Mutton Hollow was developed first into the failed Branson USA theme park. It operated only for about a year or two. Then the Herschends purchased it and developed it into Celebration City, which made a profit, but not enough of one to continue operation after about three or four years. Pete Herschend said in a recent interview that the completetion of the Highway on the west side of town would likely happen first before a redevelopment of the property. He also said it's possible another company could redevelop and operate on the site. We will have to wait and see what happens.
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I, too, miss the old Mutton Hollow. However, it will never come back. Time marches on. The old Amanda's building and Sammy's Cabin are still there. Just repainted and operated during the CC era as different shops or employee areas. All those trees are gone. I worked in Mutton Hollow in 1979 when the Heart of America Rodeo operated there. My dad, an executive by day, was the parking lot supervisor for a while there at night. He hired my brother and me to park cars along with another kid named Skylar. I marched back and forth on that old gravel parking lot hundreds of times. For a 16 year old kid, the $20 per night I was paid was like finding a gold bar on the street everyday! We got in free to the rodeo every night, too!
