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TexasLand USA Theme Park vs. Rural Texas: A Fight for the Land We Call Home
Theme Park? Where?
There has been a theme park project floating around the Waller, Galveston, and Montgomery areas for a bit now. In early May 2025, it came to our attention that they landed at the SW corner of 1887 and 3346 in Hempstead. This project has not really announced themselves to the residents of the area, but they are a Texas history and culture themed theme park, called TexasLand USA.
TexasLand USA is Lizzy McGee’s dream for a Disney-style park rooted in Texas pride—with an Alamo replica, rodeos, NASA-inspired rides, and plenty of tacos, Dr Pepper, barbecue, and beer. Read more in the Houston Chronicle article linked above.
No highways. No turning lanes. No traffic signals. Just two-lane farm roads and flood-prone fields. Want to see it for yourself? Check out the Area Map linked above.
HB 5685? Who Really Benefits?
A bill was filed in the Texas Legislature to create a special improvement district - crafted to benefit the TexasLand theme park developer. Thanks to your calls and emails to our legislators, HB 5685 was withdrawn - but the idea isn't dead. The improvement district could still be revived, even added as an amendment to another bill. If passed, it would give the developer sweeping powers with almost no oversight.
A special improvement district is a setup similar to the one Disney once had in Florida. It's like creating a state within a state - no county oversight, no voter input, no accountability. Click on the photo to learn more about HB 5685.
Behind the Dream, the Hidden Costs
Theme parks promise fun and escape — but they often come with serious consequences. From financial failures and crime concerns to poor site selection and a permanent traffic crisis, these articles reveal what developers don’t advertise. Explore the risks. Know the facts. Click on the photos to read the articles.
Research shows that most of these types of parks fail. Of course, once they fail it's too late for surrounding property. The damage has already been done.
Crime around theme parks has been proven to increase up to 200%.
While a lot of theme parks are successful, at least for a while, others that are built are suddenly gone within just a year or two. ...“just because you have an idea does not mean it is a good one!”
With profits shrinking, theme parks are being forced to confront an increasingly uncertain future.
Did anyone actually look at a map before picking this site for TexasLand USA?
Locals with even a little cowboy logic—or just plain common sense—know this area wasn’t built for thousands of cars a day.
Safety Concerns
What's meant to be a day of fun can quickly turn dangerous. Serious - even fatal - accidents are an unfortunate reality. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that over 30,000 people visit emergency rooms each year due to theme park ride incidents.
Thrills & Risks: What Happens When a Fun Day Turns Dangerous?
If something goes wrong at the proposed TexasLand USA, who will respond—and how fast? Will help come from Bellville, Brenham, Cypress, or Katy? Before the gates open, the community deserves clear answers about emergency planning and public safety.
Environmental Concerns
Theme parks generate heavy traffic and have a big environmental footprint. They consume large amounts of energy, produce significant waste, strain water resources, and disrupt local ecosystems—impacting air quality and wildlife beyond the park boundaries.
Water Use & Management
Vast amounts of water are required. Stormwater runoff from parking lots and walkways carry pollutants into local waterways.
Air Quality & Emissions
Theme parks with fuel-powered rides, generators, fireworks displays release pollutants into the air.
Waste & Hazardous Waste
With (potentially) thousands of daily visitors, theme parks produce tons of waste, including food scraps, plastic, and packaging.
Chemical Handling
Theme parks use a variety of chemicals for cleaning, pool maintenance, and landscaping. Additionally, firework shows, painting, and mechanical maintenance can involve hazardous materials.
Oil & Petroleum
Vehicles, generators, and ride maintenance equipment all require fuel, hydraulic fluids, and lubricants. A single oil spill can contaminate nearby soil and water.
Community Concerns
Since 1945, the Waller County Fair Association (WCFA) has empowered local youth through scholarships, FFA, 4-H, and volunteer-led programs. It’s more than a once-a-year event—it’s a nonprofit lifeline rooted in service, agriculture, and rural pride. While supporters champion the supposed economic boost of a theme park, we must ask—at what cost to our community?
Threat to a Local Legacy
A massive commercial theme park threatens to pull away sponsors, attendance, and resources, weakening the very programs that have shaped generations of local leaders. WCFA has invested millions into community facilities—built not for tourists, but for Waller County families. WCFA celebrates real Texas values—hard work, rural pride, and family. A commercial theme park could drown out that authentic voice.
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