job. But some how, houston is still slow and lacking. Maybe it's the people in the city thinks houston is just big and boring, or maybe they just wanna complain. Entertainment, plays a big major role for tourism. People wants to party, drink and dance the night away. That's why they rather head to New Orleans, cause they know they can party, and gamble all night. Would cansios help out houston? something to think about. Let's see, all the major tourism destination cities that have canisos. L.A., New Orleans, New York, Altantic City, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Florida, Mississippi, etc. What's the matter with Houston on getting a cansio? I believe if they put canisos on the poll for people to vote on, majority of them will vote YES. I keep hearing why houston don't have a major movie theater downtown? It's very simple. High land prices downtown run away companies like theaters, and other top entertainment venue. I beleive a movie theater will be a big shot in the arm for downtown nightlife, and create top name restaurants that will cater to downtown, cause now these top restaurants are scared to bring their fanchise to downtown. But who is me? I'm just one man that thinks houston needs to get on track, and go see what these other cities have to offer, learn from them. Houston better step up, or they will find themseleves looking out instead of looking in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincoRanch-HoustonResident Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Nice post. I think Houston is slow in some areas, and we could bring casinos. Houston is moving now, though, because of the Super Bowl. That really got Houston on track and now since we are hosting another one in 2008, 2009, or 2010, we will probably add more things. We already have Indigo Earth and other major projects in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talbot Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Weren't they talking about casinos at one time? If not I think they should add some. And people go to Mississippi? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestGrayGuy Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I have heard a rumor that the Hilton Americas Hotel downtown was designed with room for a casino if the law would allow one in the future.Can anyone comfirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2112 Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Thanks for the nice post, Semi. Your insights are always a special treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted September 20, 2004 Author Share Posted September 20, 2004 WestGrayGuy, I haven't heard of no such thing about Hilton Americas designed a room for a caniso. I think the big issue is why Texas don't have cansios? Because of our next door neigbhors, Louisiana. I think if Texas build canisos here (of course it's to be bigger the the ones in louisiana) louisiana will lose alot of money. People in Texas really supports the canisos in louisiana, but take away the Texans, louisiana will lose millions of dollars just because of Texas. If Texas really want canisos here, it's no problem getting them. To me, Texas will probably never see a cansio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Hizzy! Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 I think the question is: does Houston lack for tourist traps. I think each and every one of us can find lots of things in town to do to occupy our time, enjoy life, that sort of thing, but tourists tend to be kind of lazy about getting around town (or scary, take your pick) so they'd like a bevy of things to do right near them, within a mile or two, and that, more than likely, means a variety of points of interest located downtown. Houston's downtown, as much as it has improved on so many levels, still doesn't quite have the number of attractions to placate the tourist that has high standards in terms of entertainment and recreation. There is room for hope but hope also needs to be acccompanied with patience. Meanwhile, here, in my opinion, are some things that could help improve downtown and the city's convention and tourism. 1) The Theater District needs to be incorporated better into the fringe attractions like the Aquarium, Bayou Place and Main Street. 2) A more glamorized retail district needs to evolve between Foley's and Houston Center as well as between Foley's and upper Main Street. 3) The Bayou, and all of its richness, needs to be presented in a better light and incorporated to the surrounding attractions from the Aquarium to MMP (can you envison water taxis fronting either shops or restaurants or museums or what have you?) 4) We need to book a variety of conventions, even the smaller ones, because word of mouth is always your best promotional tool. 5) Implore METRO to better design its downtown trolleys to connect the convention center with the Metrorail/Main Street Corridor, Houston Center, the Theater District and, yes, MMP. 6) Be active ourselves in helping the city promote, plan and market downtown property for residential development. If there truly is a market for 70-100K residents in downtown/Midtown, then it's high time we started getting the ball rolling on dwellings that will cater to this market. You'd do it for fast food restaurants and pharmacies... why not for the city's core vitality? 7) Show some pride! Yes, Houston lacks in certain areas that aren't as noticeable in other cities, but it also has some wonderful attributes that don't get talked up nearly as much. In fact, there is tendency by even locals to hold the attitude of "Well, yes, we have this and it's very impressive but this is Houston... no one outside fo the city cares." 8. Plan not the city not for the benefit of tourists but to the delight of its citizens. I refuse to believe people in the suburbs don't want a downtown Houston that's clean, safe and vibrant. Many of these people work here, attend Astros/Rockets games or, believe or not, actually come in to town once in a while to hang out. Promote the core to them as well and I believe they'll respond positively. You don't need 100,000 people to come in from the suburbs every night or weekend to influence retailers to expand their horizons in the core. 9) Show Houston, don't just talk Houston. Screw image campaigns. They're a dim-a-dozen and are readily forgotten by the average person. In its stead, have some good, down home bravado. Stop being so defensive. Be yourself. Strut a little. Just because 15,000 people per square mile doesn't define city's urban landscape doesn't mean that it's not a signficant, vibrant, worthwhile destination. This is a great city with great people and institutions. It may not be arranged in a textbook manner, but the greatness is still there. Show it off. 10) Don't frown on Uptown. Be thankful for it. With proper transit connections in the future along with a vibrant, attractive downtown, Uptown will become yet another destination in the city that people will WANT to visit, just as they'll want to visit the Med Center and the Museum District. 11) The port delivers the good, but who delivers tourists to the ports from downtown? Houston has a fairly decent cruise port that takes people all over the Caribbean and the Yucatan. Tie the ports activity to downtown and to the airport. Make it enjoyable for the regional tourists who use the Port of Houston as their point of departure on their exotic cruises (I'm talking about people from Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and such). 12) Finally, light the buildings up at night! We don't brag nearly enough, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 20, 2004 Share Posted September 20, 2004 Houston has traditionally had a business focus, but that doesn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonrush Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I do not think Texas will ever have Casinos. It is too conservative. Yes, Mississippi is conservative as well but they really needed the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midtown_resident Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 TGH - what a great post. Simply put - focus on what you have today and capture the best from it and you derive success. Houston's inability to take advantage of the bayou drives me nuts.Houston isn't slow. It's just NOT a tourist town! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUCAJUN Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 WestGrayGuy, I haven't heard of no such thing about Hilton Americas designed a room for a caniso. I think the big issue is why Texas don't have cansios? Because of our next door neigbhors, Louisiana. I think if Texas build canisos here (of course it's to be bigger the the ones in louisiana) louisiana will lose alot of money. People in Texas really supports the canisos in louisiana, but take away the Texans, louisiana will lose millions of dollars just because of Texas. If Texas really want canisos here, it's no problem getting them. To me, Texas will probably never see a cansio. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Okay, I can't take it anymore,IT'S CASINOS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincoRanch-HoustonResident Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I can most definetly see Casinos being in Houston in the future. Lake Charles, La s getting another one, and they need some competition from Houston. Casinos would do good in Galveston as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted September 21, 2004 Author Share Posted September 21, 2004 I think Casinos would be great for Galveston area. I think it's the governor fault. Rick Perry stated, " he is not for expansion gambling in the state of texas." That's when houston was thinking about making the world's largest casino out of the astrodome, but that fail short cause of Rick Perry. I can't wait until 2006 for the next governor's race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 With the exception of Las Vegas, casinos smack of desperation. Thriving cities neither want nor need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineda Posted September 21, 2004 Share Posted September 21, 2004 I agree! Atlantic City never received the promised benefits of school and neighborhood improvements. Speaking of that, does the Lotto here in Texas keep its' promise to give money back to the educational systems in the state? It might be fun to visit places like Vegas (if you're into gambling and prostitution) but man, I'd never want to live in place like that, especially not with kids! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YakuzaIce Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 I can most definetly see Casinos being in Houston in the future. Lake Charles, La s getting another one, and they need some competition from Houston. Casinos would do good in Galveston as well.Is that the high rise that is going up along the river as you enter Lake Charles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbaNerd Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 If any casinos should come to the region, they should be in Galveston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonsemipro Posted September 22, 2004 Author Share Posted September 22, 2004 I agree UrbaNerd. Galveston should be the first one in texas on getting a casino. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Why Galveston as opposed to other places? Can you elaborate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidtownCoog Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Galveston's gambling tradition, and the crooks, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UrbanLandscape Posted September 22, 2004 Share Posted September 22, 2004 Slow how? Like short bus slow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CincoRanch-HoustonResident Posted September 24, 2004 Share Posted September 24, 2004 Also, Galveston is by the water, and a casino woulld lok nice along the beach. Kind of like the Palisade Palms building. That is what a Galveston casino should look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted September 24, 2004 Share Posted September 24, 2004 I'm afraid the logic of putting a casino in Galveston because casinos look nice along beaches escapes me. The US has developed this odd habit of associating gambling with waterfronts. If anything, I would have thought San Antonio would be a likely location in Texas because there is a fairly large tourist/convention trade. I suppose it gets down to the perceived tradeoff between the potential benefits (tax revenue) and downsides (crime and sleaziness). I'm really not convinced that casinos overall are of that much net benefit compared to other types of business development. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.A.S.O.N. Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Boy, I would hate for something like this to go up on the island. We have Bishops Palace, Moody Mansion and now....... the "Taj Mahal" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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