AstroWorld opened in 1968. The theme park was originally owned by Roy Hofheinz. In 1978, his family sold it to Six Flags.
WaterWorld, an adjacent water park, was acquired and added to AstroWorld in 2002. In 2005, Six Flags announced AstroWorld would be closed and demolished at the end of the season. They cited issues such as declining attendance, rising property value, and conflicts involving off-site parking at Reliant Stadium as some of the reasons for shutting down.
During AstroRoad's first 20 years, it entertained more than 30 million visitors. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo now owns the 57 acres AstroWorld occupied.