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[RJW]

By the artists renderings of the proposed baseball complex I'm not even sure it will add to the existing restaurant business. It looks like many of the existing buildings will be repurposed. Probably some to locker rooms for the fields, maybe meeting rooms, but by the artists conception drawings it looks slideshows, and restaurants as well.

As far as casinos, although unless some miracle of politics happens, they just aren't going to happen. So don't worry. But if that one in more than a million change happens the best idea is as hoped for before. Runaway Beach. A 15-20 minute drive for those who would want to enjoy gaming without it being in Branson.

The new Branson TV spots that have been running on St.Louis stations have been leaning in a new direction. Many more commercials than in the past few years. The first spots run didn't even mention shows, but keyed on golf, the lakes, and outdoor adventures. Now they are alternating with some with entertainment as the focus. But not so much of the "hillbilly" shows that many think of when Branson is mentioned. Good move on their part. Most of those I know who have the hillbilly image of Branson say they have no reason to go there. But if the word can get out that Branson offers much more than fiddles, banjos, high pocket bib overalls, and blacked out teeth, there just might be some new visitors interested.

[chittlins]

By the artists renderings of the proposed baseball complex I'm not even sure it will add to the existing restaurant business. It looks like many of the existing buildings will be repurposed. Probably some to locker rooms for the fields, maybe meeting rooms, but by the artists conception drawings it looks slideshows, and restaurants as well.

As far as casinos, although unless some miracle of politics happens, they just aren't going to happen. So don't worry. But if that one in more than a million change happens the best idea is as hoped for before. Runaway Beach. A 15-20 minute drive for those who would want to enjoy gaming without it being in Branson.

The new Branson TV spots that have been running on St.Louis stations have been leaning in a new direction. Many more commercials than in the past few years. The first spots run didn't even mention shows, but keyed on golf, the lakes, and outdoor adventures. Now they are alternating with some with entertainment as the focus. But not so much of the "hillbilly" shows that many think of when Branson is mentioned. Good move on their part. Most of those I know who have the hillbilly image of Branson say they have no reason to go there. But if the word can get out that Branson offers much more than fiddles, banjos, high pocket bib overalls, and blacked out teeth, there just might be some new visitors interested.

The outdoor aspect has so much room to grow with concepts of man made whitewater courses that don't feel the effects of low water and technologies like Snowflex that could bring activities like snowboarding to Branson pretty much year around.

[runner1960]

Even the zip line courses have been a move in the right direction.

[chittlins]

Even the zip line courses have been a move in the right direction.

Nothing like a good float with a good local beer with

[joshblakebran]

If Branson embraces (C)rap, microbreweries, gambing, etc, then count me out. I can get that garbage here in OKC. I go there to escape.

I think the ball complex is a move in the right direction. As in anything though your entertainment is not my entertainment and that does not mean that either one is crap. As a example we used to attend Silver Dollar city on Memorial day and labor day weekends every year, but since they have now stuffed them full of music ( bluegrass and Southern gospel) both types of which I have no desire for, we choose to take our entertainment dollars elsewhere. If there were other options for entertainment in Branson we maybe would still come down there, but there is just no nighttime activity. I enjoy a good craft beer with a nice sitdown meal and good rock and rap music. Obviously I am out of touch with middle America moral values.

The day we start hearing rock and rap music at SDC will be the day I stop attending. Like Okie said, we go to Branson and SDC to get away from that mess. I would hate to see gambling come to Branson. If you want to gamble go to Vegas. I've never been to Vegas and have no desire to go for that very reason. Branson is a family vacation spot. Why ruin that with a situation like the above scenario where the kids and mom stay at WW or SDC while dad goes off and gambles. That's not family like and in fact is anti-family. Just my opinion though...

[RJW]

Why ruin that with a situation like the above scenario where the kids and mom stay at WW or SDC while dad goes off and gambles. That's not family like and in fact is anti-family. Just my opinion though...

It's hilarious how paranoid some people get about a casino coming to Branson. Read the Missouri statutes, it ain't gonna happen!!!
Secondly, why the sexist attitude about it? Obviously, you have never been in a casino. Especially a Missouri casino. Dad's go gambling while mom stays with the kids? LOL, probably at least a two to one ratio of women to men in the casinos I've been in. Probably an average age close to a Branson tour bus as well.
Rap music at SDC, I can see it. After all, they replaced a great restaurant with old time home cooking, ham & beans, fried chicken, corn bread, with an authentic 1800's Ozark Mountain pizza parlor!

[chittlins]

Why ruin that with a situation like the above scenario where the kids and mom stay at WW or SDC while dad goes off and gambles. That's not family like and in fact is anti-family. Just my opinion though...

It's hilarious how paranoid some people get about a casino coming to Branson. Read the Missouri statutes, it ain't gonna happen!!!
Secondly, why the sexist attitude about it? Obviously, you have never been in a casino. Especially a Missouri casino. Dad's go gambling while mom stays with the kids? LOL, probably at least a two to one ratio of women to men in the casinos I've been in. Probably an average age close to a Branson tour bus as well.
Rap music at SDC, I can see it. After all, they replaced a great restaurant with old time home cooking, ham & beans, fried chicken, corn bread, with an authentic 1800's Ozark Mountain pizza parlor!

All laws can change and sometimes rather suddenly, just remember that. They pass an electronic games of skill law in Arkansas kinda out of the thin blue sky like and boom, there's blackjack tables at Oaklawn complete with a dealer but instead of cards there's little video monitors in the tables. Oaklawn is expanding again.
http://www.katv.com/story/25335797/oaklawn-gaming-area-bringing-in-major-profits-for-city-expansion-underway
Hot Springs gain in Branson's loss.

But you hit on something with the two to one comment and average age comment, Yep, there's Branson's prolem right there. And I've said it many time, the explosion of casinos and then the second wave of casinos with hotels and small venues have slapped the Branson Theaters silly, heck Dolly is palying two shows at the Hard Rock in Tulsa and not a single show in Branson, there's your reality Branson.

I'm rather amused at the boogie man persona given to them. The classic "it'll be a dump" argument with the "Especially a Missouri" comment. Again, this is easily overcome with right protocols in place and would seem to offer an opportunity to better the market. Ya'll make Branson sound like it's church camp, it ain't and hasn't been for some time. Old Time Home Cooking you mean straight from a Sysco can, got ya.

Ya'll keep Branson the same and all that it'll be other than the shopping center for North Central Arkansas and SDC basically being the home park for a growing Springfield and NWA population and it will a dried up tourist destination. Many already just go to SDC without going into Branson. We do. I got mini golf, Bumper boats and go carts here in NWA already.  White Water? Come on, it needs a MAJOR overhaul to overcome the increasing competition from much cheaper but growing in amenities municipal aquatic centers, Heck. there's a flow rider at Republic's aquatic center.

And who's paranoid, SDC may be changing but come on

[runner1960]

Why ruin that with a situation like the above scenario where the kids and mom stay at WW or SDC while dad goes off and gambles. That's not family like and in fact is anti-family. Just my opinion though...

It's hilarious how paranoid some people get about a casino coming to Branson. Read the Missouri statutes, it ain't gonna happen!!!
Secondly, why the sexist attitude about it? Obviously, you have never been in a casino. Especially a Missouri casino. Dad's go gambling while mom stays with the kids? LOL, probably at least a two to one ratio of women to men in the casinos I've been in. Probably an average age close to a Branson tour bus as well.
Rap music at SDC, I can see it. After all, they replaced a great restaurant with old time home cooking, ham & beans, fried chicken, corn bread, with an authentic 1800's Ozark Mountain pizza parlor!

All laws can change and sometimes rather suddenly, just remember that. They pass an electronic games of skill law in Arkansas kinda out of the thin blue sky like and boom, there's blackjack tables at Oaklawn complete with a dealer but instead of cards there's little video monitors in the tables. Oaklawn is expanding again.
http://www.katv.com/story/25335797/oaklawn-gaming-area-bringing-in-major-profits-for-city-expansion-underway
Hot Springs gain in Branson's loss.

But you hit on something with the two to one comment and average age comment, Yep, there's Branson's prolem right there. And I've said it many time, the explosion of casinos and then the second wave of casinos with hotels and small venues have slapped the Branson Theaters silly, heck Dolly is palying two shows at the Hard Rock in Tulsa and not a single show in Branson, there's your reality Branson.

I'm rather amused at the boogie man persona given to them. The classic "it'll be a dump" argument with the "Especially a Missouri" comment. Again, this is easily overcome with right protocols in place and would seem to offer an opportunity to better the market. Ya'll make Branson sound like it's church camp, it ain't and hasn't been for some time. Old Time Home Cooking you mean straight from a Sysco can, got ya.

Ya'll keep Branson the same and all that it'll be other than the shopping center for North Central Arkansas and SDC basically being the home park for a growing Springfield and NWA population and it will a dried up tourist destination. Many already just go to SDC without going into Branson. We do. I got mini golf, Bumper boats and go carts here in NWA already.  White Water? Come on, it needs a MAJOR overhaul to overcome the increasing competition from much cheaper but growing in amenities municipal aquatic centers, Heck. there's a flow rider at Republic's aquatic center.

And who's paranoid, SDC may be changing but come on

It is also amazing that people do not see what is right in front of their face. Look at the strip for instance. A gradually declining mess of abandoned theaters and overgrown abandoned concrete lots surrounded by outdated cheap rent by the week motels filled with who knows what kind of people. Bet they aren't your  family types. Branson is hurting. All you have to do is look. It will change or die.

[runner1960]

By the way don't they already play rock and a little rap during moonlight madness at SDC?

[ThemeParkFan]

In the last twelve months, I have visited Branson three times and Pigeon Forge twice.  What can I say, I'm a Herschend groupie apparently.  Prior to that I had visited both in 2005. 

There's a huge difference between the two areas now.  Pigeon Forge is thriving, and feels alive in a way that Branson simply does not right now.  Of course, Pigeon Forge benefits a great deal from its location, but in 2005 they seemed similar to one another and now there is a stark difference.  As a 24 year old, here's my thought process:

1. Restaurants.  Pigeon Forge and the surrounding area have tons of touristy places, sure, but there's a lot of food around, whether it's chain food or good independent places.  In Branson, there seem to be fewer restaurants and options.  Maybe there are more in downtown Branson but by the strip they're lacking.  A few touristy places seems about it.  There's hardly even a chain restaurant around.  Every time I'm out of SDC it's a constant struggle to figure out where to eat.

2. I don't understand the demonization of beer and casinos going on in this thread.  Some of you apparently think that either or both will automatically result in tons of drunks or neglect.  I'm not much of a drinker, but in my experience that's not the case.  I know several people who would be drawn to microbreweries churning out quality product.  I like them too because even if I don't want a beverage, they usually have good food in my experience. 

One casino does not mean the area will turn into Vegas.

3. It's amazing that a city as show-dependent as Branson doesn't have a headlining concert venue.

4. There's no main draw.  Every tourist trap (I love Branson, but let's face it...) has one or one type of main attraction.  Wisconsin Dells has waterparks, Orlando has Disney, Pigeon Forge has the Smokies...what does Branson have?  SDC, nature, and a lot of shows that don't appeal much to the younger demographic.  I don't know what this attraction would be, or even if one can be organically developed to the area, but there's no "hook."  SDC is an amazing place, but I've had a hard time explaining to people what it's really about.  Whereas I don't have to explain to them what Six Flags or Cedar Point is about.  And if they're not interested in Silver Dollar City, or nature, or the shows, what is there to offer them?  How do you get them to the area?

[Citydweller84]

I'm not really understanding the whole demonization of casinos and craft breweries either. I've lived up in St. Charles, MO for the majority of my life, just recently moved down to Hollister. I lived right near Ameristar up in STC and I loved going down to historic Main Street there. Ameristar actually has really been beneficial to Main Street and increased business for many of the shops there and there was no noticeable downturn in the quality of it.

The craft brewery explosion is happening and I can easily see several popping up in the area in the next several years. My favorite place to get a drink when I was living in STC was a craft brewery and their popularity is surging, especially with the millennial crowd. Nothing wrong with getting a drink. I honestly don't believe that a couple breweries opening up are going to lead to the downfall of the family friendly atmosphere of Branson.

Now I've been coming to Branson and SDC since I was three or four. I'm now almost 30. The Branson I saw in my earlier years is almost the Branson I see now. The city and the park are going to have to adapt if they want to continue to bring the tourists here. I'm not really in favor of SDC getting away from its theme, but the city and surrounding area need to change and think outside their comfort zone if they don't want to lose out anymore.

Just the thoughts of a newbie here to the board and a long time visitor and new resident.

[chittlins]

SDC is fine and will do fine, it's the rest of the place. What Mr. Bass Pro is doing helps but it's out of town and you can easily spend a week at his properties and not think twice about going into town unless its for the wimmens to go shop. You can get to SDC completely avoiding Branson.

[RJW]

What Mr. Bass Pro is doing helps but it's out of town and you can easily spend a week at his properties and not think twice about going into town

Exactly. One thing I noticed when looking at the website for Big Cedar. Mention of Branson attractions, shows, and restaurants were conspicuous by it's absence.

[thelarsonsix]

If Branson embraces (C)rap, microbreweries, gambing, etc, then count me out. I can get that garbage here in OKC. I go there to escape.

I think the ball complex is a move in the right direction. As in anything though your entertainment is not my entertainment and that does not mean that either one is crap. As a example we used to attend Silver Dollar city on Memorial day and labor day weekends every year, but since they have now stuffed them full of music ( bluegrass and Southern gospel) both types of which I have no desire for, we choose to take our entertainment dollars elsewhere. If there were other options for entertainment in Branson we maybe would still come down there, but there is just no nighttime activity. I enjoy a good craft beer with a nice sitdown meal and good rock and rap music. Obviously I am out of touch with middle America moral values.

The day we start hearing rock and rap music at SDC will be the day I stop attending. Like Okie said, we go to Branson and SDC to get away from that mess. I would hate to see gambling come to Branson. If you want to gamble go to Vegas. I've never been to Vegas and have no desire to go for that very reason. Branson is a family vacation spot. Why ruin that with a situation like the above scenario where the kids and mom stay at WW or SDC while dad goes off and gambles. That's not family like and in fact is anti-family. Just my opinion though...

I'm afraid you're a few days late. Saturday morning when I walked in I heard "Living in America" by James Brown blasting from the pavillion.

[okiebluegrass]

<soapbox>

I've come to the conclusion that modern society is sick and I want no part of it. I want nothing more than to be left alone to think what I want to think and believe what I want to believe. If that makes me paranoid, I really don't care what anybody thinks.

Branson used to be a place to escape all that, but the more commercial it becomes, the less I like it. My parents went every year for 50+ years but won't go anymore. That's ok, I guess we're just no longer in the targeted demographic

</soapbox>