Discovery Green: Brand New Park Downtown

Performance at Discovery Green, Downtown Houston

Lou Minatti asks the $54 million question:

Why is Discovery Green a sea of brands? Waste Management, Inc. Gardens? OK, I understand the revenue issue. Are these naming rights perpetual?

Dunno about the perpetual part, but the list of brand and donor names on the new 12-acre Downtown park’s many features does go on and on! A few of our favorites: The Kinder Large Dog Run, the Martin Family Scent Garden, and the Marathon Oil Bike Racks.

Fortunately, Houstonian Kim Borja didn’t have to pay anything to choose the park’s name — he won the naming contest:

The response was overwhelming: more than 6,200 entries were submitted, and a theme soon emerged. Houstonians wanted a name that was distinctive and unusual, including elements that mirrored Houston itself. Words such as “surprising,” “unexpected” and “vital” were reoccurring.

If this place had ended up with a name like “Unexpected Gardens,” we’d all probably want there to be a serious donation behind it.

After the jump: that long list of Discovery Green’s branded park parts — plus: a few yet-unbranded park features may still be available!

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Did we miss any?

Discovery Green officially opens April 13th. But there appear to be a few park features that still have room for an added name! According to a scan of the park plan, the remaining branding opportunities are:

Photo of Fondren Foundation Performance Space, in front of Anheuser-Busch Stage, at Discovery Green: Flickr user sabotai

One Comment

  • I wonder how much the naming rights to one of those garage stairwells would run me… I’m thinking “Hideous Waste Of Money Garage Stairs One” or “Future Home Of Bums Who Will Accost You For Money And Urinate On The Steps Of These Garage Stairs One.”