Former car lot owned by late Oilers owner Bud Adams off Southwest Freeway could see new life



Click through to learn more about the old car dealership down the Southwest Freeway... less For years the fate of a seemingly-abandoned car lot off the Southwest Freeway near Hillcroft has been an occasional topic of conversation among commuting Houstonians. The seven-acre dealership site at 6737 Southwest Fwy was previously owned by late Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams is now up for lease by Colliers International. The site has continuously been tended to by Adams' KSA Industries. For years the fate of a seemingly-abandoned car lot off the Southwest Freeway near Hillcroft has been an occasional topic of conversation among commuting Houstonians. The seven-acre dealership site at 6737 ... more Photo: Google Maps Photo: Google Maps Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close Former car lot owned by late Oilers owner Bud Adams off Southwest Freeway could see new life 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

For years the fate of a seemingly-abandoned car lot off the Southwest Freeway near Hillcroft has been a topic of conversation among commuting Houstonians.

The seven-acre dealership site at 6737 Southwest Freeway, previously owned by late-Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams, is now up for lease by Colliers International. The site has continuously been tended to by Adams' KSA Industries.

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A handful of classic cars were parked in the showroom of the former Southwest Lincoln-Mercury dealership for what seemed like years until they disappeared a few months ago, only to reappear again according to Swamplot. Sometimes the vintage cars changed, and a lone security guard could be seen inside standing watch.

Back in 2014 a Houston Press reporter talked to the security guard for a story on the property, which opened as Southwest Dodge on October 1, 1966. It was one of several lots that Adams owned in Houston.

The dealership closed sometime after 2002 after it sued amusement complex Celebration Station, located next door, alleging that errant balls from the mini-golf park had been damaging cars. Since then it has slowly deteriorated in front of commuters' eyes. Its huge neon longhorn head sign has long since vanished.

According to the real estate listing, the price of the lease is negotiable. For asking price purposes it's valued at $10 million, according to agent Marshall Clinkscales with Colliers. For years now it has been used for document storage for Adams' various companies.

"I have never had so many calls on a listing since this one," he said. "And I have been in sales in Houston since 1972." Most people are just curious, considering its unique history.

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With its proximity to the Galleria-area, the lot would make a fine investment property or a new retail development due to its tremendous visibility. It very well might end up as a car lot again, Clinkscales said.

Celebration Station morphed into Zuma Fun Center, so the new tenants would still likely need to contend with those pesky golf balls.

"I have only found one golf ball," Clinkscales said.