Judging from all the comments on CultureMap, Houstonians are thrilled at the prospect for the planned Grand Texas Theme Park — especially since it's been nearly a decade since Six Flags AstroWorld closed. But now the project has been delayed again, with fears that it may never get off the ground.
Grand Texas Sports and Entertainment District, a proposed 620-acre complex just north of New Caney, is designed to feature a 150-acre theme park, a 40-acre water park, an 83-acre "Sportsplex," a two-mile racing track, an RV park, four hotels and a factory outlet mall.
The theme park portion was initially slated to open this summer; then the date was pushed to 2016. Now, it is not expected to open until late 2017, according to a report from Impact News.
In an email to CultureMap officials said:
The SpeedsportZ Race Park has begun clearing and construction. Construction on the RV Park should begin soon. The opening dates for the waterpark and theme park have been pushed back. We continue to work diligently on the project and hope to have more of an update soon!"
Developer Monty Galland told the Houston Chronicle that delays in construction and building infrastructure been the culprit in the ever-changing proposed opening dates. Conroe-based engineering group Bleyl & Associates is currently reworking the master plan.
The first phase of the "Big Rivers Water Park" — now slated for completion in the summer of 2016 — is slated to include the largest wave pool in Houston, a lazy river, children's slides, splash pad areas and "extreme" slides for thrillseekers, Galland told Impact News.
Galland noted that construction of the theme park is contingent upon the addition of a new electricity substation near Splendora, expected to break ground in just a few months with completion planned for 2017. The park's newly updated master plan revealed that the area's existing power grids couldn't accommodate the amount of electricity needed to power the rides planned.
Galland anticipates all sections of the park will be open and operating in their initial phases by late 2018 through mid-2019.
The Grand Texas mascot hasn't had a lot to smile about lately.
