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www.parkworld-online.comStingray Reef Aquariumthe state of Texas. Its marketing is generally in thenearby greater Houston area, with print advertising inSan Antonio and Dallas, and occasional Louisianatravel guides.“Our restaurants are the real magnet,” Doeringexplains, “for locals and for visitors. They’re allarranged along the boardwalk, and all tables haveviews of Galveston Bay (off the Gulf of Mexico). Evenin our hotel, every room faces the bay.”It’s a draw that is not only timeless, but encouragesthe “stay-cation” that is replacing “vacation” for mostfamilies in today’s economy. The Boardwalk isaffordably drivable from the greater Houston area, andthere’s enough diversity of amusement to satisfy theentire family. There’s no gate fee, and the family canpick and choose their pleasures between therestaurants, food stands, games and rides, topped bythe Boardwalk Bullet – a wooden coaster from theGravity Group – and Boardwalk Beast, a speed boardthat thrills 138 happily-soaked passengers on a wild25-minute tour of Galveston Bay.Kemah’s growth was essentially through acquisitionand expansion. Landry’s Seafood House opened in1990, joining other high-level restaurants along thewaterfront. Landry’s methodically began purchasingthe other seafood and steak restaurants which includedThe Flying Dutchman, Saltgrass Steak House, theChart House, Lighthouse Buffet and Red Sushi HibachiGrill. By 1997, Landry’s owned all the largerrestaurants and smaller eateries, and proceeded tobuild the 52-room Boardwalk Inn Hotel, complete withretail. Landry’s opened the Stingray Reef Aquarium in1998, its main attraction allowing guests and childrento pet and feed a tankful of stingrays. In 2001, thepedestrian boardwalk was built along the water, alongwith three rides from Chance – a Ferris Wheel,Carousel and CP Huntington train – and the KemahBoardwalk as an amusement park was born.Ferris Wheel (obviously)As with any water-locked amusement park, space isan issue, but Kemah Boardwalk is meeting thechallenge. For Kemah’s major wooden coaster in 2007,the Gravity Group had its work cut out, and necessarilydesigned a twister to end all twisters, a triple-layer, tightlybanked ride that includes 42 track crossovers. AfterHurricane Ike of 2008 damaged much of the park, itreplaced its original carousel with a space-savingbouble-decker carousel, again from Chance.“We’re pretty much maxed out on our horizontalspace now,” Doering concedes, “so the creative juicesare flowing on how to grow.”Yet since Kemah Boardwalk’s fine restaurants are itsmagnet, they are not locked into a public expectationof requiring a new thrill ride every year.“We’re in a good position,” Jim Doering smiles,“and we have a strong foundation. We’ve got thewater, the restaurants, the boardwalk and the rides. Butwe’re not complacent either, we can’t be. This is theamusement industry after all, and we’re alwaysthinking and planning, taking it one season at a time.”kemahboardwalk.comGary Kyriazi is author of The Great AmericanAmusement Parks, and the writer/producer of AmericaScreams, the first pictorial history and television specialabout American amusement parks. He has been aresearcher and historian on American amusementparks for more than four decadesBoardwalkrides andattractionsAs at other Landry’s amusementoutlets, Chance rides featurestrongly in the line-up of ridesand attractions at KemahBoardwalk:•Boardwalk Bullet (GravityGroup wooden coaster)•Drop Zone (Larson drop tower)•Boardwalk Tower (Chanceobservation tower)•Ferris Wheel (Chance)•Double-decker Carousel(Chance)•CP Huntingdon Train (Chance)•Wipeout (Chance)•Aviator (Chance)•Inverter (Chance)•Balloon Wheel (Zamperla)•Pharoah’s Fury (Chance pirateship)•Boardwalk Bouncer (Mosertower)•Boardwalk Beast (speedboat)•Stingray Reef & RainforestBoardwalk BulletSights and SoundsSubsequent growth was rapid, and today KemahBoardwalk is artfully crammed with 40 rides, games andattractions. At every location, guests are met with thesights and sounds of a classic waterfront amusementpark, the sound and smell of the water meshing with thescreams from the rides. The train winds throughout theentire park, with railroad signals, gates on the walkwaysand many crossings. Guests who may not take a singleride will enjoy exhilaration similar to the thrill-seekers.A general viuew featuriung the observation tower, Drop Zone, Aquarium and Boardwalk BulletMARCH 201231