Chittlins

For those that don't know that story... The then, and maybe still is, owner of the Grand Palace wanted to host a Nelly concert there but outside because the inside was still under renovation or something from the incident. The thing was almost soldout when the city nixed it with some questionable tactics. They wanted to censor it cause no one uses cuss words in Branson. The owner even had the support of the neighbors like the Andy Williams Theater. Yeti. I got kids. They want one of the spinning coasters and a drop tower. By all accounts this new coaster seems like an out and back, hey why not a kickass twister style as well. I have feeling they are going to gut Spash Harbor and rework the area. I think with today's tech they could bring back a new diving bell attraction that would rock. As a now six straight years season pass holder for a family of 4, I don't want repetition. It's got Wildfire for inversions, Powderkeg for the quick launch, Thunderation for the mine train. A eurofighter with a beyond vertical? Or and intamin with the really tight corkscrew and ground hugging curves in that terrain. One of Gravity Group indoor/outdoor woodie could be themed to a place like SDC well.

About the only significant revenue growth Branson has had in the past five years is due to Branson Landing and Branson Hills up 65 a couple of exits from Downtown. Those two places account for nearly 20% of the City of Branson's revenues now. What does Branson do with that. Pay a private airport a subsidy for every person flown in to the owners of the airport and they pay the theaters subsidies so tickets can be drastically discounted to help them keep going. Considering that the Mayor is a Presley, these payments continue to go up. The theaters are stagnant growth wise and heavily subsidized. I'm not sure how an average open air mall and a suburban sprawl shopping center consisting of a walmart, target, kohls and the usually suspects are major tourist magnets. They feed off local customers from the burbs south of Springfield and North Arkansas like Harrison and Mt. Home along with the tourists that hit it up. Last I heard ,the Landing's further development is on hold due to lawsuits over who actually owns the land. It could use some entertainment options like a theater or bowling alley for guests that would like to stay at the Hilton or linger after the shops close. I do miss the Budweiser store. And if you don't think college kids fly, you have never seen the ones from the metroplex. Different type of beast. Bass Pro in Springfield is a major draw, no other Bass Pro compares but the one going in the Pyramid at Memphis is going to be quite something as well. Branson's airport reminds me of Fayetteville's Drake Field back in the day in terms of size before XNA. It's quaint. I'm sure the air show is a draw. I haven't got anything against Branson, just that the theaters aren't driving it's future growth and that how all this got started. The whole Nelly concert mess was quite something, Heaven forbid a rapper from St. Louis perform in Branson. Anways, according to midwest info guide man this is the first of three major projects SDC has lined up. It's going to be an exciting decade.

That was victim of the economy of 2008. Anywho, is there a pier large enough to pull off one of Landry's boardwalk/ piers? I'm wishing for somthing similar for Mud Island in Memphis. They now know where to build the Island up after last year.

Yeah, they are going to serve Memphis too, reduction in airfares aren't expected to be that great. Guy- Branson is on the map for 2013- they're keeping the service to Midway, and adding Dallas/Love, Nashville, Atlanta and Phoenix- just a heads up for that. Chittlins: Memphis is not on the schedule for conversion... yet. Southwest doesn't have a real interest in keeping MEM on the network, as it has the softest yields of any of the new AirTran cities that have not been cut. The market there has terrible yields, very seasonal traffic patterns, and is dependent on Shelby Co. and it's financial subsidies to keep some routes in play. The only reason Northwest Airlines kept MEM as a small hub for as long as they did was the contract with Fedex on the side. Had they not had that, MEM would have, as a hub, closed up shop and moved on. If Branson wasn't an attractive city, it would not be drawing airline coverage from around the country- in particular Southwest Airlines. Airlines don't randomly choose to serve a city- especially SWA. While you might not go into Branson, SWA sees otherwise- and enough to merit service to five cities to start in 2013. And SWA doesn't just 'pick a city' then start service. They spend YEARS analyzing a city before entering it- and then do so according to how the city's traffic demands allot it to. If Branson were for any reason faltering, I can assure you that you'd not see a colourful red, yellow, orange and blue 737 there. Branson had over 8 million guests last year through it. Even with the tornado damage, that number isn't expected to budge, and with projects planned for well into the future, it has a bright future. I will be making my first foray to Branson this year- including SDC - as I'm interested in seeing what is there. I will be flying in there- most likely on one of the new airlines that have moved in there in the past year. They are investing for the future by creating programs to attract people to Branson- working with airlines, growing the hotels there, and adding more family-friendly (and not so family friendly!) attractions to the city. Branson has had a stellar growth rate in the past 25 years, like it's cousin Pigeon Forge, for much the same reasons. (And mind you, the airline analysis is coming from somebody in the industry- and has been studying these things for 15 years now...) That's great, but I bet that decision wasn't based on Branson alone but with Springfield and NWA growing economically and in population as well. I'm willing to bet that lots of students based out of the UofA will use the airport due to more incoming freshmen coming from Texas than even Arkansas. The metroplex is sending tons of kids to Arkansas due to the UofA giving them in state tuition rates. There's over 200 million is student housing projects in the "go" stage right now in Fayetteville. The NWA area has a unemployment rate of 5.9 right now with folks still moving in totally independant of the University. Besides, AirTran was subsidized at Branson, meaning they were paid tax money to provide service. Southwest buys out Airtran so Southwest keeps the the subsidized routes. Well, color me shocked. Wonder if Branson service is profitable enough to stand alone at this point. It doesn't seem like such a tough decision when you're getting free money. Here's how financially sound the Branson airport is: http://sbj.net/main.asp?SectionID=18&SubSectionID=23&ArticleID=89446 Anywho about the coaster, a reliable poster at SDCfans is saying the drop will be around 160ft. and at 81 degrees. That's exciting.

Yeah, they are going to serve Memphis too, reduction in airfares aren't expected to be that great.

I don't hate Branson, But I see it's flaws cause I have visited the area multiple times a year during every season and since my first trip in 80 with my grandparents in their camper to SDC and it having nothing more than a couple of theaters, a waterslide or two and what not. I imagine I take on average of about 5 to 6 six trips to Taney Co. each year. SDC isn't going anywhere but to say Branson wouldn't get knocked to its butt without it crazy talk. I know that more and more folks in Fayetteville are buying season passes to SDC and that's why the are going. It helps that SDC changes the offerings several times a year with it's Fests. I have an older co worker that only goes during the bluegrass event. I hope to see SDC grow cause it's basically my home park an it's one that I'll visit every year with my kids and hope to take grandkids one day just like my grandparents took me. But it's all about SDC for many folks and the rest just benefit from that a great bit. In two weeks I'll take 7 people to SDC. But we'll never venture into Branson, the Sonic in Kimberling City will be happy to see us.

Kenny Rogers. Anyways, it's a ghost town. Branson overbuilt theaters, some have been converted to churches. ...the story continues...I go there every year as a tourist, but not to visit SDC. Closing SDC will not make Table Rock Lake go away, it will not make the go kart tracks, "fun spots", Ripleys, or mini golf course go away, and there are some resorts on the lake near Branson and in Branson that are tourist destinations in themselves. SDC may have helped establish Branson, but Branson has a great amount for families to do and SDC can be an expensive day for a family. I'm not trying to be rude, but for SDC to get shut down I feel that the town would have already died as a tourist destination. When this new coaster opens, I'd definitely expect the park to be more crowded, and the park will draw a lot of traffic to that side of Branson. Just a tip to anyone planning a two day trip at the park. If you go to the park at 4 PM one day, I believe you get free admission the next day. Table Rock Lake will not support Branson alone. Nearly everyone that comes from the south to Branson pass lakes on the way. Table Rock isn't special, there's a half dozen more in Arkansas just as nice. I venture to guess that a whole bunch that venture to Branson do so because of SDC or because SDC introduced them to it. Why would I want to drive to just ride go carts or play mini golf? I've got that locally along with several very nice public golf courses. IF SDC wasn't there, those places would suffer tremendously. I bet they rely on folks with kids going to SDC and White Water much more than the gray and blue hairs hitting the shows. Casinos with their expanding performance venues for b, c and d list entertainers have made places like Branson less important for those artist to make a buck.

Explain to me the plight of the Grand Palace.

SDC used to be pretty much nothing in terms of thrills. I think the area is still growing as a vacation spot that has a fairly large draw, and brings in some of the same groups that used to go to Lake of the Ozarks. Branson is not a very big town, and SDC is not and probably never was the main draw to the area. I remember when SDC added Thunderation in the 90's, and had no idea anything was there until you could see a coaster through the trees. I was just a kid when I first went, but there were not nearly as many rides as there are now. They have grown so much since then, and they have so much more potential still. This new project has gotten me very excited, but I still can't expect too much in terms of thrills from SDC - regardless, it's been a while since they added a coaster and I'm sure it will bring in some business. If Silver Dollar City just up and shut down, Branson as a tourist destination is over. It is it's anchor store so to speak. You can bet that. SDC makes Branson, period, end of story.

I'd be more concerned if it was Shoji. If you want Downtown Branson to take off, it's called gaming these days and put it on a boat at the Landing.

I live in Fayetteville and we avoid the strip completely 9 out of 10 times on trips to Branson. Sometimes we never get past Silver Dollar City cause we will come in the back way from Berryville AR to Brandon West if it's going to be a high traffic day(weekends). Celebration City is gone so it's even less often. Only timewe go into town is a trip to one of The Tracks or Tangers. Downtown offers nothing we can't get here locally besides the mini Bass Pro that only exists, or at least it seems, is to hawk Big Cedar.

When I look at this ride and what Landry's did at Kemah with Boardwalk Bullet I dream of waking up and reading that this company got their hands on Mud Island at Memphis. I was talking to the wife about going to Houston and hitting these two places up this summer.

We try to hit SDC Tues thru Thurs but being in NWA it's just a day trip for us. Usually the lines are minimum to nothing.

You must have never met an Aggie.

This link provides an overview of the Bass Pro Pyramid project. Video is of interest as well. http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/what-to-expect-at-the-bass-pro-pyramid-rpt-20111116 More about the top that's never been used: http://www.abc24.com/news/local/story/Bass-Pro-Brewing-Big-Plans-Inside-the-Memphis/QGuCfmzEEUqolX8JHp6tGg.cspx

new to the board, My first crazy idea is for the Landry Corp to take over Mud Island from the City of Memphis and give it a makeover like Kemah and Galvaston while keeping the amphitheater and riverwalk, marina and mabe the oft forgotten museum. Build a Boardwalk Bullet type woodie, The Earthquake or steel floorless that ventures out over the Mississippi just a little. A wet ride like Tom and Huck's at SDC but themed like a Civil War river battle with the boats fashioned like iron clads and the ground water cannons like a battery. Use no insignia from either North or South. It already has a new tourist draw to yelp with Bass Pro's conversion of the Pyramid into a superstore and massive visibility from I-40. One of the ideas for reusing the Pyramid was an indoor amusement/water park like Nickelodeon Universe at MOA. Memphis is also building a developement called Beale Street Landing and also has the Memphis in May festivities on the main bank. a new Riverboat line plans on headquartering there as it's main terminal. The Island wouldn't be subjected to just anyone walking through because access would be restricted to the ped bridge/tram option. A Bubba Gump on the Sippi just seems to belong.

One of the things contributing to the large crowd you described is the unusually warm weather. It was near 80 today here in the Ozarks. Area schools are also hitting their spring break periods. I think the weather may be taking the park by surprize and they weren't expecting this. I'm staying in Fayetteville watching my baseball Hogs this weekend for our SEC opener against Bama. I've seen our SEC opener played in snow in years past. One of the things that may have a positive impact on SDC is that NWA continues to grow and it's getting easier and easier to get to Branson as 412 gets worked on here and there. It's virtually in the backyard of an MSA of over 500,000 now. I know more and more folks buying season passes in the area and SDC really buys up ad time on the local tv stations. As for the prospect of the Rocky Mountain Coaster, it's fantasic. I'd like to see one of those spinning car wild mouse coasters themed as the Baldnobber's spiking the city's water supply with shine.