For decades, the historic Pleasure Pier served as a catalyst for stimulating tourism to Galveston's Seawall Boulevard and Gulf Beaches. Originally built in the late 1940s as a recreational facility for the military, the Pier was turned over to the city after World War II and named Pleasure Pier. The Pleasure Pier operated as an iconic family destination until 1961 when Hurricane Carla damaged the property. In 1965, the Flagship Hotel opened on the site and was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Today Landry's is transforming the Pleasure Pier into a world-class amusement park for all ages. Landry's vision recaptures the site's original purpose as a pleasure pier, a preeminent destination venue for family fun. The magnificent multi-million dollar renovation of the Pier is fully underway and is projected to open May 2012.

In the late 1940s, Galveston's Pleasure Pier was the largest of its kind in the country. America's top dance bands routinely filled the mammoth Marine ballroom, while outside in an open-air stadium patrons watched motion pictures and ships pass in the Gulf. A wide variety of midway concessions and rides, an aquarium and a designated fishing area were standard summer favorites along the Pier. For decades, Pleasure Pier operated as an iconic family destination, stimulating tourism and commerce. In 1965, The Flagship Hotel opened on the property, and once again the Pier earned significance for housing the only hotel in North America built entirely over the water.

Landry's envisions the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier becoming a preferred family destination with the same greatness as Chicago's Navy Pier, Santa Monica Pier and Coney Island's Luna Park. Plans to revive and rename the property, the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, include developing a first-class, nostalgically themed amusement park, reminiscent of another historic landmark, Galveston's Electric Park. Traditional rides will include a 36-foot diameter, double-decker carousel and a 100-foot tall Ferris Wheel, and for the more adventurous, a steel roller coaster with a 100-foot vertical climb, 200-foot tall swing recognized as the highest ride in Texas and classic bumper cars for adults and children. Amusements as well as the restoration of the historical element of the Pier are anticipated to bring back memories of what the destination was known for in the late 1940s.

Through the reinstatement of the Pier, Landry's hopes to reignite interest, promote economic growth and bolster civic pride thereby attracting a new generation of Galvestonians and tourists.

The concept of the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, a premier waterfront entertainment pier, was developed by Fertitta. The approximately 1,130-foot pier extends over the Gulf of Mexico situated on 25th Street and Seawall Boulevard in Galveston, Texas.