EarthQuest planners' dream dwarfs AstroWorld By CINDY HORSWELL  Houston Chronicle  July 14, 2010     When AstroWorld was dismantled five years ago, many residents shed tears at losing the longtime Houston icon. A small group has since been studying and drawing plans for an upscale Disney-styled entertainment complex that would be seven times larger than Houston's original park. They want to build it on 500 wooded acres — which they own — adjacent to U.S. 59 in Montgomery County, just a short drive from the airport and downtown Houston. But the plan is now two years behind schedule. Organizers say this is because their vision has slowly evolved from a 50-acre dinosaur park to EarthQuest — an elaborate ecofriendly entertainment zone that teaches environmental stewardship. The $500 million project was also stalled by the sluggish economy, but now organizers are hoping to have financing by year's end and construction completed by 2013. "In the last 60 days, things have loosened up. We're looking at five investor groups to see who's a fit," said John Marlin, a Dallas real estate investor who owns the site. "I feel the wind is at our backs." The organizers will not disclose those investors' identities, except to say some are domestic and others are international, with some not requiring any debt service. The project's original creator and limited partner, Don Lessem, a paleontologist who was scientific adviser for the film Jurassic Park, agreed: "I'm confident, but I'll be on pins and needles until we have a signed contract." Chris Brown, an ex-Disney veteran with Contour Entertainment which is doing the design, cites three economic studies that found the entertainment complex would be viable. The studies noted: Houston is the fourth largest metropolitan area but the only one in the top 11 that doesn't have a theme park; major entertainment centers are situated on either coast but not in the country's central corridor; 18 million people live within a four-hour drive of the proposed site; and the Houston area has a relatively strong economy with a young population. 'Global destination' Jim Gaines, a Texas A&M real estate expert, said such an investment can be a gamble but also bring a good return. In the current economic climate, he added, an entertainment investment can look more appealing when compared to stocks and bonds. The project's organizers have already invested $30 million in the land and schematic drawings. This includes $7.5 million in bond money obtained through the East Montgomery County Improvement District. The district, funded by a 1.5 cent sales tax, was created in 1994 to improve the areas's quality of life and create jobs, with 1,200 expected to be employed at this park. "Based on letters of interest for commitment on different financing, we are very optimistic," said Frank McCrady, the district's CEO. "People who fund a project like this are not looking at the economy now, but at a 20-year return." The entertainment center is being designed as "global destination" and not just a compilation of roller coasters and spin rides, organizers stressed. "Like Disney, the unique underpinning will be the story that we're telling — the whole issue of how to sustain our planet," said Brown. "We've made no mistake in doing this in Houston, the energy capital where companies are researching alternative energy sources." Plans call for: A theme park with 50 attractions that can take visitors on rides through a fiery volcano or let them encounter life-sized dinosaurs. A 12-acre water park made from a retreating glacier An animal park featuring creatures form Africa, South America and Texas, along with a breeding center for threatened species A "green gadget garage" which retools trash into go-carts, playgrounds, miniature golf courses, Ferris wheels and arcade games. A hotel and conference center that includes forest cabins and suites built as treehouses. The centerpiece would be a $100 million, nonprofit center where scientists conduct research and visitors would enjoy theaters incorporating smell, touch and 3-D glasses and interactive games on preserving the planet. cindy.horswell@chron.com WHAT'S ON DRAWING BOARD SO FAR A theme park with 50 attractions that can take visitors on rides through a fiery volcano or let them encounter life-sized dinosaurs. A 12-acre water park made from a retreating glacier. An animal park featuring creatures from Africa, South America and Texas, along with a breeding center for threatened species. A "green gadget garage" which retools trash into go-carts, playgrounds, miniature golf courses, Ferris wheels and arcade games. A hotel and conference center that includes forest cabins and suites built as treehouses.   Dinosaur Park - Coming Soon . . . By: Pat Martins 12/17/2008 If you are a Kingwood resident who always makes a left-hand turn onto Highway 59 South when looking for entertainment venues and great shopping – that may be changing in the not too distant future. In a couple of years with the opening of EarthQuest, you will find that East Montgomery County, specifically the New Caney area will be exploding with new options. What is EarthQuest? Well it will be much more than just a dinosaur museum or themed amusement park. It is a massive project encompassing a variety of entertainment venues including both gated and free entry areas, retail stores, an outlet mall, a multitude of dining options, hotel facilities, convention center, corporate office space, research facility, and "green" single and multi-family homes. Oh yes, did I mention the zoo? If you were one of the lucky few who attended the East Montgomery County Improvement District’s (EMCID) Open House on December 8, 2008, you saw a 3D representation of the designer’s vision. I sat down with Mr. Frank McCrady, CEO of EMCID to talk about this behemoth project and get the current status on how plans are proceeding. To read the rest of this article on Kingwood.com please click here. http://www.kingwood.com/news/news_detail.php?news_id=2236 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   EMCID takes one step closer to Dinosaur Park By MATTHEW HUISMAN Published: 10.14.08 The East Montgomery County Improvement District board has set a date of Dec. 12 for for its target to attain $7 million in bonds for the development of the dinosaur park. Marlin-Atlantis is the real estate developer planning the estimated $1.5 billion park and resort to be built on U.S. Highway 59 by 2011. The EMCID board is loaning Marlin the $7 million in bonds toward pre-development costs of the construction, according to Frank McCrady, EMCID president. The expenses include fees for accounting, engineering, design and master planning. The board will be repaid half of the bond once Marlin takes out the construction loan. McCrady said the construction loan is expected to close summer to fall 2009. The remaining $3.5 million will be paid five years after the construction loan closes in 2014. ************ The Dinosaur Museum will open before the rest of the park. The museum, which will be run by a nonprofit foundation, will sit on 50 acres of land in East Montgomery County and will be approximately 150,000 square feet.Groundbreaking on this project is expected to begin in the summer or fall of 2008; completion date is scheduled for 2009. Earth Quest Adventures is expected to open the summer of 2012. Opening just north of FM1485. The proposed park's combination of dinosaurs, an interactive animal park and a "green park" focused on the world's current and future environment would allow Dinosaur City to "stand alone" as one of the "most unique" developments in recent years. Once finished, the park will directly employ 2,700, and its economic impact on Montgomery County has been forecast between $1 and $2 billion annually.   03/04/08   Dinosaur Park gets green light By Roycelyn Bastian A memorandum of understanding regarding the future development of the dinosaur park and museum, also known as Earth Quest Adventures, should put the negative rumors flying around East Montgomery County to bed. The East Montgomery County Improvement District along with the developers Marlin Atlantis and Don Lessum have ironed out the details regarding the 150-acre dinosaur park and 50-acre museum that is scheduled to be completed by 2012. “The memorandum of understanding outlines the details of how the revenue for the dinosaur park is going to be utilized toward the development. We know the project investment is approaching close to $700 million and with that, we know that’s going to continue to grow,” said Frank McCrady, president of the East Montgomery County Improvement District. Projections call for 2.5 million people to visit the dinosaur park in the first year, which will bring in a projected $175 million. Based on those numbers, EMCID is expected to catch a $1.75 million windfall from the amusement park project based on its 1 percent sales tax. The agreement also finalized a zone sales tax, which will include an additional half-percent sales tax within the zone. “From the zone, we anticipate that we should receive about $87,500 in revenue,” McCrady said. “There is also a proposed parking tax for cars, which are parked in the zone attending the venue and we are expecting 600,000 cars annually.” With that, developers have pledged to contribute approximately $400,000 a year into the district’s scholarship endowment fund. A hotel tax in the dinosaur park is another anticipated revenue stream for the area. Right now, there are 15 hotels that are scheduled to be built around the park, which will generate $1.8 million annually. The proposal also includes a 300-room hotel that will be constructed inside the park that is expected to generate $1.4 million in hotel tax annually. “Another feature that we looked at is with travel and tourism projects coming to an under-served community. We think that our existing vendors should see a 14 percent increase in revenue and that will generate another $420,000 in annual sales tax,” McCrady said. If things go according to plan, it is projected that approximately $6 million to $6.5 million will be utilized towards park improvements and other projects such as expansion in the water and theme park. “Time wise, we should see them break ground in nine to 12 months on both the dinosaur park and museum,” McCrady said. “What you will see in the meantime is there will be a lot of engineering and environmental studies and testing done at the site.” East Montgomery County was chosen as the site for Earth Quest Adventures out of approximately 64 communities around the country. The improvement district as well as other members of the community worked closely with state representatives and senators to get a bill passed in the recent state Legislature. That effort was successful and the bill, HB 4015, is currently on the governor’s desk waiting to be signed. It is projected that this 150-acre site will attract more than two and a half million people and will create 2,700 jobs in the area, with 30,000 jobs just for the construction phase. The economic revenue from this project will not only benefit EMC, it will also impact the another surrounding communities.   Aug. 7, 2007 Film adviser will design theme park in New Caney Site to provide entertainment, research venue By KATHERINE ECHOLS Chronicle Correspondent Plans are moving forward for “Dino” Don Lessem’s Earth Quest Adventure Zone, a dinosaur-themed education and entertainment venture to open in New Caney by 2012. Both the East Montgomery County Improvement District and Gov. Rick Perry are working hard to ensure that this project succeeds, officials said. Perry recently signed House Bill 4015 to create a tax zone that will help finance the estimated $500-$600million project. This tax will be included in the park’s entry fee, said Frank McCrady, CEO of the East Montgomery County Improvement District. Earth-friendly park Lessem’s pet project has been called a dinosaur park, a dinosaur city and a theme park, but his concept for the park has remained relatively the same. Don Holbrook, in charge of site selection and economic development for the New Caney-area park, said Lessem, a paleontologist, author and consultant who was an adviser for the Stephen Spielberg blockbuster Jurassic Park, envisions Earth Quest Adventure Zone as an earth-friendly park that will provide education through entertainment, create a renewed interest in dinosaurs and make Houston a premier dinosaur center. This entertainment venue will not only educate park visitors about dinosaurs, but also about the relationship that human beings have with their planet, its animals and even technology, Holbrook said. Hotel, theater planned When Earth Quest Adventure Zone is completed, it will cover 250 acres north of Caney Creek and include dinosaur-themed exhibits, a hotel complex and spa and a theater complex tied to the hotel. In addition, the park also will house a working research laboratory and the world’s largest collection of dinosaurs and dinosaur bones. Holbrook said Earth Quest will be a center for dinosaur resources, research and education. Further additions to the park are still being considered and may include an immersive aquatic experience, animals and an online computer game that would allow participants to continue their gaming experience during their visit to Earth Quest. Linking the park with a game would “put bricks and mortar to the on-line game experience,” Holbrook said. Not only does Earth Quest Adventure Zone represent Lessem’s love of paleontology and his desire to share his passion through education, but it also represents his environmental conscience, Holbrook said. The park will be engineered so that it can use alternative energy systems. “As a green park or green zone, it will demonstrate how we can live in harmony with the environment and, whenever possible, offset (our) ties to fossil fuels,” Holbrook said. “People really respect (Don) because he does what he says he’ll do.” Learn more about Don Lessem at his website http://www.dinodon.com/dinosaurworld.htm