Disney in Houston!!!

[Icecoldpenguin]

Not only that but they own a CRAP load of land in Bastrop Texas right outside of Austin it would not be far fetched for a park to pop up in the middle of the US. and the comment about texans is rude. I have lived here all my life and I am a proud texan but also very very very smart and why is it so bad to believe in the disney magic coming to texas. Heck the cruise line now has a port in galveston!

[HollyL]

I mean think about it......Houston would be great because it's the 4th largest city in the country, and we don't have any kind of theme park here. Not only that, but within a few hours you have the huge Dallas Metro area, within a couple of hours, you have Austin and San Antonio. New Orleans is just 5 hours away. You would also attract people from West Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico. It's a huge area and there is a market for sure. The weather is great. Sure, the Summers get hot and humid, but no worse than Orlando, and there isn't any greater risk of Hurricanes than Orlando has.

As a family, we try to hit Disneyland once a year. If there were a park in Texas, we would get Annual Passports and go a LOT. I was discussing this with some co-workers who said the same thing. Sure, people still have the option of the Disneyland Resort in California (my preference since I grew up going to that one) or WDW, and those people may only get to go once a year or once every few years, but if there was a park closer, those same people would go several times each year.

The area where they hold the Ren Fair every year would be great. There is nothing out there and plenty of room to build, yet it's still close enough to Bush Airport and within an hour drive of Downtown Houston.

I too remember when people said that they wouldn't put a Disney Cruise ship in stinky old Galveston, well.....the maiden voyage just happened folks. It just makes sense to add a park here!!!!

Oh, and all you Texas haters......what gives? Have you ever even visited Texas? I've lived all over the U.S. and am now spending my 4th year here and I love it, and am happy that I will be raising my Texan children here!

Don't mess with Texas ya'll!

[JB2K]

Originally Posted by Legendteri

Ha right, I know what you mean. I live in Missouri and ever since I was a child I also heard rumors about Disney buying up a lot of property by Branson and building a park near there.

Actually -- and this is no joke -- back in the early 60's, Walt Disney was floating the idea of a fully-enclosed Disneyland-style park in St. Louis.

Brewing magnate Gussie Busch (of Anheuser-Busch fame) told Disney his idea would "never fly" because of the Disneyland policy of no alcohol served at the park.

Then, something called "Florida" happened...

[HollyL]

Yeah, I was reading about that too, and also read about plans to build a park in the Northern Virginia/D.C. area, but those plans got scrapped. That's too bad.....that would have been cool. I lived in Northern Virginia for 5 years before relocating to Texas, and I would have spent a lot of time and money at that park, had there been one.

Why should Southern California and Florida have all of the fun........give some love to Texas!!

[Gorechick]

I'm from the CT coastline, grew up near New Haven and I remember a rumor as a kid that Disney was interested in land there for a park. There was a small amusement park at our beach that closed the year I was born so it wouldn't be inconceivable to build there. I've never been able to find concrete evidence though that CT was ever considered.

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally Posted by Icecoldpenguin

Not only that but they own a CRAP load of land in Bastrop Texas right outside of Austin

What is the basis for the claim that The Walt Disney Company owns a large amount of real estate in Bastrop, Texas?

Are there public tax records? Public real estate transfer records? Public filings with the SEC? Disclosures to Disney shareholders?

Or none of the above?

It's 2012. Major publicly-held corporations in the United States do not hold large assets secretly. So if the Bastrop claim is true, surely it can be backed up with evidence.

I eagerly await the evidence.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

What is the basis for the claim that The Walt Disney Company owns a large amount of real estate in Bastrop, Texas?

Are there public tax records? Public real estate transfer records? Public filings with the SEC? Disclosures to Disney shareholders?

Or none of the above?

It's 2012. Major publicly-held corporations in the United States do not hold large assets secretly. So if the Bastrop claim is true, surely it can be backed up with evidence.

I eagerly await the evidence.

Disney used multiple layers of shell companies when buying the land in Florida. If they did so elsewhere they would have done the same and no one would know Disney was the buyer.

Central Texas has water availability issues that make those rumors extremely unlikely not to mention the winter climate issues.

[doconeill]

Originally Posted by Q-man

Disney used multiple layers of shell companies when buying the land in Florida. If they did so elsewhere they would have done the same and no one would know Disney was the buyer.

It's a bit harder to do in today's information age. But any time there seems to be a land grab by some previously unheard of corporation, everyone automatically starts saying, "Disney is coming! Disney is coming!" because that's what was done for the Florida project...even though plenty of other companies do it too.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

What is the basis for the claim that The Walt Disney Company owns a large amount of real estate in Bastrop, Texas?

Are there public tax records? Public real estate transfer records? Public filings with the SEC? Disclosures to Disney shareholders?

Or none of the above?

It's 2012. Major publicly-held corporations in the United States do not hold large assets secretly. So if the Bastrop claim is true, surely it can be backed up with evidence.

I eagerly await the evidence.

Originally Posted by doconeill

It's a bit harder to do in today's information age. But any time there seems to be a land grab by some previously unheard of corporation, everyone automatically starts saying, "Disney is coming! Disney is coming!" because that's what was done for the Florida project...even though plenty of other companies do it too.

If they brought it way back it wouldn't very valuable. They'd be grazing cattle on it and have an ag exemption.

[Horace Horsecollar]

Originally Posted by Q-man

If they brought it way back it wouldn't very valuable. They'd be grazing cattle on it and have an ag exemption.

The point is that Disney DOESN'T own a huge tract of land in Bastrop, Texas -- with or without an ag exemption.

Now, I would be thrilled if somebody could prove me wrong regarding my statement above.

Real estate tax records and transfer records are public, either online or through a visit to county offices.

Sure, real estate can be held by private trusts and offshore companies with secret ownership. However, a publicly-held corporation like The Walt Disney Company has to disclose all of its subsidiaries in SEC filings, which are also public.

If Disney owned a tract of land big enough for a destination resort in Bastrop, reporters for business publications would have no trouble tracking down the real ownership story.

Companies can negotiate privately and work on secret projects. But they can't keep two sets of books. They can't hide their subsidiaries. And they can't hold onto major assets in a way that the ownership is invisible to the government, the public, and the business press.

It's not 1964 anymore.

[Cheshire Figment]

When they were working on the possibility of Disney's America outside Haymarket, VA (about 20 years ago) they were only going after about 3,000 acres and used five shell companies. When they had options on all the land they then called everyone together for the announcement.

[VanessainWonderland]

Originally Posted by Schmeck

Untrue generalization right there too! I could tell you a story about a loudmouth Texan that would curl your toes, and have you understand where the idea of the stereotypical ugly American originated

Of course, not all Texans are rude, but they are not all nice either, which can be said for every state in the union.

Could you all just hear the "our castle is bigger and better in Texas" bragging going on if Disney built in Texas

HAHA! My husband is from Texas and when I read this post to him, he was like "That's right!! Everything is BIGGER in TEXAS LOL!!!!"

I am not a Texas fan at all, but my husband came from there so I sort of have to love it!

By the way I totally fell for that story when I first moved to TX too. Back in FL though now.

[seashoreCM]

Originally Posted by HollyL

Texas would be a great place for Disney to open a park, they own a bunch of land about an hour outside of Houston. Why shouldn't Texans believe that Disney may open a park here one day, after all, didn't they just put a cruise ship here (Galveston- 45 mins. south of Houston) ?!

Weather is comparable to Orlando -- Hot, humid spring, summer, fall, brings out the crankiness in guests. Stress on CMs, especially fur characters.

[Q-man]

Originally Posted by Horace Horsecollar

The point is that Disney DOESN'T own a huge tract of land in Bastrop, Texas -- with or without an ag exemption.

Now, I would be thrilled if somebody could prove me wrong regarding my statement above.

Real estate tax records and transfer records are public, either online or through a visit to county offices.

Sure, real estate can be held by private trusts and offshore companies with secret ownership. However, a publicly-held corporation like The Walt Disney Company has to disclose all of its subsidiaries in SEC filings, which are also public.

If Disney owned a tract of land big enough for a destination resort in Bastrop, reporters for business publications would have no trouble tracking down the real ownership story.
Companies can negotiate privately and work on secret projects. But they can't keep two sets of books. They can't hide their subsidiaries. And they can't hold onto major assets in a way that the ownership is invisible to the government, the public, and the business press.

It's not 1964 anymore.

Bet the Hyatt Lost Pines resort is the large tract of land in Bastrop on the Colorado river that caused those rumors. But their ~400 acres isn't big enough is it? Of course the neighboring McKinney Roughs Nature Park is 1,100 acre and owned by the LCRA so it could be sold off.

Since the early 80s I've heard that Disney has land in; Austin/Lake Travis, San Antonio(that is/was most likely the now Sea World and neighboring 6 Flags land), Houston, and now Bastrop.

Houston makes the most sense of all those for availability of water(big issue for Central TX), huge labor pool, two airports(including one with tons of direct international flights), 2 close by ports, and few freezes. But I don't see it happening.

There is the failed Earth Quest Adventures park north of Houston that has 1600 acres. http://blog.chron.com/houstonshiring...-to-new-caney/. It would be very easy for Disney to acquire at this point. Of course the Houston rumors are that Earth Quest Adventures is a front for Disney to acquire the land without attaching the Disney name. Which is likely fueled by this info on Earth Quest's website...

"Project Designers Contour Entertainment, Inc.

Los Angeles-based creative design, construction and park management organization of former Disney Imagineers with extensive experience as designers, builders and managers of themed entertainment attractions "

The whole keeping it quiet just needs new tactics like a shell company having a contract option with another company that has the land.

[King Triton]

Having a Disney park in Texas would be Awesome!!