When I was up over the weekend of the 21st of April I thought there was a lot more damage than they were showing on the news. Probably to keep the negative info on Branson to a minimum. When I was there and drove through I noticed a lot of damage that looked like they were not doing much about. Almost as if some folks were going to call it quits. Or just eliminate some of the damaged hotels etc. What have you recent travelers seen? What are your thoughts about the Branson rebuild. Is it going to happen? Or are some of these businesses going to leave well enough alone and collect the insurance money?
There was a lot of damage that the news missed.. Which is probably better for branson anyway..( we dont want people to think the town blew away)
As far as slow progress is concerned, the way i understand it there is as serious delay in insurance. Something about it not being a FEMA "disaster". I dont get that part??? damage is damage...... But anyway that is waht several of the locals have said.. Thus the delay.
There was quite a bit of residential damage also.
Yes there will be several of the hotels/mini malls/gas stations and other buildings that will have to come down..
Something I did notice is that the buildings that received most of the damage were all "older" buildings. Not saying they were not build correctly or unsafe,But with age on the buildings, they were probably weaker. IMHO
Now come one, it doesn't count as a disaster unless its someplace that voted for the current administration. Woodward, OK didn't get approved for disaster status either.
http://bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_ad2a6cd0-9626-11e1-9b7e-001a4bcf887a.html
Old Engler Block to be razed
Thats a good article, I am sorry to see an old historic building go, But am very interetsed in the new building idea and contents. Should be great!
I am hoping that they clean up the strip quickly, there is a lot of unsightly damage that takes away from the " fun".
Frankly the hotels were overbuilt, maybe this will assist those that are still around.
JR's Motor Inn on the strip is being bulldozed as is the Branson Auto Museum/old Engler Block. The owners of the Branson Auto Museum say they will rebuild. Sunfest grocery store in east Branson across from Holiday Hills reopened Monday; it had severe damage in the tornado. The Starlite theater had over a million dollars in damage and it is supposed to reopen later this month.
Charlie's Steak Ribs & Ale being torn down. Owner plans to rebuild.
http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-decadesold-branson-restaurant-demolished-20120507,0,3706982.story
Branson Heights shopping center is being bulldozed. Not sure if Mazzio's will be coming back. Doesn't look like much progress is being made at Shoney's or Jubilee. Progress seems slow at the Branson Variety theater. Starvin Marvin had a sign that said it would reopen soon. Deadline is coming up for owners to do something before the city government steps in.
Last thing I heard on BVT was that they (inspectors) actually found the building (moved?) on the foundation... therefore received major structural damage.... as opposed to what looked like slight exterior damage... Lat prediction I heard was this fall BVT mat be back,,,
Shoneys, I was told the owner had jsut done some modifications and upgrades and then this happened. Has not yet decided whether to rebuild or replace..!?
Jubilee and the mall are is going to be rebuilt, but no time factors on that..
Track 4 is to reopen Memorial Day Weekend. They're going to build a new building to replace the old one that had to be bulldozed in, this off season.
Quote from: Swoosh on May 15, 2012, 07:19:02 PM
Track 4 is to reopen Memorial Day Weekend. They're going to build a new building to replace the old one that had to be bulldozed in, this off season.
You mean Track4 2.0
They could take this time to improve the street that runs down the hill there beside the Jubilee and McD. It does really looks like a road right there.
Which is the track across the street from Starvin Marvin's? That's my favorite one, the one we always used to go to. Is it Track 1?
Also, did anyone else notice the front facade/sign to the Ripley's Believe it or Not Museum? Looks pretty banged-up.
Uh, the front of Ripley's was designed to look as if it survived the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-12. (You must be a funnin' us!)
Quote from: Junior on May 16, 2012, 07:31:38 PM
Uh, the front of Ripley's was designed to look as if it survived the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811-12. (You must be a funnin' us!)
I had the same thought junior ;D, gotta be funnin us!! ;)
Of course funnin'! ;)
My 6 year old son is fascinated with tornadoes...
Driving down the strip I said to the fam' "oh look how bad that place (Ripley's) is messed up"
They didn't buy it.
I am interested to see how my favorite go kart track across the street from it is doing. Are they going to rebuild the building that was there?
The storm must of been a lot bigger than I thought. Last time I was in Branson it looks like the storm blew in an old cruise liner right next to the main strip. :o
Quote from: underdog on July 18, 2012, 11:26:22 AM
The storm must of been a lot bigger than I thought. Last time I was in Branson it looks like the storm blew in an old cruise liner right next to the main strip. :o
Now that's funny!! ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: sanddunerider on July 18, 2012, 12:46:22 PM
Quote from: underdog on July 18, 2012, 11:26:22 AM
The storm must of been a lot bigger than I thought. Last time I was in Branson it looks like the storm blew in an old cruise liner right next to the main strip. :o
BAHAHAHAHA! I just lost 5 lbs. laughing, and now my tummy hurts! ;D
Now that's funny!! ;D ;D ;D
I just watched a YouTube video of damage to the Strip, and saw that the Ozarkland Gift Shop (the big red barn looking place) looked as if it had been destroyed! I know it was just a "tourist-trap" but it was a place that had a lot of fond memories for me. Does anyone know what it's status is? Is it going to be rebuilt? It's a place I'd hate to lose. :'(
It was pretty much totaled by the looks of it last time I was in Branson. I heard awhile back that it was going to be torn down, but don't quote me on that. I don't remember where that info came from. It is an icon that I'd hate to see disappear solely because its "old Branson". I haven't been in there in at least 25 years.
I stopped in one this past march. I have one outside Jomo down the way. My husband didnt understand why I was DYING to stop. Its good stuff. I might not buy anything but its fun.
the last time i looked at it, they had cleared away all the demo (lost the complete roof), had everything under tarps,. and looked like they had cleaned out the building....
it "appeared" at that point , new rafters, new plywood, new roof, building would be ready again.. BUT there had to be structural damge..
So i dont know if they were going to reroof it or not.. we will see.. ::) ::)
Thanks for the status reports. I really, really hope they rebuild it. It just wouldn't be the same for me if I didn't get to browse through the big red barn!!!
Ozarkland still has a fence set up around it, and of course still no roof! At the moment, it just appears to be abandoned. No real activity near it at all.
Ozark, yes it has been that way since before memorial day..... ???