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[thelarsonsix]

What is the connection to SDC? If any of you have ever played around with a gis map, you can find out a lot of information. Probably more than we need to, but a lot of the SDC property is listed as being owned by these two entities.

[Junior]

The Lynch sisters, owners of Marvel Cave, went to the church...they were members. When they died, they left their property to the church and to School of the Ozarks. Remember, the Herschends took out a 99 year lease on the cave and surrounding property. The Herschends also are members of the church, which is located in downtown Branson. Over the years the Herschends bought the property surrounding the cave. Now, this is where I get a bit foggy in my memory, but I swear I read in the early 90s the Herschends purchased the cave property from the church for a million dollars. You would have to get a current citizen to chime in on that part.

[jmc75]

To my understanding the church and school still own the land and that they get a percentage of the ticket sales which was agreed upon a long time ago with the Lynch sisters. Also I was told that when the lease is up the Herschends get the first chance to renew the lease as along as they are still following the values of the church and school.

[thelarsonsix]

The Lynch sisters, owners of Marvel Cave, went to the church...they were members. When they died, they left their property to the church and to School of the Ozarks. Remember, the Herschends took out a 99 year lease on the cave and surrounding property. The Herschends also are members of the church, which is located in downtown Branson. Over the years the Herschends bought the property surrounding the cave. Now, this is where I get a bit foggy in my memory, but I swear I read in the early 90s the Herschends purchased the cave property from the church for a million dollars. You would have to get a current citizen to chime in on that part.

Did the Lynch's own that much property with the cave? The Wilderness, the property across 76, more on Indian Point, and several other parcels. I haven't counted but there's got to be a couple thousand acres.

[Junior]

Don't know the exact acreage. Lynch Sisters owned the cave and property immediately surrounding it. Herschends purchased property all around the area. I think at one time, SDC and Shepherd of the Hills Homestead owned a big, big chunk of property along Highway 76 between SDC and Shepherd of the Hills. I want to say the big upscale housing development (Stonebridge) is located on property owned at one time by SDC. Purchasing all that property...over 2000 acres when I worked at SDC in the 80s, was smart. It isolated the park from encroaching development. It was a lesson probably learned from Disney. Walt Disney did not like the cheap roadside attractions that sprouted around Disneyland in California, as it cheapened his product. So, in Florida, the Disney folks bought thousands of acres to isolate the park and resort. SDC has done the same thing, but as you know, development on Table Rock Lake is viewable from Wilderness Church, and development at Notch is close to the park. In fact, the park has grown so big, much of it is located along Highway 76, just out of view most of the year from the road. 

[thelarsonsix]

I was thinking that some of the ROW for 465 also came from SDC's property.

[Polley]

With the whole 99 yr lease deal, i wonder if that's one of the many reasons why Herschends Ent. established SDC, TN (now Dollywood)?  Even today, they seem to invest more $'s annually to Dollywood. Of the two, I could see Dollywood as a safer park to invest in since they own the land.   

I would be really surprised if they didn't get the lease again. Still, a lot could happen from now till when the lease ends.

[Coaster]

It's a long ways off but I wouldn't worry about the lease not being brought up again after it is up.

It's not like the Herschend's are losing money off of SDC. They are in fact making a ton of it!

[DeweyBald]

Ironically, this weekend I was sitting with the Homestead Pickers watching their show and they started discussing this very topic.  The said that 5% of the GROSS income from SDC goes to the church and 5% of the GROSS income goes to the college.  Something about it was written in the will that way.  Anyway...that comes to a pretty good chunk of change for those two operations!

[jmc75]

Yes that was all part of the lease since the church and school technically own the cave and the land I would highly doubt with that kind money coming from the park that they would want change anything from the lease. SDC does have the first right to decide what they want to do with the lease when it is up. The key is that the values that the college and chuch have are in line with what the park promotes.

[DollarCityBoy]

The key is that the values that the college and chuch have are in line with what the park promotes.

AMEN!