Also, playing "what-if" is fun...
Glad you said that. I want to play "what if." As many know, Disney used dummy names to purchase land for the Florida Project, now known as Walt Disney World. They got land cheap until the rouse was uncovered and the land value went through the roof.
With the Internet at our disposal, it would be much harder to pull off the same stunt (though not impossible). Unknown companies coming together to suddenly buy land in a given area? Something's up. But what if instead of many unknown investors coming together, it's one
known company in a hush-hush operation? Or one
family?
Not being from Houston, I can't say whether the report that there is a wealthy family named Disney there, having no relation to Walt Disney. But assuming there is,
what if... Disney (the company) paid Disney (the family) to buy land for them. News would spread "Disney is building in Texas!" After a little research into the land purchase, everyone discovers, "oh, wrong Disney." At that point the excitement would die and land value would be more stable. Months later, Disney (the family) finishes what land purchases they needed to get and transfers the land to Disney (the company).
A few years later, Disney Texas opens.
Bear in mind, I don't think that's what's actually going on. But what if...