Bayou Place, the 130,000-square-foot entertainment complex in front of you, houses multiple theaters, bars, and restaurants in the Theater District of Downtown Houston. This building began life as the Albert Thomas convention center at 500 Texas Street, originally built in the late 1960s, and it stood until the opening in 1987 of the much larger George R. Brown Convention Center on the eastern edge of downtown made the old center obsolete. After years of debate — including ideas to convert it to offices or demolish it — Maryland-based developer David Cordish entered an agreement with the city in 1991 to redevelop the site.
There were further discussions, delays, and even a scheduled completion date in 1996 before the project finally welcomed the public on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 1997. Since that reopening the Cordish Companies has maintained a 50-year lease to manage Bayou Place. Inside, you’ll find venues such as the Bayou Music Center, a versatile theater with flexible seating arrangements, alongside bars and restaurants spread through this repurposed convention space.
Notice that the Cordish Companies has held a 50-year lease to manage this reborn complex since 1997.