Continuing to perform well, despite some setback in the global economy, the theme park industry is booming, with new theme parks by the dozen under construction around the world, and Texas is no exception. For jet-setting theme park fans, there’ll be an entirely new dossier to review on a host of destinations to get to by 2019, and New Caney, Texas, is on the list. Here’s what’s in store.
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Grand Texas Entertainment District: 610 Acres of Family Fun, Shopping, & Dining in Houston’s Backyard
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Photo: Pixabay
The Grand Texas theme park is just one element of Grand Texas, a 610-acre sports and entertainment district, incorporating a 150-acre theme park, an RV park with 144 lots, a 40-acre water park, an 83-acre sports complex, 240 hotel rooms, 450 thousand square feet of retail and dining, and a 43-acre auto racing area. Anticipating approximately 1.2 million visitors annually, the district (including the site for the new theme park) is located near the intersection of Highway 242 and Highway 59. With a focus on the history of Texas, the theme park will host roller coasters and midway attractions and will have an initial footprint of 71 acres prior to expanding to its full 150-acre plan.
Photo: Maxpixel
Despite construction challenges as well as previous delays, construction has been completed on the first two elements of the entire district, being the 632-acre entertainment venue, including the Grand Texas RV Park and Speedsportz Racing Park, opening in August and December of 2016 respectively. Preliminary infrastructure is now being placed for Big Rivers, Grand Texas’ water park. Scheduled to be completed before summer, the magnitude of a project this size will need to be reviewed to ensure that inclement weather and potential construction delays won’t make predicting an opening date difficult.
Photo: Maxpixel
Upon completion, the Grand Texas Theme Park itself will be home to five roller coasters, dozens of rides, and a focus on live entertainment. Its motif being the history of Texas, Grand Texas will be similar in size to Six Flags AstroWorld (a theme park that closed in 2005), with Spanish, Mexican, and German influences. Construction is expected to begin on the amusement park and a sports complex components of the district upon completion of Big Rivers and could take up to two years. In addition to the park, Big Rivers, and Speedsportz Racing Park, the entire Grand Texas district will be able to boast several other retail and entertainment platforms in the park’s Downtown Texas section. This section is anticipated to have a construction launch date when the theme park is finished, and completion of the mall is 27-33 months away. Upon completion, Grand Texas will hold the largest amusement park in the Houston area, together with its complementary components, making it one of the premier tourism destinations in Texas.
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