Bay Area Houston is one step closer to building a $55 million 50,000-square-foot entertainment venue that features a Gilley’s honky-tonk dance hall, 114-room hotel, conference center, retail and office space, theater, and museum space. The La Porte City Council yesterday approved the project dubbed La Porte Town Center; ground breaking is expected this June.
The original Gilley’s honky-tonk played a huge part in Houston’s “urban cowboy” culture in the 70s and 80s before closing in 1989. The bar was legendary for frequent visits by country music icons, as well as its prime role in the 1980 movie Urban Cowboy starring John Travolta. The new dance hall would be more family oriented but also still incorporate key elements that made Gilley’s famous such as mechanical bulls, line dancing, and live music, according to the Houston Chronicle.
The new venue will join country music legend Mickey Gilley’s existing locations in Las Vegas, Reno, Dallas and Oklahoma. Beyond entertainment, the development will include townhomes and new hike and bike trails through the city of La Porte.
The site is located near the Bay Forest Golf Club off Highway 146 north of Wharton Weems Boulevard. Along with bringing millions in revenue to the area, the development could bring in 900 new jobs, according to the Chronicle.
The La Porte Town Center is scheduled to open in spring 2017.
