http://blogs.chron.com/houstonshiring/2010/06/earthquest_adventures_an_eco_g_1.html Ok, this is truly exciting news. Maybe you've heard about plans for Earth Quest Adventures, a resort due to open in New Caney (25 miles north of Houston) in 2013. I hadn't until recently and I couldn't wait to find out more. Not only is it going to be an amazingly cool theme park, which will be the ONLY Eco Green theme park in the world, but the three-phase development plans include so much more. Approximately 1,600 acres has been secured for the entire project. The theme park, which will include five themed areas: sky, life, water, land and pangea, will cover 500 acres and offer 50 different rides to thrill seekers. "We expect to see 1.5 million people come through the theme park gates each year alone," said Chris Brown, president of Contour Entertainment (the resort's master planner and lead designer). "This will be much bigger than Astroworld." What is truly BIG is the revenue this park stands to bring into the city and the positive impact it will make on the job market. "During all three phases, the project expects to bring 17,000 jobs to the area," said Chris. The total 1,600-acre resort will consist of an Eco-Resort with Hotel and Conference Center, a Theme Park with attractions and thrills based on the natural world, a Water Park based on the lost world of dinosaurs, a Family Entertainment Center, a Retail/Dining/Entertainment Promenade, and at the center of it all, the EarthQuest Institute, an innovative new education and research facility with hands-on exhibits dedicated to advancing our awareness and appreciation of the environment. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Phase one (the theme park) is on the immediate horizon and they plan to employ approximately 1,200 to 1,500 full time operations staff. During design and construction, they also plan to utilize local firms and purchase from regional suppliers. New Caney was selected as the home for the new theme park and resort because of the size of Houston and the absence of anything like it close by. "There has been a frustrated demand since Astroworld closed," said Chris. Yet, this park will be nothing like Astroworld and they expect to draw visitors from all over the world. For more information about EarthQuest, visit www.earthquestadventures.com. I'll keep you posted on this project's developments at Houston's Hiring as well.
When I was little the first thing that pops in my head when people say Houston is Astrodome and Astroworld... I can't wait for this to open bring back some nostalgic childhood memories...
Ugh If they actually break ground on this thing, it is going to be one of the most colossal boondoggle busts we have ever seen. These people have their heads in the sand, and must have their investors locked in a closet. Have they not been watching the news the past couple of years? The world has finally caught onto the scam, and no one is going to want to go visit Global Warming Land.
LOL, yeah right. That blogger sure paints a rosy picture. It sounds like this is the first she's heard about it. She should read through this thread and reassess.
I think advertising that it's a "green" amusement park is likely to keep more people away than draw them in down here.
doubtful seriously, in my experience, if a project takes this long to put together, it doesn't happen....i can't imagine they're finding access to funding easy at all. this project is huge in scope with lots of moving parts. i'm very skeptical.
Even if they get it built, the next question is, will they be able to consistently attract people? They'll have to resolve the summer heat. They'll have to keep the ghetto thugs out. They'll have to keep mosquitoes away. ... and there's a LOT of all of those in Houston. Succeeding in those and keeping it relatively affordable (for a theme park) is their only chance at success. And I agree that they should ditch the whole "global warming" and "save the environment" theme. People want to go to a park for a ride ride, not to be preached at (or "learn") about the environment.
100 of which will actually pay more than minimum wage! Thrills based on the natural world? What does that even mean? Roller-coaster powered by a wind farm? Yeah, no thanks. And forgive me for not being too excited about seeing a bunch of "hands-on exhibits dedicated to advancing our awareness and appreciation of the environment"...
Not worried about the summer heat or the mosquitos...I just back from DisneyWorld and Universal in Orlando....the weather is IDENTICAL to the weather here. Hot and humid...it doesn't deter crowds (albeit, it's Disney and not Earth Quest). They do a tremendous job of managing mosquitos as well; I don't think I was bitten once the whole time I was there, and it's all swamp land surrounding them. It's the startup funding I'm most doubtful of......
Cool, headed back there in less than a month. We did Universal a few years ago, and had the 'skip to the front of the lines' pass, but they don't do that exactly at Disney now do they? How did you do managing that 'ride appointment' thing? Any tips?
There are disabled passes, or the ones you rent from guests services. You go to the ride. They scan the ride wait thingy. When the buzzer goes off thats when you return. Well thats how it is for six flags but may be the same there.
lol do you guys ever stop complaining? when it opens, I guarantee most of you guys will be waiting in line to enter Epic Quest Adventures because it will be epic. You guys sound like you don't want this to happen. That downer syndrome must be going around.
Of course we want it to happen! Why would residents of any city NOT want more things to be internationally embarrassed about?
FastPass http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_Fastpass the popular rides all have a "Standby" and a"FastPass" line. you slide your ticket into a machine and it spits out your FastPass. This will have a time to return, usually a one-hour window later in the day. when you return, you skip to the front of the line by entering through the "FastPass" entrance. ticket takers check your Pass throughout the line and you save 45 minutes to an hour... I think you can get only two pending appointments at a time. I usually go straight to Splash Mountain or Space Mountain and get my reservation for later, then will adjust my plans for the day so that I end up at the popular ride during peak wait times... it's a good system, and free, unlike the Six Flags line queue system.
Definitely want it to happen....would be worth the trip up there with 2 little boys to give it a shot. I'm skeptical because I don't see how they're going to have an easier time with funding now than they did before....and because they've put off ground breaking over and over again.
