Six Flags Astroworld
Encyclopedia
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately 57 acres (230,671 m²) of land (later expanded to over 75 acres) between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610
in Houston, Texas
, USA. Opening on June 1, 1968, AstroWorld was originally developed and constructed as part of the Astrodomain, the brainchild of local philanthropist and former Houston mayor Judge Roy Hofheinz
, who intended it to complement The Astrodome.
AstroWorld was sold to the Six Flags Corporation
by the Hofheinz family in 1975. Although the fourth park to be included in the Six Flags family of theme parks, it was the first park to be purchased by that company instead of being built. It was marketed as "AstroWorld: A Member of the Six Flags Family" so as to not confuse patrons with Six Flags Over Texas
located in Arlington, Texas. Many variations of this naming scheme emerged from the Six Flags marketing department over the years. Despite these attempts at branding the park, most people continued to call it "AstroWorld" and the company eventually responded by making the individual park's name more prominent. Similarly, Fiesta Texas
in San Antonio, Texas has been marketed as "Fiesta Texas: A Six Flags Theme Park".
AstroWorld was permanently closed by the Six Flags Corporation
after its final day of operations on October 30, 2005. It was demolished between October 30, 2005 and the first half of 2006 (although parts of WaterWorld were being demolished prior to the final operating day at AstroWorld). The bridge crossing Loop 610 from the park to the parking lot continues to stand and is the last remaining structure from AstroWorld. The area where AstroWorld once stood is still grassland and is used for overflow parking during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
.
AstroWorld was the home of many unique attractions. It also developed or debuted several prototype ride concepts including the world's first river rapids ride (Thunder River, 1980), the first successful Arrow suspended-swinging coaster (XLR-8, 1984), the first Arrow mine train coaster to utilize tall steel column supports (Dexter Frebish Electric Roller Ride, 1972 and was later renamed Excalibur when the former County Fair section was rethemed Nottingham, 1980), and the first S&S Power sky-swatter
ride (SWAT, 2003).
The Alpine Sleigh Ride
was a dark ride attraction which opened during the park's first season. It had a ride control system and vehicles (ArrowGlide) designed by Arrow Dynamics. Riders passed through an alpine forest before reaching the show building which was designed to resemble a large mountain capped with snow. A waterfall cascaded from atop the mountain and down into a catch pond near the mountain's base. Once past the waterfall, riders would journey through many chambers within the mountain. These included an echo tunnel and an avalanche room with simulated snow. At several points throughout the ride, the vehicles would exit and travel along the exterior of the mountain-themed show building. The sleigh-themed vehicles were powered by an electrical bus bar where portions of the track ascended, and they were gravity powered during the descents which featured several surprise dips. Part of the show building was shared with the adjacent gas powered car ride (Le Taxi) which passed through a tunnel in the side of the mountain. The ride included an appearance by the "Abominable Snowman". Alpine Sleigh Ride was retired after the 1983 operating season.
Greezed Lightnin', a classic shuttle roller coaster
designed by Anton Schwarzkopf
which accelerated riders from 0 - 60 mi/h in roughly 4 seconds was installed in 1978. Riders traveled both forwards and backwards during the course of the ride over a non-linear track with one loop and a braking hill on both ends. Greezed Lightnin's 1 millionth ride occurred on October 15, 2005.
The Ultra Twister
, a TOGO
pipeline shuttle coaster featuring three heartline twists, opened in 1990 and was the only ride of its kind operating in the United States
. Originally featuring a 90-degree vertical lift, a new 45-degree lift hill was constructed for the ride when it was moved here from Six Flags Great Adventure
. Exterior sections of the Alpine Sleigh Ride
(which had not been in operation for several years) were demolished to make room for the Ultra Twister
and its queue house.
The park's original layout was created by Hollywood designer and architect, Randall Duell
. The park name, as well as the names of The Astrodome, the Astros
baseball team, and all other Astrodomain properties, were a homage to the nation's manned space programs after Houston was selected to be the home of the Johnson Space Center in 1965.
AstroWorld was constructed on land that was swampy and prone to flooding. A million cubic yards (765,000 m³) of dirt were used to fill the site in preparation for construction. Some areas of the site were filled to depths as great as six feet (1.8 m). Ahead of its time, a unique feature of the park's infrastructure included 2,400 tons (8,400 kW) of outdoor air conditioning powered by systems built by Carrier Corporation
. Underground pipes carrying chilled water radiated out to most areas of the park and provided cool air to queue lines, picnic tables, shops, restaurants and other large open spaces. Air conditioning ducts and grates were disguised and blended to match the area's theming. High standards were set by Judge Hofheinz
. Mr. Hofheinz had final approval for aspects of park design. Many rare and valuable antiques, some from Mr. Hofheinz's personal collection, were used to enhance the theming in areas. The original landscaping
, all designed in-house, included approximately 10,000 trees, 20,000 shrubs, and countless millions of flowers; nearly 600 varieties of plants were all combined to create a distinct atmosphere for each of the themed areas.
The bridge crossing Loop 610
which connected AstroWorld to its share of the Astrodomain (now Reliant Park
) parking lot was the only publicly accessible, privately owned bridge to cross an interstate highway in Harris County, Texas
. A monorail
system connecting Astrodomain properties was planned but never built. Stan McIlvaine of the Houston Sports Association (of which Roy Hofheinz was president) had contacted Walt Disney's MAPO, Inc. division concerning the plan as early as 1966. The beamway would have connected AstroWorld's Entry Plaza with the parking lot, the Astrodome, the AstroWorld Hotel, and possibly other nearby locations. The bridge over Loop 610 was engineered and built so that it could accommodate the planned monorail beamway. Bridge supports extended extra feet on both sides. Tram vehicles were employed to shuttle guests between the Entry Plaza and parking lot after the monorail plan was abandoned.
Technology from Disney's WEDway PeopleMover
was eventually installed at the Houston Intercontinental Airport.
AstroWorld opened to the public on June 1, 1968 with 50,000 guests visiting the first weekend. Advertised as "The Wonderful World of Fun", the original 57 acres (expanded to over 75 acres (303,514.5 m²) and 12 themed areas by 1982; WaterWorld officially became a themed area of AstroWorld in 2002) consisted of eight themed areas, each with its own architecture, lighting, music and sound, cast wardrobe, unique shops and cuisine:
Two new attractions were added to Oriental Corner in 1969: Bamboo Shoot (Arrow Dynamics
log-flume ride) and Serpent (Arrow Dynamics
junior steel coaster).
Modville received two additions in 1971: the Barrel of Fun (rotor ride) and the "Mod Box", a contemporary-themed gift shop.
, the large steel coaster featured mine-train style rolling stock and was Arrow
's first mine train coaster to utilize tall steel support columns.
The Swamp Buggy ride (Chance toboggan) was removed in 1973.
A performance stage was constructed at the base of Skyrama (Astroneedle) in 1974.
The Coney Island section of AstroWorld opened in 1976.
In the mid-1970s, the management at AstroWorld wanted to build a classic wooden coaster as the key attraction for a new Coney Island themed area and initially considered relocating the world famous Coney Island Cyclone
to Houston before settling on building their own faster, taller, mirror-image version. When completed, the Texas Cyclone
was one of the largest wooden roller coaster
s in the United States
. Featuring a 92 feet (28 m) lift and a 53-degree angled drop, the Texas Cyclone reached speeds of up to 60 mi/h. It had over a dozen drops and was one of few full-sized roller coasters in the world to operate without a mid-course brake run. More than 25,000 gallons of red, white and blue paint were used to cover the Douglas Fir lumber used for construction. At one time, it was rated the world's #1 roller coaster.
During construction of the Texas Cyclone
, a tropical storm destroyed the entire north end turnaround section (as seen in the film Brewster McCloud
) causing it to have to be rebuilt and the opening pushed back to June 12, 1976. In 2001 it was determined that modifications made to the ride deemed the head-rests unnecessary and they were removed enabling riders a greater view during the course of the ride.
The original trains featured a "Texas Flag" paint scheme. Three sets of trains were used on this ride over the years.
A small section of trackage was cut away from the ride prior to demolition. It will be preserved for posterity and displayed in a museum.
Modville was renamed International Plaza at the beginning of the 1977 season. The Aquarena Theatre was constructed between Plaza de Fiesta and Western Junction. It featured performances by trained dolphins, Skipper and Dolly. Country Fair received the addition of Boogie Fog Disco, but the Country Fair Carousel was removed.
Greezed Lightnin' was installed in Western Junction for the 1978 operating season. A railroad crossing signal was installed and this became the second attraction to be constructed outside the perimeter of the 610 Limited railroad tracks.
The Showcase Lagoon grandstands were constructed and stunt ski performances began in 1979. These shows included formation skiing as well as high speed jumps off a large ramp. Guests standing near the front rows of the grandstand were often splashed by the wake of the ski boat as it made high speed turns around the small lagoon. At this point in time, the Showcase Lagoon and the east lagoon (also referred to as Oriental Lagoon) were still one large body of water. The ski boat would often use the east lagoon for turning around after a run. A clown skiing on a round piece of plywood (called a saucer) while entertaining the crowd was also part of the show.
Thunder River was temporarily closed following a drowning accident on Six Flags Over Texas' Roaring Rapids attraction, but soon reopened after receiving rapids ride rafts from the defunct Opryland theme park.
Judge Roy Hofheinz
died in November 1982 at age seventy.
The park was originally accessible only via the Six Flags Astroworld
"610 Limited" locomotive, but a pedestrian sidewalk was eventually built, allowing guests to walk from the Six Flags Waterworld ticketing area to the park itself, eliminating the need to wait for a train ride. Six Flags Waterworld became a themed section of Six Flags Astroworld
in 2002 with a second entrance being built near the "Plaza De Fiesta" section of Six Flags Astroworld
; a single ticket granted admission to both parks.
Original attractions included Breaker Beach (large wave pool), Squirt Splash (children's play area), speed slides, body slides, lagoon activity area, and an inner-tube chute that wound itself around and over the "Thunder River" rapids ride.
Many items from Six Flags Waterworld were moved to Six Flags Splashtown after the closure and demolition of Six Flags Astroworld
.
suspended-swinging coaster, XLR-8, was constructed above the River of No Return boat ride. The river was shortened and several scenes from that ride were eliminated to provide space for XLR-8's queue house. River of No Return became an educational attraction known as The River Ride.
was prepared to follow-up on their suspended-swinging coaster concept after the failure of their prototype, The Bat, at Kings Island theme park. They did this with XLR-8, considered to be the first successful coaster installation of its kind which was intended to be part of a ride rotation program which Six Flags Corporation had implemented during that time, however the ride was never moved from the time it opened on May 12, 1984 until its track and supporting structure were dismantled and scrapped during AstroWorld's demolition. Evidence of the intent to eventually relocate XLR-8 could be seen in the queue house design, which consisted of a basic wooden platform covered by a canvas canopy. This queue house would remain mostly unchanged during the ride's existence, but the path leading up to it was eventually re-routed to improve traffic in that area of the park.
XLR-8 featured three trains, each comprising seven cars. This number was reduced to two trains during the late 1980s. The ride featured two lifts, approximately 3000 feet (914.4 m) of track, multiple spiral turns and a view of the river ride landscaping below. XLR-8 was capable of cycling approximately 950 riders per hour. The estimated cost of construction was reported to be $3.2 million. Trains completed the course in three minutes, reaching a top speed of 50 feet per second (15.2 m/s). Lift one reached a height of 81 feet (24.7 m) while Lift 2 only reached 64 feet (19.5 m) in height.
XLR-8 got a Secondary Control Panel in July 1988. This panel was located on the loading side of the queue house and near the first row loading position. The ride attendant and Master Console Operator had to hold their dispatch buttons simultaneously in order to dispatch a train. This alteration was made in order to enforce a double check between ride attendants and operators.
The trains of XLR-8 were upgraded with diaper-like devices in May 1989. These devices hung beneath the trains' wheel assemblies to catch any oil or debris and prevent it from coming into contact with riders.
The catwalk at Lift 2 was lengthened in the Spring of 1998 and stairs were added.
& the Coral Reefer Band
, prior to the construction of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
in The Woodlands, at which time Southern Star saw a decline in the number of top-billed acts performing on its stage. Reserved seating was available and a grassy lawn was provided to guests with general admission. The close proximity of Greezed Lightnin's first runout spike to the stage often resulted in that ride being closed during performances to minimize noise.
The Looping Starship opened at International Plaza in 1986, replacing Warp 10. AstroWorld had intended to name the ride "Challenger" as a homage to the Space Shuttle, but decided on Looping Starship after Space Shuttle Challenger
was destroyed.
and members of Six Flags management for $610 Million in 1987. During this season, the troika ride formerly known as Warp 10 was reopened as Warp 2000 in the Plaza de Fiesta section. The Wacky Shack closed and its building was renovated to become the park's season pass processing station for several years.
over a period of four years beginning in 1990.
During the 1990s, AstroWorld introduced several new attractions including Batman The Escape
(which was once the only stand-up roller coaster in the state of Texas), the TOGO
Ultra Twister
(a pipeline shuttle coaster featuring three heartline twists), the Mayan Mindbender indoor rollercoaster, and Dungeon Drop (a 20-story Intamin AG freefall tower).
. Originally a travelling coaster throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, the coaster known as Thriller was re-named Taz's Texas Tornado, and later simply referred to as Taz. This coaster installation brought the park's collection of Schwarzkopf rides up to three. Despite efforts to operate the coaster efficiently, it was removed at the end of the 2002 season and sent to Six Flags Marine World where its first drop and loop were modified by Premier Rides in an attempt to reduce the G-forces experienced by riders. The ride operated at that park under the name "Zonga" until it was closed and dismantled. It now will be used at a fair in Mexico.
AstroWorld's last five years of existence began with the dismantling of the Astroneedle in the year 2000. The ride was stored in the park's boneyard
until 2005.
AstroWorld was the park to debut "SWAT", the prototype S&S Power 'Sky Swatter' ride. Swat was the world's tallest looping ride to give the sensation of being on a Fly Swatter. The ride was then moved to Six Flags New England
as Catapult after AstroWorld was closed.
football team, Reliant Stadium
, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo leveraged with the estimated value of the property upon which the park was located. Company executives were expecting to receive upwards of $150 million for the real estate, but ended up receiving less than half of that amount. After spending $20 million to demolish the park and clear the land, Six Flags received $77 million when the bare property was sold to Angel/McIver Interests, a Conroe, Texas
based land development firm in 2006 (reported in a corporate earnings report). This transaction contributed to the decision by shareholders of the company to remove Burke from both his position as CEO as well as his seat on the board. He was replaced as CEO by former Disney and ESPN
executive Mark Shapiro.
Plans for the former site have not been determined. Local developers feel that the size and location along the 610 Loop near the Reliant Park
complex and proximity to METRORail
make it ideal for a dense urban type of development. The local soccer team the Houston Dynamo
which was created shortly after the park closed, was interested in creating a soccer-specific stadium
in the former park site, until moving on to East Houston.
Some of AstroWorld and WaterWorld's rides and attractions were relocated to other parks while many were scrapped or were too badly damaged during demolition to be reassembled. Greezed Lightnin was relocated to Joyland Amusement Park
in Lubbock, Texas
. Dungeon Drop was relocated to Six Flags St. Louis
where it was repainted and renamed Superman Tower of Power. The Dentzel carousel was purchased by Brass Ring Entertainment and is being refurbished and prepared for an as-yet undisclosed museum location. The Looping Starship has been relocated to Mammoth Lake in Clute, Texas
along with pieces of the Mayan Mindbender
. One of the steam locomotive from the 610 Limited was sold to the Pacific Coast Railroad
in Santa Margarita, California
. Big Kahuna was relocated to Splashtown at Darien Lake
As of July 2011, the 104 acres (42.1 ha) of land that was Astroworld remains empty although the mixed use development "SouthPointe" has been proposed for the site. Allen Crosswell, a real estate developer from the firm Croswell Torian Commercial Properties, said that the former Astroworld site is "about 85 to 90 city blocks. So, it's a pretty big development."
An 8 feet (2.4 m) by 10 feet (3 m) 1967 model of Astroworld will be displayed at the Julia Ideson Building
of the Houston Public Library
Central Library sometime in 2011.
Interstate 610 (Texas)
Interstate 610 is a freeway that forms a forty-two-mile loop around the downtown sector of city of Houston, Texas. Interstate 610, colloquially known as "The Loop", "Loop 610", "The 610 Loop", or just "610", traditionally marks the border between the inner city of Houston and its surrounding areas...
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, USA. Opening on June 1, 1968, AstroWorld was originally developed and constructed as part of the Astrodomain, the brainchild of local philanthropist and former Houston mayor Judge Roy Hofheinz
Roy Hofheinz
Roy Mark Hofheinz , popularly known as Judge Hofheinz or "The Judge", was State Representative from 1934 to 1936, County Judge of Harris County, Texas from 1936 to 1944, and mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1953 to 1955.-Biography:A flamboyant and successful orator, broadcaster, developer...
, who intended it to complement The Astrodome.
AstroWorld was sold to the Six Flags Corporation
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
by the Hofheinz family in 1975. Although the fourth park to be included in the Six Flags family of theme parks, it was the first park to be purchased by that company instead of being built. It was marketed as "AstroWorld: A Member of the Six Flags Family" so as to not confuse patrons with Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas , east of Fort Worth and about west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate...
located in Arlington, Texas. Many variations of this naming scheme emerged from the Six Flags marketing department over the years. Despite these attempts at branding the park, most people continued to call it "AstroWorld" and the company eventually responded by making the individual park's name more prominent. Similarly, Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas is a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land in San Antonio, Texas.Six Flags Fiesta Texas is the major entertainment component of USAA's La Cantera, a 1,600 acre master-planned development in northwest San Antonio...
in San Antonio, Texas has been marketed as "Fiesta Texas: A Six Flags Theme Park".
AstroWorld was permanently closed by the Six Flags Corporation
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...
after its final day of operations on October 30, 2005. It was demolished between October 30, 2005 and the first half of 2006 (although parts of WaterWorld were being demolished prior to the final operating day at AstroWorld). The bridge crossing Loop 610 from the park to the parking lot continues to stand and is the last remaining structure from AstroWorld. The area where AstroWorld once stood is still grassland and is used for overflow parking during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, also called RodeoHouston, is the world's largest live entertainment and livestock exhibition. It also includes the richest regular-season rodeo event. It has been held at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, since 2003...
.
Notable attractions
Sky Swat
The Sky Swat is a thrill ride which is built by S&S Power of Logan, Utah. It was developed and put onto the market in 2003. Only 2 have ever been built, although one has existed at 2 locations. The first ever installation of a Sky Swat was at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston, Texas in 2003. The ride...
ride (SWAT, 2003).
The Alpine Sleigh Ride
Alpine Sleigh Ride
The Alpine Sleigh Ride was a dark ride located in the Alpine Valley section of AstroWorld in Houston, Texas. It was one of the original attractions of the park and operated from 1968 until the end of the 1983 operating season...
was a dark ride attraction which opened during the park's first season. It had a ride control system and vehicles (ArrowGlide) designed by Arrow Dynamics. Riders passed through an alpine forest before reaching the show building which was designed to resemble a large mountain capped with snow. A waterfall cascaded from atop the mountain and down into a catch pond near the mountain's base. Once past the waterfall, riders would journey through many chambers within the mountain. These included an echo tunnel and an avalanche room with simulated snow. At several points throughout the ride, the vehicles would exit and travel along the exterior of the mountain-themed show building. The sleigh-themed vehicles were powered by an electrical bus bar where portions of the track ascended, and they were gravity powered during the descents which featured several surprise dips. Part of the show building was shared with the adjacent gas powered car ride (Le Taxi) which passed through a tunnel in the side of the mountain. The ride included an appearance by the "Abominable Snowman". Alpine Sleigh Ride was retired after the 1983 operating season.
Greezed Lightnin', a classic shuttle roller coaster
Shuttle roller coaster
A shuttle roller coaster is any roller coaster that ultimately does not make a complete circuit, but rather reverses at some point throughout its course and traverses the same track backwards...
designed by Anton Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs....
which accelerated riders from 0 - 60 mi/h in roughly 4 seconds was installed in 1978. Riders traveled both forwards and backwards during the course of the ride over a non-linear track with one loop and a braking hill on both ends. Greezed Lightnin's 1 millionth ride occurred on October 15, 2005.
The Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister was a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure from 1986 to 1990 and then at Six Flags AstroWorld from 1991 until that park was closed and demolished by the Six Flags Corporation in 2005...
, a TOGO
TOGO
TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company, famous for inventing the stand-up roller coaster. TOGO went bankrupt in the early 2000s due to a lawsuit by Knott's Berry Farm for problems with their Windjammer roller coaster. TOGO is also credited with creating the first working pipeline roller...
pipeline shuttle coaster featuring three heartline twists, opened in 1990 and was the only ride of its kind operating in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Originally featuring a 90-degree vertical lift, a new 45-degree lift hill was constructed for the ride when it was moved here from Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
. Exterior sections of the Alpine Sleigh Ride
Alpine Sleigh Ride
The Alpine Sleigh Ride was a dark ride located in the Alpine Valley section of AstroWorld in Houston, Texas. It was one of the original attractions of the park and operated from 1968 until the end of the 1983 operating season...
(which had not been in operation for several years) were demolished to make room for the Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister was a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure from 1986 to 1990 and then at Six Flags AstroWorld from 1991 until that park was closed and demolished by the Six Flags Corporation in 2005...
and its queue house.
Planning and construction
Randall Duell
Randall Duell was an American architect and art director. Duell attended the University of Southern California School of Architecture and graduated in 1925...
. The park name, as well as the names of The Astrodome, the Astros
Astros
Astros in sports may refer to:*The Houston Astros, a Major League Baseball team*Astros , an American football team in Australia*Astros Field, now renamed Minute Maid ParkAstros may also refer to:...
baseball team, and all other Astrodomain properties, were a homage to the nation's manned space programs after Houston was selected to be the home of the Johnson Space Center in 1965.
AstroWorld was constructed on land that was swampy and prone to flooding. A million cubic yards (765,000 m³) of dirt were used to fill the site in preparation for construction. Some areas of the site were filled to depths as great as six feet (1.8 m). Ahead of its time, a unique feature of the park's infrastructure included 2,400 tons (8,400 kW) of outdoor air conditioning powered by systems built by Carrier Corporation
Carrier Corporation
The Carrier Corporation is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and distributors of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and a global leader in the commercial refrigeration and food service equipment industry...
. Underground pipes carrying chilled water radiated out to most areas of the park and provided cool air to queue lines, picnic tables, shops, restaurants and other large open spaces. Air conditioning ducts and grates were disguised and blended to match the area's theming. High standards were set by Judge Hofheinz
Roy Hofheinz
Roy Mark Hofheinz , popularly known as Judge Hofheinz or "The Judge", was State Representative from 1934 to 1936, County Judge of Harris County, Texas from 1936 to 1944, and mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1953 to 1955.-Biography:A flamboyant and successful orator, broadcaster, developer...
. Mr. Hofheinz had final approval for aspects of park design. Many rare and valuable antiques, some from Mr. Hofheinz's personal collection, were used to enhance the theming in areas. The original landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
, all designed in-house, included approximately 10,000 trees, 20,000 shrubs, and countless millions of flowers; nearly 600 varieties of plants were all combined to create a distinct atmosphere for each of the themed areas.
The bridge crossing Loop 610
Interstate 610 (Texas)
Interstate 610 is a freeway that forms a forty-two-mile loop around the downtown sector of city of Houston, Texas. Interstate 610, colloquially known as "The Loop", "Loop 610", "The 610 Loop", or just "610", traditionally marks the border between the inner city of Houston and its surrounding areas...
which connected AstroWorld to its share of the Astrodomain (now Reliant Park
Reliant Park
Reliant Park is a complex in Houston, Texas, USA, named after the energy company Reliant Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the 610 Loop...
) parking lot was the only publicly accessible, privately owned bridge to cross an interstate highway in Harris County, Texas
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
. A monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
system connecting Astrodomain properties was planned but never built. Stan McIlvaine of the Houston Sports Association (of which Roy Hofheinz was president) had contacted Walt Disney's MAPO, Inc. division concerning the plan as early as 1966. The beamway would have connected AstroWorld's Entry Plaza with the parking lot, the Astrodome, the AstroWorld Hotel, and possibly other nearby locations. The bridge over Loop 610 was engineered and built so that it could accommodate the planned monorail beamway. Bridge supports extended extra feet on both sides. Tram vehicles were employed to shuttle guests between the Entry Plaza and parking lot after the monorail plan was abandoned.
Technology from Disney's WEDway PeopleMover
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover , formerly known as the WEDWay PeopleMover until 1994 and the Tomorrowland Transit Authority until 2010, is a PeopleMover system in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort...
was eventually installed at the Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Grand opening
- Americana Square: Entry plaza, Emporium Store, Barber Shop, Camera Shop, Malt Shop, Rainbo Bakery, Candy Store, Magic Shop
- Alpine Valley: Dentzel Carousel, Alpine Sleigh Ride, Alpine AstroWay Station (Von Roll aerial tramway)
- Children's World: Barnyard Petting Zoo, Maypole (tea cups), Rub-a-Dub (nursery rhyme themed boat ride), Boot Slide
- European Village: AstroNeedle (double-decker Intamin AGIntamin AGIntamin Worldwide is a designing and manufacturing company in Wollerau, Switzerland. It is best known for creating thrill rides and roller coasters worldwide. The U.S. division of the company is located in Glen Burnie, Maryland, and is headed by Sandor Kernacs. The Intamin brand name is an...
Gyro Tower), Le Taxi (taxi car ride) - Modville: AstroWheel (double Ferris wheel), Orbiter (scrambler), Spinout (sports car ride)
- Plaza de Fiesta: Lost World Adventure (jungle boat ride through Rio Misterio); featured in the film Brewster McCloudBrewster McCloudBrewster McCloud is a 1970 movie, directed by Robert Altman, about a young recluse who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome, where he is building a pair of wings so he can fly. He is helped by his fairy godmother, played by Sally Kellerman....
- Oriental Corner: 610 Limited Train (station), Black Dragon (spider/monster ride), Oriental AstroWay Station
- Western Junction: Crystal Palace Theater, Mill Pond (bumper boats), Shooting Gallery, Wagon Wheel (Chance trabant).
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
log-flume ride) and Serpent (Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
junior steel coaster).
1970s
An eighth themed area, Fun Island, is opened in 1970. Located in the lagoon between Oriental Corner and European Village, this tiny area featured the Wacky Shack (tilted illusion house) and Swamp Buggy Ride (themed Chance toboggan ride). Other changes included renaming The Happening (scrambler) to The Orbiter which was then enclosed within a domed structure.Modville received two additions in 1971: the Barrel of Fun (rotor ride) and the "Mod Box", a contemporary-themed gift shop.
Country Fair
Country Fair opened in 1972 as the park's ninth themed area. The Dexter Frebish Electric Roller Ride opens as the main attraction of this new area and is the first attraction to be constructed outside the perimeter of the 610 Limited railroad tracks. Designed by Arrow DynamicsArrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
, the large steel coaster featured mine-train style rolling stock and was Arrow
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
's first mine train coaster to utilize tall steel support columns.
The Swamp Buggy ride (Chance toboggan) was removed in 1973.
A performance stage was constructed at the base of Skyrama (Astroneedle) in 1974.
Six Flags ownership begins
AstroWorld was leased to the Six Flags family of theme parks in 1975 with an option to purchase. They took advantage of that option before the 1976 season. The Mill Pond boats were removed, the pool was partially filled and Gunslinger (Chance Yo-Yo) was installed on that site.The Coney Island section of AstroWorld opened in 1976.
Coney Island
Coney Island Cyclone
The Coney Island Cyclone is a historic hybrid roller coaster in the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York City. On June 18, 1975, Dewey and Jerome Albert, owners of Astroland Park, contracted to operate the Cyclone under an agreement with New York City...
to Houston before settling on building their own faster, taller, mirror-image version. When completed, the Texas Cyclone
Texas Cyclone
The Texas Cyclone was a wooden roller coaster at the defunct Six Flags Astroworld in Houston, Texas, and was known for its airtime, speed, and feeling of being out of control. It was tall, had of track, and the ride lasted for two minutes and fifteen seconds...
was one of the largest wooden roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
s in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Featuring a 92 feet (28 m) lift and a 53-degree angled drop, the Texas Cyclone reached speeds of up to 60 mi/h. It had over a dozen drops and was one of few full-sized roller coasters in the world to operate without a mid-course brake run. More than 25,000 gallons of red, white and blue paint were used to cover the Douglas Fir lumber used for construction. At one time, it was rated the world's #1 roller coaster.
During construction of the Texas Cyclone
Texas Cyclone
The Texas Cyclone was a wooden roller coaster at the defunct Six Flags Astroworld in Houston, Texas, and was known for its airtime, speed, and feeling of being out of control. It was tall, had of track, and the ride lasted for two minutes and fifteen seconds...
, a tropical storm destroyed the entire north end turnaround section (as seen in the film Brewster McCloud
Brewster McCloud
Brewster McCloud is a 1970 movie, directed by Robert Altman, about a young recluse who lives in a fallout shelter of the Houston Astrodome, where he is building a pair of wings so he can fly. He is helped by his fairy godmother, played by Sally Kellerman....
) causing it to have to be rebuilt and the opening pushed back to June 12, 1976. In 2001 it was determined that modifications made to the ride deemed the head-rests unnecessary and they were removed enabling riders a greater view during the course of the ride.
The original trains featured a "Texas Flag" paint scheme. Three sets of trains were used on this ride over the years.
A small section of trackage was cut away from the ride prior to demolition. It will be preserved for posterity and displayed in a museum.
International Plaza
Greezed Lightnin' was installed in Western Junction for the 1978 operating season. A railroad crossing signal was installed and this became the second attraction to be constructed outside the perimeter of the 610 Limited railroad tracks.
The Showcase Lagoon grandstands were constructed and stunt ski performances began in 1979. These shows included formation skiing as well as high speed jumps off a large ramp. Guests standing near the front rows of the grandstand were often splashed by the wake of the ski boat as it made high speed turns around the small lagoon. At this point in time, the Showcase Lagoon and the east lagoon (also referred to as Oriental Lagoon) were still one large body of water. The ski boat would often use the east lagoon for turning around after a run. A clown skiing on a round piece of plywood (called a saucer) while entertaining the crowd was also part of the show.
1980s
The decade began with an exciting start as the park continued to expand its entertainment offerings and add new ride attractions. The 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) whitewater adventure, Thunder River, was opened in the northeast corner of the park, planning and construction of Houston's first water park began, two music and live performance venues were constructed, and a catering and special events pavilion known as The Big Red Barn was constructed in the southwest corner of the park.Thunder River
The world's first river rapids ride, Thunder River, debuted in 1980. General manager, Bill Crandall, had been inspired after watching kayak races and set forth to create a unique and thrilling attraction for the park. The ride was extremely successful and has been duplicated in many variations at most major amusement parks around the world. Thunder River was the third attraction to be constructed outside the perimeter of the 610 Limited railroad tracks.Thunder River was temporarily closed following a drowning accident on Six Flags Over Texas' Roaring Rapids attraction, but soon reopened after receiving rapids ride rafts from the defunct Opryland theme park.
Nottingham Village
Country Fair was renamed and remodeled into Nottingham Village in 1981. The Dexter Frebish Electric Roller Ride was renamed Excalibur and its queue house was re-themed. The AstroWheel was also removed during this time.Judge Roy Hofheinz
Roy Hofheinz
Roy Mark Hofheinz , popularly known as Judge Hofheinz or "The Judge", was State Representative from 1934 to 1936, County Judge of Harris County, Texas from 1936 to 1944, and mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1953 to 1955.-Biography:A flamboyant and successful orator, broadcaster, developer...
died in November 1982 at age seventy.
Sky Screamer
Sky Screamer, a first-generation Intamin AG Freefall ride, was constructed in the Plaza de Fiesta section and opened in 1983. Consisting of a tower reaching 131 feet (39.9 m) in height and a horizontal braking runout, Sky Screamer had an L-shaped appearance. It featured eight uniquely designed gondolas, each holding four riders. The gondolas used one set of wheels to go up the lift and down the drop (4 large wheels at each back corner), but used a different set in the transfer and loading and unloading area of the ride (smaller rollers located on the bottom of the gondola). Gondolas were lifted upward through a shaft in the tower's center by a lift chain. Once at the top, the gondola was disengaged from the lift chain and pushed forward into the drop position. The gondola was released into freefall following the sounding of a loud klaxon (which was audible throughout sections of the park and often lured visitors to the ride). A pair of guide rails ran downward along the outside of the tower before curving into the horizontal braking runout. The freefall drop into the horizontal curve applied a g-force of 4.5 on the riders. In late 1983, 50% more anti-rollback devices were installed. The additional anti-rollbacks were staggered on each side of the lift. These modifications were intended to improve stopping ability in wet conditions and were a response to a non-fatal accident on a similar ride at another park. In 1986, the ride's "G-Block" was moved farther down the horizontal braking runout. The end of "H-Block" was extended to the beginning of the station conveyors in 1994. Sky Screamer was dismantled on November 2, 1997.WaterWorld
WaterWorld, Houston's first major water park, was constructed on a section of land east of AstroWorld and opened to the public in 1983. Admission to the water park was separate for almost 20 years, until it was decided in 2002 to allow admission to both parks with one paid ticket, at which time the entire water park became a themed area of AstroWorld.The park was originally accessible only via the Six Flags Astroworld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...
"610 Limited" locomotive, but a pedestrian sidewalk was eventually built, allowing guests to walk from the Six Flags Waterworld ticketing area to the park itself, eliminating the need to wait for a train ride. Six Flags Waterworld became a themed section of Six Flags Astroworld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...
in 2002 with a second entrance being built near the "Plaza De Fiesta" section of Six Flags Astroworld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...
; a single ticket granted admission to both parks.
Original attractions included Breaker Beach (large wave pool), Squirt Splash (children's play area), speed slides, body slides, lagoon activity area, and an inner-tube chute that wound itself around and over the "Thunder River" rapids ride.
Many items from Six Flags Waterworld were moved to Six Flags Splashtown after the closure and demolition of Six Flags Astroworld
Six Flags Astroworld
AstroWorld was a seasonally operated theme park located on approximately of land between Kirby Drive and Fannin Avenue, directly south of Loop 610 in Houston, Texas, USA...
.
Enchanted Kingdom
1984 brought changes to the park. The Children's World section of the park was closed, renamed "Enchanted Kingdom" and relocated to the European Village site formerly occupied by Le Taxi, which itself had been relocated to the former Spin-Out track. The sports cars originally used on the Spin-Out were retired after being displaced by the taxis. Also, a tilt-a-whirl replaced the park's "Whirling Dervish" (flying bobs) although the name was kept. The Arrow DynamicsArrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
suspended-swinging coaster, XLR-8, was constructed above the River of No Return boat ride. The river was shortened and several scenes from that ride were eliminated to provide space for XLR-8's queue house. River of No Return became an educational attraction known as The River Ride.
XLR-8
Arrow DynamicsArrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
was prepared to follow-up on their suspended-swinging coaster concept after the failure of their prototype, The Bat, at Kings Island theme park. They did this with XLR-8, considered to be the first successful coaster installation of its kind which was intended to be part of a ride rotation program which Six Flags Corporation had implemented during that time, however the ride was never moved from the time it opened on May 12, 1984 until its track and supporting structure were dismantled and scrapped during AstroWorld's demolition. Evidence of the intent to eventually relocate XLR-8 could be seen in the queue house design, which consisted of a basic wooden platform covered by a canvas canopy. This queue house would remain mostly unchanged during the ride's existence, but the path leading up to it was eventually re-routed to improve traffic in that area of the park.
XLR-8 featured three trains, each comprising seven cars. This number was reduced to two trains during the late 1980s. The ride featured two lifts, approximately 3000 feet (914.4 m) of track, multiple spiral turns and a view of the river ride landscaping below. XLR-8 was capable of cycling approximately 950 riders per hour. The estimated cost of construction was reported to be $3.2 million. Trains completed the course in three minutes, reaching a top speed of 50 feet per second (15.2 m/s). Lift one reached a height of 81 feet (24.7 m) while Lift 2 only reached 64 feet (19.5 m) in height.
XLR-8 got a Secondary Control Panel in July 1988. This panel was located on the loading side of the queue house and near the first row loading position. The ride attendant and Master Console Operator had to hold their dispatch buttons simultaneously in order to dispatch a train. This alteration was made in order to enforce a double check between ride attendants and operators.
The trains of XLR-8 were upgraded with diaper-like devices in May 1989. These devices hung beneath the trains' wheel assemblies to catch any oil or debris and prevent it from coming into contact with riders.
The catwalk at Lift 2 was lengthened in the Spring of 1998 and stairs were added.
Southern Star Amphitheater
The Southern Star Amphitheater opened in the southeast corner of AstroWorld in 1980. This venue was frequented by performers including Jimmy BuffettJimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
& the Coral Reefer Band
Coral Reefer Band
The Coral Reefer Band is the touring and recording band of American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Originally it was a fictional band consisting of the imaginary members Marvin Gardens, Kay Pasa, Al Vacado and Kitty Litter....
, prior to the construction of The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, sometimes called The Woodlands Pavilion or simply The Pavilion, is a concert amphitheatre located in The Woodlands, Texas. It caters to both the performing arts and contemporary artists and is also available for rental. It is owned and operated by The Center for...
in The Woodlands, at which time Southern Star saw a decline in the number of top-billed acts performing on its stage. Reserved seating was available and a grassy lawn was provided to guests with general admission. The close proximity of Greezed Lightnin's first runout spike to the stage often resulted in that ride being closed during performances to minimize noise.
The Looping Starship opened at International Plaza in 1986, replacing Warp 10. AstroWorld had intended to name the ride "Challenger" as a homage to the Space Shuttle, but decided on Looping Starship after Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger
Space Shuttle Challenger was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia having been the first. The shuttle was built by Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division in Downey, California...
was destroyed.
End of Bally's ownership
The Six Flags Corporation was acquired from Bally by Wesray Capital CorporationWesray Capital Corporation
Wesray Capital Corporation was an early private equity firm focussing on leveraged buyout investments. The firm was founded by former US Secretary of the Treasury William E...
and members of Six Flags management for $610 Million in 1987. During this season, the troika ride formerly known as Warp 10 was reopened as Warp 2000 in the Plaza de Fiesta section. The Wacky Shack closed and its building was renovated to become the park's season pass processing station for several years.
1990s
The Six Flags chain of theme parks was purchased by Time WarnerTime Warner
Time Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
over a period of four years beginning in 1990.
During the 1990s, AstroWorld introduced several new attractions including Batman The Escape
Batman The Escape
Batman The Escape is a steel stand-up roller coaster in storage at Darien Lake Theme Park Resort. Previously it was located at Six Flags Magic Mountain from 1986 until January 1989 ; Six Flags Great Adventure from 1990 until the Labor Day Weekend of 1992 ; and Six Flags AstroWorld from 1994 until...
(which was once the only stand-up roller coaster in the state of Texas), the TOGO
TOGO
TOGO was a Japanese roller coaster design company, famous for inventing the stand-up roller coaster. TOGO went bankrupt in the early 2000s due to a lawsuit by Knott's Berry Farm for problems with their Windjammer roller coaster. TOGO is also credited with creating the first working pipeline roller...
Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister
Ultra Twister was a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure from 1986 to 1990 and then at Six Flags AstroWorld from 1991 until that park was closed and demolished by the Six Flags Corporation in 2005...
(a pipeline shuttle coaster featuring three heartline twists), the Mayan Mindbender indoor rollercoaster, and Dungeon Drop (a 20-story Intamin AG freefall tower).
Thriller
In 1998, AstroWorld opened a looping coaster designed by Anton SchwarzkopfAnton Schwarzkopf
Anton Schwarzkopf was a German engineer of amusement rides, and founder of the Schwarzkopf Industries company, which built numerous rides and large roller coasters for both amusement parks and travelling funfairs....
. Originally a travelling coaster throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, the coaster known as Thriller was re-named Taz's Texas Tornado, and later simply referred to as Taz. This coaster installation brought the park's collection of Schwarzkopf rides up to three. Despite efforts to operate the coaster efficiently, it was removed at the end of the 2002 season and sent to Six Flags Marine World where its first drop and loop were modified by Premier Rides in an attempt to reduce the G-forces experienced by riders. The ride operated at that park under the name "Zonga" until it was closed and dismantled. It now will be used at a fair in Mexico.
2000s
Aircraft boneyard
Aircraft boneyard is a term for a storage area for aircraft that are retired from service. Most aircraft at boneyards are either kept for storage or turned into scrap metal...
until 2005.
AstroWorld was the park to debut "SWAT", the prototype S&S Power 'Sky Swatter' ride. Swat was the world's tallest looping ride to give the sensation of being on a Fly Swatter. The ride was then moved to Six Flags New England
Six Flags New England
Six Flags New England , formerly Riverside Amusement Park, is a Six Flags theme park, named for the New England region, in which it is located. Located off of Massachusetts State Route 159, Six Flags New England is located less than from the major City of Springfield, Massachusetts, in the nearby...
as Catapult after AstroWorld was closed.
Closure and demolition
On September 12, 2005, Six Flags CEO, Kieran Burke, announced that the company's legendary AstroWorld theme park in Houston, Texas, would be closed and demolished at the end of the 2005 season. The company cited issues such as the park's performance, and parking issues involving the Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
football team, Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium
Reliant Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in Houston, Texas, USA. Reliant Stadium has a seating capacity of 71,500, a total square footage of with of natural grass playing surface....
, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo leveraged with the estimated value of the property upon which the park was located. Company executives were expecting to receive upwards of $150 million for the real estate, but ended up receiving less than half of that amount. After spending $20 million to demolish the park and clear the land, Six Flags received $77 million when the bare property was sold to Angel/McIver Interests, a Conroe, Texas
Conroe, Texas
Conroe is a suburban city 40 miles north of Houston in the gulf coastal plains/piney woods region of southeast Texas.It is the seat of Montgomery County and falls within the metropolitan area.As of the 2000 U.S...
based land development firm in 2006 (reported in a corporate earnings report). This transaction contributed to the decision by shareholders of the company to remove Burke from both his position as CEO as well as his seat on the board. He was replaced as CEO by former Disney and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
executive Mark Shapiro.
Plans for the former site have not been determined. Local developers feel that the size and location along the 610 Loop near the Reliant Park
Reliant Park
Reliant Park is a complex in Houston, Texas, USA, named after the energy company Reliant Energy. It is located on Kirby Drive at the 610 Loop...
complex and proximity to METRORail
METRORail
METRORail is the light rail line in Houston . It is the second major light rail service in Texas following the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system. With an approximate daily ridership of 34,155, the METRORail ranks as the fourteenth most-traveled light rail system in the United States, with the...
make it ideal for a dense urban type of development. The local soccer team the Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club, based in Houston, Texas, that plays in Major League Soccer, the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Founded in 2005 as Houston 1836, the team name was renamed to Houston Dynamo following protests from Hispanic...
which was created shortly after the park closed, was interested in creating a soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
in the former park site, until moving on to East Houston.
Some of AstroWorld and WaterWorld's rides and attractions were relocated to other parks while many were scrapped or were too badly damaged during demolition to be reassembled. Greezed Lightnin was relocated to Joyland Amusement Park
Joyland Amusement Park
The Joyland Amusement Park is a small family-owned traditional amusement park, located in Lubbock, Texas, USA within Lubbock's Mackenzie Park. It typically operates from March to September of each year, opening 7 days a week but only during the evening on weeknights.-History:The park was founded in...
in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. Dungeon Drop was relocated to Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis
Six Flags St. Louis , is an amusement park owned by Six Flags, Inc. It is located in Eureka, Missouri, USA . Opened in 1971 as the third theme park of the Six Flags chain, this was the last park that was built under the Six Flags name...
where it was repainted and renamed Superman Tower of Power. The Dentzel carousel was purchased by Brass Ring Entertainment and is being refurbished and prepared for an as-yet undisclosed museum location. The Looping Starship has been relocated to Mammoth Lake in Clute, Texas
Clute, Texas
Clute is a city in Brazoria County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 10,424. The city gained some fame with the discovery of a fossilized mammoth named Asiel...
along with pieces of the Mayan Mindbender
Mayan Mindbender
Mayan Mindbender was an enclosed steel roller coaster located at Six Flags AstroWorld. The ride was themed to a Mayan Temple.-History:The ride was originally known as Nightmare at Boblo Island. When that park closed it was relocated to Six Flags AstroWorld. The ride is currently open at Wonderland...
. One of the steam locomotive from the 610 Limited was sold to the Pacific Coast Railroad
Pacific Coast Railroad (tourist)
The Pacific Coast Railroad is a narrow-gauge tourist railroad located at the Santa Margarita Ranch in Santa Margarita, California.Established in 2000 by San Luis Obispo entrepreneur Rob Rossi, it sees only limited public operation. Phase 1 consisted of a loop around the most historic part of the...
in Santa Margarita, California
Santa Margarita, California
Santa Margarita is a census-designated place located in San Luis Obispo County, California. It was founded in 1897 near Cuesta Peak and San Luis Obispo along State Route 58. The town's name comes from the Mexican Alta California land grant. It is home to the Santa Margarita de Cortona Asistencia...
. Big Kahuna was relocated to Splashtown at Darien Lake
Splashtown at Darien Lake
Splashtown is a water park coinciding with Darien Lake Resort located in Darien, New York. It encompasses areas formerly included in the main park, but was spun off as a separate admission in 2010, with the addition of new attractions and a repaint of the Barracuda Bay slides, 'Cuda Falls...
As of July 2011, the 104 acres (42.1 ha) of land that was Astroworld remains empty although the mixed use development "SouthPointe" has been proposed for the site. Allen Crosswell, a real estate developer from the firm Croswell Torian Commercial Properties, said that the former Astroworld site is "about 85 to 90 city blocks. So, it's a pretty big development."
An 8 feet (2.4 m) by 10 feet (3 m) 1967 model of Astroworld will be displayed at the Julia Ideson Building
Julia Ideson Building
The Julia Ideson Building is a Houston Public Library facility in Downtown Houston, Texas, United States.The building, with Spanish Renaissance architecture, is part of the Central Library; it houses the archives, manuscripts, and the Texas and Local History Department...
of the Houston Public Library
Houston Public Library
Houston Public Library is the public library system serving Houston, Texas, United States. The library system has its headquarters in the Marston Building in Neartown Houston.-History:It can trace its founding to the Houston Lyceum in 1854...
Central Library sometime in 2011.
See also
- The Astrodome
- Roy HofheinzRoy HofheinzRoy Mark Hofheinz , popularly known as Judge Hofheinz or "The Judge", was State Representative from 1934 to 1936, County Judge of Harris County, Texas from 1936 to 1944, and mayor of the city of Houston, Texas from 1953 to 1955.-Biography:A flamboyant and successful orator, broadcaster, developer...
- SplashTown Waterpark Houston
- History of HoustonHistory of HoustonThis article documents the wide-ranging history of the city of Houston, the largest city in the state of Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States.-Houston's turbulent beginning:...
- List of defunct amusement parks
External links
- Six Flags AstroWorld (official)
- Remembering Astroworld (The Houston Chronicle)
- The Alpine Sleighs at dafe.org
- mikerobinson.net (Lots of Old Astroworld Pictures)
- astroworldpark.com (Astroworld Employee's Tribute Site)
- Ride the Texas Cyclone (video)
- Thrilled to Death Houston PressHouston PressThe Houston Press is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Houston, Texas, United States. It is headquartered in Downtown Houston....