Draft:Charles Wesley Goyer

Charles Wesley Goyer (July 12, 1922 - June 1, 2013) a Memphis-born, Princeton graduate, architect, and developer of Six Flags over Texas.

Early Life
Goyer was born to Lida Belle and Charles Wesley Goyer and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Goyer is a decendant of Charles Wesley Goyer (1824-1881) , owner of the Goyer-Lee House.

Goyer graduated Summa Cum Laude from Princeton University class of 1944 (BA) and class of 1950 (MA) and received a degree from New York University (BS).

During the second world war, Goyer entered the United States Air Forces in 1943 and served in Europe working in intelligence. After four years he was discharged with the rank of captain.

Early Career
Goyer began developing real estate with Webb and Knapp and later William Zeckendorf. Goyer was friends with fellow architect IM Pei who also started his career at Zeckendorf.

Great Southwest Corporation
In 1958 Goyer moved to Dallas, Texas to work with friend Angus Wynne as Vice President of the Great Southwest Corporation. While at GSC Goyer helped create and develop Six Flags Over Texas and other developments including residential, commercial, and healthcare projects.

LLOVE Entertainment Complex
In 1975, after passing ot the Wright Amendmnent, Goyer leased the vacant Dallas Love Field facilities and developed the Llove Entertainment Complex. The main lobby at the front of a former terminal was transformed into movie theaters, ice rink, roller rink, huge video arcades, restaurants and bowling alley. During its first two weeks, the Llove Complex saw 800 people on weekdays and more than 4,000 during the weekend, exceeding Goyer’s expectations. Llove seemed especially suited for the pre-teen and teen crowd, who could spend the day for a single admission charge of about $3.50. LLOVE used an advertizing campaign, "Fall in love this fall in LLOVE". After exceeding expectations initially, By the end of the first full year of operation Llove’s attendance rates had drastically dropped leading to the complex being closed in May 1978.

Griffin Square


In the late 1960s, Wesley Goyer, Jr., began planning and buying land for a development named Griffin Square. Office suites were to occupy the lower floors of the tower and a 600-room hotel for the upper 28 floors. Goyer, regarding the Griffin Square Project, "And so, if we don't find a way to build tall buildings economically - then we will tend to, as I say, pave the face of the earth."

Griffin Square was scheduled for completion in 1972, although never completed.

Personal Life
Goyer married his wife, Emily Stewart Goyer, in 1948. They had a son, Charles Wesley "Wes" Goyer III and a daughter, Maude Emily Stewart Goyer Comstock. Goyer died on Saturday June 1, 2013. A memorial service was held at St. Michael and All Angels in Dallas, Texas.