larrygator Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 (edited) Hey everybody! This thread is simple! Rather than having a million little threads about everything that goes on at the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, this thread is designed to consolidate it all into one user-friendly thread. Feel free to use it to post updates, trip reports, questions, comments, and of course, general discussion. For pictures and videos of the park as well as past updates, see TPR's Park Index Page (coming soon). Official Park Website Below are some links to past updates from the park, you may be interested in. Enjoy! --Robb _____________________________________________________ 2010 October 7th, 2010 - Galveston Pier project announced by Landrys 2011 April 23rd, 2011 - Early Pier project concept art released! October 27th, 2011 - Park website and Facebook page launched October 28th, 2011 - Park teases new coaster with track photo 2012 January 18th, 2012 - Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier Construction Update January 30th, 2012 - Ride names and park layout revealed April 19th, 2012 - Park prepares for Memorial Day weekend opening April 26th, 2012 - Pricing Announced July 4th, 2012 - Galaxy Wheel is open 2013 March 25th, 2013 - Iron Shark POV videos posted! _____________________________________________________ Original Post: Park Website Link Article from Galveston Daily News As was announced yesterday, the not-so-beloved Flagship Hotel in Galveston is being torn down so Tilman Fertitta's Landry's Restaurants can build an amusement park on its pier. Landry’s to demolish iconic Flagship Hotel By Amanda Casanova The Daily News Published October 6, 2010 GALVESTON — The iconic Flagship Hotel, long neglected and more recently battered by Hurricane Ike, will be demolished if the city approves plans revealed Tuesday. Landry’s Restaurants told the city planning commission it was abandoning plans to restore the historic hotel, the only one in Texas built on piers over the Gulf of Mexico, and would instead build an amusement park on the pier. A year ago this month, the company said it would renovate the 225-room hotel and build an amusement park on the pier at 2501 Seawall Blvd. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the company’s plans for the park. Company officials originally agreed to spend $15 million on renovations to the 45-year-old hotel and add a Chart House restaurant to the building. “The hotel structure just wasn’t conducive to renovate,” said Jeff Cantwell, senior vice president of development for Landry’s. Landry’s bought the hotel from the city in 2005 for $500,000. It already was dilapidated and was mauled by Hurricane Ike in September 2008. Landry’s had said it would consider selling, demolishing or restoring the hotel. In a return to its roots, the pier will boast a double-decker carousel, a Ferris wheel and 1940s-style amusements similar to the attractions the pier featured when it was built in 1943. The hotel was built in 1965 as a show of confidence after Hurricane Carla. “I’m really glad you couldn’t do the hotel because this really looks nice,” Dominick Sasser, a member of the planning commission, said. “I think this has a lot of potential for Galveston.” Once approved, the project is slated to take about 18 months and cost about $30 million. “We just thought ‘what a great opportunity to restore this pier to its original glory,’” Cantwell said, adding the park will employ Galveston and area residents. While mostly positive about the project, the panel did voice concerns about parking, which will be across the street adjacent to Fish Tales restaurant, also owned by Landry’s Restaurants. The panel also recommended that Cantwell look into walkover access to the pier over Seawall Boulevard. “We’re proposing to go explore that,” Cantwell said. “We’re prepared to carry the torch, but it wasn’t a condition for us to go forward on the pier.” Plans and details of the park still are being discussed, Cantwell said. Representatives from Landry’s will meet with city council at the end of October and in November with the zoning board. If officials OK the plans, demolition and construction could begin by the end of the year, Cantwell said. Edited July 27, 2013 by robbalvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 SON OF BOARDWALK BULLET!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 awesome, I really like Galveston I hear there is an old woodie from Ohio that could use a home, maybe that could give them a start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skycoastin Steve Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 SON OF BOARDWALK BULLET!!!!!! Do we keep the extra "B" on the acronym? SOB(B)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 It would be a small pier park but I'm sure Houston would welcome the park relatively nearby after losing Astroworld. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
let1gre Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 It would be a small pier park but I'm sure Houston would welcome the park relatively nearby after losing Astroworld. They've already got Kemah, but for a demographic that large I agree that another would be warmly welcomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 SON OF BOARDWALK BULLET!!!!!! Do we keep the extra "B" on the acronym? SOB(B)? Noooo!!! The extra B is a scam!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted October 8, 2010 Author Share Posted October 8, 2010 It would be a small pier park but I'm sure Houston would welcome the park relatively nearby after losing Astroworld. They've already got Kemah, but for a demographic that large I agree that another would be warmly welcomed. Landry's also owns Kemah. I should have mentioned that in the lead post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Johnson Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 SON OF BOARDWALK BULLET!!!!!! God, please no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted October 8, 2010 Share Posted October 8, 2010 ^Same. dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen G Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 (edited) A Couple of weeks ago Landry's Restaurants, Inc. who own Kemah Beach and Boardwalk announced that they are going to be tearing down the Iconic flagship hotel in Galveston Texas to make way for a new amusement park over the Gulf of Mexico. The Flag ship is a hotel that was built in 1956 Ironically replacing a previous amusement park known as pleasure pier that had been damaged by a hurricane. The hotel was severely damaged by hurricane Ike in 2008 and has been closed since. Very little information has been made public but the construction application asks permission for a 225-foot ride although it dose not say what kind of ride it will be, demolition started last Monday. Personally I am very interested to see this develop in Galveston and hoping for more information in the future. http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7975420 http://galvestondailynews.com/story/181598 Flag ship hotel before Hurricane Ike After Edited March 13, 2011 by Stephen G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 ^Please use the search function before starting a new thread. I've merged your post into an existing thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen G Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 I apologize for restarting a old thread, I searched but nothing came up, I will try to be more thorough next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 http://blog.galveston.com/what-to-do/coming-soon-galveston-island-historic-pleasure-pier/ With the demolition of the Flagship Hotel well underway, we thought you’d like to see a few of the artist’s concepts for the all-new GALVESTON ISLAND HISTORIC PLEASURE PIER. Please note: the information below was provided to Galveston.com by Landry’s and is subject to change. In the late 40s, Galveston’s Pleasure Pier became king as the largest of its kind in the country. Prior to the Great Storm of 1800, The City of Galveston stood as a stronghold of the Victoria Era of architecture (1825-1900). As a result of the storm, much of the great architecture was destoyed, but many of the jewels were spared and remain part of the rich Galveston architectural landscape. The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier will bring guests back to that era with reminders of a more carefree lifestyle, and a time where art in the form of architecture played a strong part in the culture of the city. Landry’s is proposing a magnificent renovation of the Pier. The renovation will turn the property into a world-class destination such as the Navy Pier in Chicago, and the Santa Monica Pier in Malibu, CA, and many others throughout the country. The renovation will usher in a new generation of traditions with a first-class, nostagically-themed amusement park offering a variety of family-friendly attractions. Much like Galveston’s Historic Electric Park, known as “The Coney Island of the South,” the Pier will offer attractions for all ages. The new attractions will restore the historical element of The Pleasure Pier, become the premier Galveston Island destination for events, family outings, and sightseeing, transform the Pier with a nostagically-themed Ferris wheel, an old time double-decker carousel, and a new family-friendly amusement area. Amusements will bring back memories of the historic destination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thrillrider Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) Look's interesting. Let's see, Den of lost theieves? Where have I heard that name before? Also, I think it would look better if they turned the ferris wheel to face the other way. Edited April 23, 2011 by thrillrider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedimaster1227 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) ^Den of Lost Thieves is a Sally catalog dark ride. Edited April 23, 2011 by jedimaster1227 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Also, I think it would look better if the turned the ferris wheel to face the other way. Agreed, although the artwork makes the pier look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 I wonder how much insurance is on a place like this? I mean, how do you go to your insurance company and say: "Look, a hurricane just destroyed the pier, but I want to put something nicer and more costly on that same pier." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnychen Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 Just found some constructions photos on this local astroworld fan site. www.sixflagshouston.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3346 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted October 26, 2011 Author Share Posted October 26, 2011 ^Thank you, nice to see the project moving along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoCo Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 This is sweet; the world needs more seaside amusement piers. And dark rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnychen Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Looks like the official website is up. www.pleasure-pier.com/ There's also a facebook page. www.facebook.com/pages/Galveston-Island-Historic-Pleasure-Pier/177272299004361?sk=wall Looks like the Houston area will finally get another amusement park. However we still don't have a major one yet. Just two small ones from Laundry's. Now if only Earthquest Adventures will break ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jzoole Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 ^ If you look closely on the website, you can see the sillhouette of Incredible Hulk. So obviously that's what is going to be on the pier. Just kidding of course. And I know right? Earthquest is taking forever. But I still feel pretty good about it's chances. Also, thanks Johnychen for backing me up on the Greezed Lightning idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatle11 Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 With all the news recently about new parks proposed around the world, it's good to see something that has a good chance of actually working out. It's not Astroworld by any means, but combine this with Kemah Boardwalk, and I could see people making a day trip out of both parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jzoole Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 ^Although I have to say, Houston is a market that actually COULD support a large-scale park. Sigh. Oh well, I'm glad the Pleasure Pier is moving forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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