Culture / Newsy

Abandoned Texas Theme Park Embroiled in Controversy, New $10 Million Lawsuit

But is Another Houston Amusement Park Rising in the City Itself?

BY // 10.03.19

For thrill seekers in Texas City, adventure might not await. A highly anticipated new theme park  in the greater Houston area promised a mixed mecca of rides, retail and restaurants. Instead, all Adventure Pointe has yielded is a divisive $10-million lawsuit.

The unfinished, “innovative” theme park was set to sprawl across dozens of acres next to the Tanger Outlet Mall. But the space by Interstate 45 South is currently a wasteland of partially built rides and broken promises.

The adventure park was originally scheduled to open in 2015.

Adventure Pointe’s devastated founders are Dr. Harvey E. Slusky, a cardiologist in Friendswood, and his wife Lisa.

The Sluskys are longtime fans of bringing the fun to the Houston area — the doctor’s father, Louis Slusky, dreamed up Playland Park on South Main decades and decades ago.

Playland Park paved the way for the iconic AstroWorld. Playland closed in the late 1960s, making way for the property to be transformed into AstroWorld, Houston’s most epic theme park to date.

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The multi-million-dollar lawsuit was filed on September 23rd, citing gross mismanagement on the part of the developers. Not only are the defendants accused of exaggerating their qualifications, they are accused of pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars of the Sluskys’ money intended for the park.

The scheduled court date is December 13.

The only bright spot — for Houston, not for the Sluskys, sadly — is that another theme park project that seemed doomed to fail after delay and delay and delay, is finally open.

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Grand Texas’ Big Rivers Waterpark was not a lost cause.

It debuted this past summer, a New Caney oasis of aquatic and aerial fun.

After  years of construction and weather issues, it finally became a reality — with a Rio Grande Lazy River, Boca Chica Wave Pool and Wild Isle, to boot.

And, on an even larger scale, this February, Mayor Sylvester Turner swore to bring a new theme park to Houston itself (within the city limits).

The mayor first teased the news at Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD concert to thousands and thousands of screaming fans.

But he later doubled-down in an email to PaperCity.

“I am proposing to create a one-of-a-kind permanent amusement park in the City of Houston. This venue would serve as an entertainment destination for local families and attract interest from a global audience,” he writes.

“I first discussed the idea a few years ago and it recently gained momentum through my conversations with Grammy-nominated performer Travis Scott, whose album and concert tour pay homage to AstroWorld, Houston’s former theme park.”

Here’s hoping Scott’s friendship with Mayor Turner lasts longer than his relationship with Kylie apparently did. Houston still needs that new AstroWorld.

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