Medical waste? Remembering the scream-happy glory days of AstroWorld

The 104-acre plot of land off the 610 loop where AstroWorld once stood has been sold to Forth Worth-based Mallick properties for an undisclosed price. The deal's already closed, officially crushing any dreams I had for a revival of the Houston theme park.

I was an annual season ticket-holder to AstroWorld, and wiled away many summers of my youth alternately riding the fastest/tallest/generally est-est rollercoasters I could find and then cooling off in the near-Tsunami known as the Bamboo Shoot. (My adult self cringes to think of what that water must have contained).

Now that Conroe-based real estate duo Angel/McIver Interests, who bought the property in 2006 for $77 million, have off-loaded it, I think it's time to say a final goodbye to Astro(once Rocket)World.

Goodbye, Turbo Twister, my first and favorite coaster.

Goodbye, Mayan Temple, whose remains (along with some carousel critters) were bought by my high school boss when scraps of the demolished park were auctioned off.

Goodbye, Texas Cyclone, whose historic wooden supports made the rickety ride to seemingly certain death seem quaint and charming.

Goodbye, Greased Lightin', where I got stuck and spent some of my most memorable hours praying that no one behind me threw up on the back of my head.

Goodbye, Dungeon Drop, where I learned everything I still know about physics by putting quarters on my knees to watch them hover with me as we fell.

Le sigh.

Although plans aren't nearly complete, Michael Mallick suggested to the Wall Street Journal that the land might be room for the Texas Medical Center (located about a mile north of the plot) to expand. I say we strike a compromise. Maybe a medical-themed theme park? We've even got a name for the first coaster — the Cardiac Arrest.