Branson Debates Diversification

[okiebluegrass]

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.

[runner1960]

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.

[DeweyBald]

Ok, I'll throw my 2 cents in on the sports complex.  As a former coach and parent of a competitive baseball team I can tell you this.....when my team came into a town for a tournament, it is understood by all that the kids will spend as much time as possible resting between games.  Swimming (the giant energy killer) was absolutely forbidden and we stuck to a strict bedtime schedule.  Having a sports complex is NOT going to fix tourism in Branson.  It will provide a small boost due to the fact that most teams will be staying in motels and that teams will lose out and some may have committed to 3 night stay.  BUT, for teams still in the running, those kiddos will be in the motels resting folks.  Competitive teams will have their players resting....not running around on the strip.  They MIGHT plan for an extra day after the tournament has finished, but in this case if it was my team, we would head out to SDC then head home.  For the most part, we always brought our own food, or hit the grocery store so restaurant gains will be minimal as well.

[chittlins]

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.

What do you have against Microbreweries? Some are well executed and would be an asset to us sinners.

[chittlins]

Ok, I'll throw my 2 cents in on the sports complex.  As a former coach and parent of a competitive baseball team I can tell you this.....when my team came into a town for a tournament, it is understood by all that the kids will spend as much time as possible resting between games.  Swimming (the giant energy killer) was absolutely forbidden and we stuck to a strict bedtime schedule.  Having a sports complex is NOT going to fix tourism in Branson.  It will provide a small boost due to the fact that most teams will be staying in motels and that teams will lose out and some may have committed to 3 night stay.  BUT, for teams still in the running, those kiddos will be in the motels resting folks.  Competitive teams will have their players resting....not running around on the strip.  They MIGHT plan for an extra day after the tournament has finished, but in this case if it was my team, we would head out to SDC then head home.  For the most part, we always brought our own food, or hit the grocery store so restaurant gains will be minimal as well.

My brother played for the Memphis Tigers organization from 6th grade to American Legion. Most every kid that made their teams in the later years got drafted or college scholarships. My Brother signed with Ole Miss out of high school but decided to just enjoy his college years in the summer leading up frosh year and came to Fayetteville where I was at. If there was time to swim or blow stream before bedtime they did. We did as well, though my team wasn't as near as competitive as his organization.   We always hit one or two restaurants. Heck, I remember seeing Batman in Paducah KY after eating at the Tuesdays in the Mall there and swimming at the pool at the Hotel/Convention center on the River and we came in second losing in the championship game to Goose Gossage's son. Besides while playing a weekend tourney there. Was an old amusement park where the ball fields were. on the River. Besides, sometimes there's a kid or two in tow that isn't playing like their sibling and they will often escape. Just saying it's not as absolute as you make it sound. I've seen my brother pitch a game and catch two others on the same days before so I know how it can be grueling. If anything, folks will see stuff and say, we need to come back without baseball being part of the reason.

[RJW]

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.

Let's see, Branson already has  Sports bars like Time Out, a distillery, Copper Run just up the road near Walnut Shade, and plans are in the works for a Buffalo Wild Wings. Guess you're gonna be spending a lot more time in OKC.
Micro brewery, what a great idea! Copper Run has a few beers from micro breweries fairly close, in addition to their great distilled spirits. Fun place to. But a micro brewery....Great, wish I had the funds on hand to open one.  

[thelarsonsix]

What is Lake of the Ozarks area doing to keep it going?  I know very little about that area as I would never put a boat the size of mine on that crazy lake. Branson is always bustling when I am there. From the looks of crowds, it doesn't seem that they are hurting. I realize that businesses are hurting, especially shows, but I wonder if the crowds have migrated to the lakes instead. Believe me, I think lake traffic has doubled lately!  We make marina reservations months in advance to be assured of dock space. I've seen wait times of an hour to get boats in the water at ramps and lines at the marinas to purchase gas. It wasn't like this 10 years ago.

Bars, bars, night clubs, condos, bars, more bars, more condos, party cove, more night clubs, and more bars. That is what they are doing. I live there (or close enough to it at any rate) and go to Branson to get away from it. As much as funlake.com would like you to believe there are not very many family friendly attractions. It's pretty much a playground for the rich with no holds barred.

[Gilligan]

What is Lake of the Ozarks area doing to keep it going?  I know very little about that area as I would never put a boat the size of mine on that crazy lake. Branson is always bustling when I am there. From the looks of crowds, it doesn't seem that they are hurting. I realize that businesses are hurting, especially shows, but I wonder if the crowds have migrated to the lakes instead. Believe me, I think lake traffic has doubled lately!  We make marina reservations months in advance to be assured of dock space. I've seen wait times of an hour to get boats in the water at ramps and lines at the marinas to purchase gas. It wasn't like this 10 years ago.

Bars, bars, night clubs, condos, bars, more bars, more condos, party cove, more night clubs, and more bars. That is what they are doing. I live there (or close enough to it at any rate) and go to Branson to get away from it. As much as funlake.com would like you to believe there are not very many family friendly attractions. It's pretty much a playground for the rich with no holds barred.

That's pretty much what I thought.  A few years ago, my Army captain son and some fellow comrades booked a few nights at LOTO.  They had no idea where to stay and ended up at what they thought must be the only family resort on the lake. They found party cove so all was not lost! 

[Preachin_Bill]

Like them or not, microbreweries won't be much of a problem.  It's when gambling comes out.  They already have wineries and as others mentioned a few new bars that sell microbrews.

I understand why someone doesn't want Branson to change.  It's the only place that is different in an old-fashioned sort of way.  But the problem is that the people like us who enjoy that part are becoming fewer and further between.

Personally I have nothing against gambling, rock, rap, beer (love it!), or night life.  However, I like that Branson is different than your typical tourist attraction.  I can go to any major city and find all of that stuff.  I can't go just anywhere and find what I do at Branson.

The hotels, ice cream shops, go carts, and maybe a few restaurants and white water on off days are going to get more business from the baseball complex.  No competitive team allows their players to do whatever they like on game days anymore.  It's getting more and more advanced.  Off days, perhaps.

Does anyone else have any other ideas of what Branson can do to boost tourism without selling their soul?

[chittlins]

Like them or not, microbreweries won't be much of a problem.  It's when gambling comes out.  They already have wineries and as others mentioned a few new bars that sell microbrews.

I understand why someone doesn't want Branson to change.  It's the only place that is different in an old-fashioned sort of way.  But the problem is that the people like us who enjoy that part are becoming fewer and further between.

Personally I have nothing against gambling, rock, rap, beer (love it!), or night life.  However, I like that Branson is different than your typical tourist attraction.  I can go to any major city and find all of that stuff.  I can't go just anywhere and find what I do at Branson.

The hotels, ice cream shops, go carts, and maybe a few restaurants and white water on off days are going to get more business from the baseball complex.  No competitive team allows their players to do whatever they like on game days anymore.  It's getting more and more advanced.  Off days, perhaps.

Does anyone else have any other ideas of what Branson can do to boost tourism without selling their soul?

You call it advanced, I call it a damn shame

Anyway to get a feel of a few little big league fields:

[runner1960]

Ok, I'll throw my 2 cents in on the sports complex.  As a former coach and parent of a competitive baseball team I can tell you this.....when my team came into a town for a tournament, it is understood by all that the kids will spend as much time as possible resting between games.  Swimming (the giant energy killer) was absolutely forbidden and we stuck to a strict bedtime schedule.  Having a sports complex is NOT going to fix tourism in Branson.  It will provide a small boost due to the fact that most teams will be staying in motels and that teams will lose out and some may have committed to 3 night stay.  BUT, for teams still in the running, those kiddos will be in the motels resting folks.  Competitive teams will have their players resting....not running around on the strip.  They MIGHT plan for an extra day after the tournament has finished, but in this case if it was my team, we would head out to SDC then head home.  For the most part, we always brought our own food, or hit the grocery store so restaurant gains will be minimal as well.

I actually see the sports complex as a stand alone attraction and not something to draw people to other attractions. They will be spending money on food and rooms. Anything else they spend on would be a bonus.

[okiebluegrass]

Branson used to be about families. Y'all just want to turn it into another Las Vegas. If the PTB decide to follow your lead and sell out like that, then I will never ever go back.

[chittlins]

Branson used to be about families. Y'all just want to turn it into another Las Vegas. If the PTB decide to follow your lead and sell out like that, then I will never ever go back.

I'm 41, married with  a 12 and 10 year old. I am the demographic. A resort casino, properly executed out on a cove of a lake somewhere isn't turning it into Vegas. Good grief the Chicken Little syndrome is running rampant.  When I was my kids age I want to Branson and Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg quite regular. Not much difference but boy there is a growing separation now. Why is that?  Much of what I mention is there. It seems family friendly as ever.

[shavethewhales]

We can debate the merits of new attractions without stepping on what other people like.

I think what is really being questioned here is whether Branson can diversify its attractions while also keeping what makes it special in tact, much like what SDC has been experiencing. Gambling isn't the only type of diversity Branson could focus on, and the concept of 'family-oriented' is certainly open to interpretation.

I'd like to see the return of the creative attractions that were proposed right before the recent bust, but on a smaller scale. At one point a resort was proposed that would recreate a European mountain village. They way they went about it was doomed to fail regardless of the financial crisis merely because they went all out and wanted to spend something on the order of half a billion dollars on it. Scale that down to the size of Grand Village and maybe a little traction could be gained.

[runner1960]

Branson used to be about families. Y'all just want to turn it into another Las Vegas. If the PTB decide to follow your lead and sell out like that, then I will never ever go back.

I'm 41, married with  a 12 and 10 year old. I am the demographic. A resort casino, properly executed out on a cove of a lake somewhere isn't turning it into Vegas. Good grief the Chicken Little syndrome is running rampant.  When I was my kids age I want to Branson and Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg quite regular. Not much difference but boy there is a growing separation now. Why is that?  Much of what I mention is there. It seems family friendly as ever.

Agree, I do not see anything here being opposed to family's . I am 55 with 2 kids 27 and 24. We enjoy a beer or 2 together at micro brews wherever we go. Do not really see anything anti family about that. We also enjoy going to rock concerts together still. Nothing anti family about that either. What is being proposed here is to bring in the younger demographic but not eliminating what is already there. A good mix is always welcome. Just like SDC is struggling with its identity. You cannot expect the younger generation to get excited about broom makers  and such , so you mix it up to include everyone. Got to do it to survive.

I really do not think gambling will ever come because of the major changes to state laws it would take. Right now the licensees are tapped out. I believe Cape Girardeau got the last one. Also the law only allows for casinos on the Missouri or Mississippi river i think. Not to say it could not be changed. My family would partake in a nice resort casino for a short time for entertainment.

Other proposals for ice skating rinks and skiing venues and entertainment districts are not anti family. Neither are proposals for touring Broadway shows and music festivals. I guess it is just what you decide is right for your family. As a family we enjoy a good Broadway production. Seen several over the years. Things like this would draw me back to Branson more often.