New theme park for Houston: Earth Quest Adventures

Rocket City · #1 07-03-2007, 05:28 PM

Here is an update on the new theme park planned near Houston.

http://www.hcnonline.com/site/news.c...d=532249&rfi=6

It sounds like the project has gone from a 50 acre road side exhibit to a $500 million, 150 acre full scale theme park with roller coasters and water rides. They have also changed the name from Dinosaur City to Earth Quest Adventures. Good move, now there are more themes they can use besides dinosaurs. It sounds like this park will be a combination museum of natural history, theme park, water park and hotel resort. The park is supposed to start construction in 2008 and open in 2011 or 12. The park is to be built near New Caney, TX in a heavily wooded pine forest, near Caney Creek.

After all we went through with the AstroWorld disaster, it sounds like Houston may finally be getting the quality theme park we deserve. Keeping fingers crossed!

I'm excited!

**Leo C** · #2 07-03-2007, 11:53 PM

Astroworld, one of those first theme parks out there, ultimately needed more land. I wish I got to the quirky place a year earlier than last year when I saw the empty lot now in its place. I'm pulling for Houston.

sfft_2108 · #3 07-04-2007, 12:49 AM

Sounds pretty interesting for the Houston area. I don't know If I dig the concept though. All the dinosaurs and that stuff doesn't really click to me.

**James R** · #4 07-04-2007, 12:55 AM

It's to be constructed in the eastern parts of the County that I reside. East County needs an economic booster, and this is perfect for it, but it's such a random location to have picked...

Rocket City · #5 07-04-2007, 01:44 AM

Don Lessum said in an older article that the area was picked because of the "untouched natural beauty". I guess that means that the entity that is planning to build this likes the look and feel of the pine forest. I also think they could not have picked a better area around Houston to build a theme park. Unless they go crazy with the clear cutting, the park should be nice and shady. That's definately a plus in the brutal Houston summer.

AstroWorld was originally built in a swampy, barren field. The trees they planted back in the 60's eventually matured, but you could see power lines, freeway blight, and stadiums from many places inside the park. I like that this park is built just out of town in the thick piney woods of Montgomery county. It should give the park a better atmosphere...hopefully like Busch Gardens in Virginia if we are lucky.

The orginial announcement from last November made it sound like the entire park was going to have a dinosaur theme, but now that they are planning a much bigger park (3 times bigger than previously announced) and changing the name, I bet there will be other themes too. With a name like Earth Quest Adventures, it sounds like they could use natural phenomena like geology, weather, astronomy, and zoology as themes.

For $500 million, they should be off to a great start. That's $100 million more than they are spending for Hard Rock Park. But I guess all we can do is hope for the best.

**Jimmy B** · #6 07-08-2007, 01:45 AM

We've been hearing about this since last fall....the annoucement has indeed come. So it looks like they are now going ahead moving forward with this. So I'm moving this to Park/Ride Construction. Work is scheduled to begin next year.

At 150 acres, this new park named Earth Quest Adventures will be twice the size of the former Astroworld park.

Here is the approximate location for the future theme park:

It will be located about 31 miles north of Downtown Houston and 11 miles north of George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

**Leo C** · #7 07-08-2007, 12:52 PM

They always end up near airports. I hope height clearance is not too tight. I like that it is away from the city in case the park needs to expand. It has air to breathe.

I am glad to hear that this would not be near choking Houston's industrial freeway atmosphere that seemed to overtake small Astroworld. I just felt that choke and sadness as well that came with the loss of Astroworld as I drove around the city. Ahh, charm. Houston needs to start winning. This is a start.

**Jimmy B** · #8 07-09-2007, 12:32 AM

Well, the ten minute drive from the Bush Intercontinental makes it really short drive for tourists that fly into the area....or so it seems. But this location presents an age-old problem, especially for local area residents....The stretch of US Highway 59 between the airport and the town of Porter is currently under a massive construction to expand the freeway from six lanes to 8-10 lanes. Construction all along the freeway has been ongoing since 1995 and will continue to be under construction for a while. This would create a major choke hold for traffic headed north to the park.

Here is a closer look at north of the city (the construction zone is boxed in black):

It is an eight-mile stretch of construction on the freeway. Needless to say, the red "X" on the map represents the approximate location of the future park.

coasterfreak84 · #9 07-10-2007, 05:51 PM

I do see a slight glitch in this future park seeing as It was never brought up as to whether or not they would have a shuttle going to and from the park itself for the residents of Houston and the surrounding areas. What about the people who don't have vehicles, how can they get to the park to enjoy it. It seems to me that they are being a little biased on the whole project seeing as how they're placing it kind of far from the city limits in suburbia. I hope they can come up with a plan to fix this before the park's grand opening in 2012. If not, then they will have to close before they even open the gates just like when Six Flags Astroworld went bankrupt and closed in 2005. I just hope that everyone can get there and enjoy themselves and not have to worry about anything except having a good time. One last thing, did they mention what rides would be there, or if they might have a mini contest as to name a roller coaster? I hope so.

"Build a park and 100's will come, build a coaster and 1000's will come, but build something that people will remember for years to come and future generations will live to dream big is priceless!" I hope all goes well with the construction and plans.

Rocket City · #10 07-10-2007, 07:52 PM

New Caney, the area the park is to built in is 30 miles north of Houston.

Six Flags Great America is 40 miles north of Chicago. Magic Mountain is 35 North of Los Angeles. Great Adventure is 50 miles away from New York and Philly. Discovery Kingdom (Marine World) is 40 miles north of San Francisco. EQA will be closer to the center of Houston than those other parks (which have been around for decades) are to the center of those cities.

While this park may not be as convenient to get to as AstroWorld was, most successful large theme parks in this country are usually built far from from the center of town. Some are even built in the middle of nowhere and they do very well (Busch Gardens Virginia, Cedar Point) I wouldn't worry about the location. But it wouldn't surprise me to see some sort of shuttle service to the park also.

By the time this park is operating at full capacity, the North side of the Grand Parkway Freeway should be up and running and thats only about 5 miles to the south of New Caney.

Rocket City · #11 07-13-2007, 03:40 PM

Good News! They are now reporting that this park will be on 250 acres and the developers will be spending over $600 million. The Texas governor just signed enabling legislation to lure the project to east Montgomery county.

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houst...ml?jst=b_ln_hl

minicoopertx · #12 07-16-2007, 10:17 PM

They won't need a shuttle. Houston is REALLY spread out. Nearly everyone has a car. If you drive less than an hour each way to your job, you're lucky. Houstonians are used to considering ANYTHING (even a trip to the grocery) less than a half hour as a "quick trip".

This town has no real public transportation system. Not one that's useful, anyway. If you are going to survive here, you have a car. A 30 mile jaunt up Hwy 59 to ride a coaster is nothing. It will take longer than that to drive to Kemah for ONE good ride, and believe me, people will do it. Hell, they already drive down there now for 5 or 6 crappy rides!

coasterfreak84 · #13 07-17-2007, 10:19 PM

I think that the only reason why you're saying this is because you have a car to get you around. Well I say nuts to that because I don't have a vehicle and not only that my job is all the way downtown and also over by the Texas Medical Center so whatever to you. and about that "public transportation" comment. that's a load of mess because the mass transit here may not be great, but at least we do have it. A shuttle would be perfect for people that either don't have a vehicle or people who just don't feel like driving. besides it's not up to you to decide, it's up to the Texas state government and the city of Houston.

**James R** · #14 03-09-2008, 08:13 AM

It's time for an *big* update on this park, Earth Quest Adventures. And, the good news, is that it looks like it is becoming a reality in the next several years.

The Dinosaur Park, not including the museum, water park, hotel, and other "stuff" will be 150-acres. Initial construction for the Dino Park is slated for 2009.

The most exciting thing for me to report is the rumor (and huge possibility) that a clone of Dueling Dragons will be at EQA! Concept artwork has been posted at the area's governing body's office, and in the artwork is the layout of DD. The new ride will be titled, "Dueling Birds of Prey".

Construction for the $50 million museum will begin this year.

Thanks and credit to SixFlagsHouston.com most, if not all, of this information!

More to come, lots more to come...

**Leo C** · #15 03-09-2008, 11:28 AM

Let's get to breaking ground soon!

coasterfreak84 · #16 03-10-2008, 04:28 AM

Why do they have to build it so far away? Couldn't they find a space that was a little closer to the city?

**James R** · #17 03-10-2008, 01:51 PM

^ Land is cheaper the further you get from Houston. I'm also sure they didn't want to get land-locked, an unfortunate characteristic that restricted AstroWorld.

coasterfreak84 · #18 03-10-2008, 02:56 PM

Well I guess you do have a point. Are there any postings as to how long it will to build this new theme park and where exactly will it be. Do they know if there will be a city bus to go out to this new theme park.

Geoffreyd21 · #19 03-18-2009, 09:45 PM

Earth Quest Adventures drives ahead with plans, drawings

By JENNIFER SUMMER

Updated: 02.13.09
The plans for the much anticipated Earth Quest Adventures, slated to be constructed in East Montgomery County, are closer to reality with the fast-approaching ground breaking scheduled for the fall.

East Montgomery County Improvement District President and CEO Frank McCrady discussed the plans for the dinosaur-themed park and museum with the Kingwood Realtor Advisory Board Feb. 12.

“We have had board meetings and developer meetings; in two weeks the EMCID board will be issuing bonds on the project,” McCrady said. “The Houston market is ready, willing and able to accept a thematic theme park and destination place to go in regards to any type of recreational activity.”

The Earth Quest Adventures project will be located north of Kingwood, at Roman Forest Boulevard and U.S. Highway 59.

The design process for some of the rides and areas of the park are still in the design process but for the most part, the schematics for Earth Quest are complete.

“The project is moving forward and we are expected to break ground on Earth Quest either the end of this fiscal year or the first quarter of 2010,” McCrady said.

The park is scheduled to open for the public in 2011 or 2012.

The dinosaur theme park will be situated toward the rear of the park and will feature several roller coasters that will go in and around the mountains constructed as a part of the theme.

There will be a temperate side of the mountain which will simulate a rain-forest like atmosphere, another side will showcase volcano-like activity and yet another side will feature a snowy climate.

“There are different components for each side and a centerpiece connecting all the different parts, which is like the center of the park,” McCrady said.

The actual park itself is around 200 acres and several hotels are already slated to be built around the park including a hotel featuring rooms situated in the tree tops that offer a view of the park.

Additionally, McCrady discussed the development of Valley Ranch where there is current retail development that will further enhance the theme of the community, a lifestyle center.

The retail centers in Valley Ranch will feature an outdoor shopping experience and offer shoppers outdoor places where they can relax and interact with friends and fellow shoppers.

Kyle Bauer, owner of QLS Family Fitness Health Complex, also addressed the luncheon, explaining the recent additions and expansion of their facility and the center’s dedication to the community.
link: Earth Quest Adventures drives ahead with plans, drawings > Kingwood Observer > News Archives > Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town

Here are some of the pictures that they have designed for the park:
http://www.iaapa.org/industry/funwor...EarthQuest.jpg

Here is a pic of what the overview of the park will look like:
http://i40.tinypic.com/1zyagjr.jpg

Here is another recent article written in the last month or two:

Dinosaur Park - Coming Soon . . . - Kingwood

Starry81 · #20 09-16-2009, 08:51 PM

I work in New Caney and the road construction is mostly done as far as New Caney. There is a new sign at the FM 1485 exit as you are coming south on Hwy 59 stating construction will soon beginning soon and completed in 2013

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