ɐn ˈɔɪl bˈʌst ɪnðɪ ˈɜːli nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi z sᵻvˈɪɹli ˈɪmpæktᵻd ðɪ ɪkˈɑːnəmi ʌvðə ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ hjˈuːstən ˈɛɹiə, ɐlˈɔŋ wɪð kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən wɪððə wˈɛlɪstˈæblɪʃt ænd mˈoːɹ sˈɛntɹəliloʊkˈeɪɾᵻd ˈæstɹoʊ wˈɜːld, æz wˈɛl æz mˈɪnɪməl spˈɛndɪŋ ɪnðə pˈɑːɹk ˌɔn kənsˈɛʃənz, ɡˈɪft ʃˈɑːp pˈɜːtʃɪsᵻz, ænd sˌuːvənˈɪɹz ˈɔːl ᵻvˈɛntʃuːəli dˈuːmd ðə pˈɑːɹk.
An oil bust in the early 1980s severely impacted the economy of the Greater Houston area, along with competition with the well-established and more centrally-located AstroWorld, as well as minimal spending in the park on concessions, gift shop purchases, and souvenirs all eventually doomed the park.