2020 Expo for Houston? (Pasadena, Paris, Earth: house, construction, rooftop)

[Spacecityroller]

I ran across this looking for info for something else.
EXPO 2020 (AKA Worlds Fair)
Really neat. Maybe they could build that "needle tower" or some iconic structure to represent Houston during this event. By then the light rail should be built out to phase 2 at least and construction on lines for phase 3 under way. There should be at least 2 commuter lines built by then also. Can Houston host an event this size by 2020?

[Spacecityroller]

Here's the link for our competition.
ExpoMuseum / potential bids for 2020

[HookTheBrotherUp]

But I'd rather go to San Francisco... if I were an international visitor. I love the Bay Area. The Expos are expensive, and usually cost the city dearly, and sometimes the city goes into debt over it. Houston already has the highest tourist tax than any city in the nation. I'd rather Houston not gamble with people's money, and let some other "sucker" host it.

Does anyone else recall the Expo Flop in Germany a few years back? They had to give away tickets to get people to attend, but before that, they did a "Buy One, Get One Free" deal!

Update: I went back to check, and it was 2000 in Hannover. Dang, time does fly... since 2000, I got married, and now have four children, maybe that is why.

[vertigo5110]

I think the theme for the 2020 Expo would have to be "GREEN". By then, EarthQuest will have been built and Houston is working on attracting more green energy and environmental firms to the city.

As far as Houston building an icon for the 2020 Expo. If the theme centered around the environment, then I could see a modern hanging gardens of sorts only taller...kind of like the Eiffel Tower meets the hanging gardens. Think of the gardening staff it would take to keep such a structure (and all of its vegetation) maintained and pruned...

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by vertigo5110

I think the theme for the 2020 Expo would have to be "GREEN". By then, EarthQuest will have been built and Houston is working on attracting more green energy and environmental firms to the city.

As far as Houston building an icon for the 2020 Expo. If the theme centered around the environment, then I could see a modern hanging gardens of sorts only taller...kind of like the Eiffel Tower meets the hanging gardens. Think of the gardening staff it would take to keep such a structure (and all of its vegetation) maintained and pruned...

Funny you mention the hanging gardens, There are a few buildings in the med center that have gardened roofs. They say it helps conserve energy because plants absorb heat or some crazy thing like that.

Are they still building things like the Space needle or Tower of the Americas for expos? Or even that arch thingie in St Louis?

Judging by Terry Hersey park, Hermann Park and Discovery Green, I am of the opinion that in Houston if you build it they will come. Those parks are getting more use than I thought they would get.

I think NY hosted they Expo twice, what did they build?

[vertigo5110]

I know one of the times, NY built the Unisphere. You might recognize it from the first Men In Black movie.

St. Louis - the Arch
Paris - the Eiffel Tower
Seattle - Space Needle
...there are others but I don't think EVERY world fair has a monument to go with it.

I think the Golden Gate bridge might have been one but I think the San Fran world fair was held to commemorate the bridge's completion and not vice versa (the bridge wasn't built b/c the world fair was coming to San Fran).

The only concern I would have for a "Sky park" or a Hanging Gardens of Houston would be the upkeep and the potential...critters such a mass amount of plants would attract. It'd essentially be like a forest in the sky. I think it'd be neat though to have the vegetation change at different altitudes - demonstrating the different types of plants which could survive at altitude. Houston pollution could be a hurdle but I've heard around our pollution has been getting better.

I think a Houston World Fair would HAVE to focus on sustainable/renewable energy/lifestyles AND/OR medical advancement (b/c of the med center).

But yes..."green roofs" are a REALLY good way to insulate your house and save energy. It's a shame more newer homes in Houston don't utilize them. If I were going to build a house from foundation up, it'd definitely be something that I would look into.

[HtownLove]

Originally Posted by vertigo5110

The only concern I would have for a "Sky park" or a Hanging Gardens of Houston would be the upkeep and the potential...critters such a mass amount of plants would attract. It'd essentially be like a forest in the sky. I think it'd be neat though to have the vegetation change at different altitudes - demonstrating the different types of plants which could survive at altitude. Houston pollution could be a hurdle but I've heard around our pollution has been getting better.

I think a Houston World Fair would HAVE to focus on sustainable/renewable energy/lifestyles AND/OR medical advancement (b/c of the med center).

But yes..."green roofs" are a REALLY good way to insulate your house and save energy. It's a shame more newer homes in Houston don't utilize them. If I were going to build a house from foundation up, it'd definitely be something that I would look into.

Why would rooftop gardens attract any more bugs than all the parks and stuff that have been springing up? And unless they decide to build something in Pasadena I don't see why pollution would be a problem. Its not like we are LA or something

[vertigo5110]

Well...I was trying to play devil's advocate/Houston hater....

...but you're right...if built in the right part of town, pollution shouldn't be a problem and bugs shouldn't be either (although idk based on the scale that I'm thinking, bugs could still be a tiny issue).