Author Archives: Gary Groman aka The Ole Seagull

Beginning July 1, the Branson/Lakes Area CVB (CVB) will include Hollister, and other tourism related entities located outside the Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District (the District), in its tourism marketing effort. Continue reading →

Amid all the great revenue reports on the great sales tax revenues coming from Branson Landing (Landing) there appears to be some businesses, mostly the smaller independent owners or franchisees, who have some concerns. Continue reading →

Hired to replace the city’s former Finance Director, Deanna Schlegel, less than a year ago, Brown’s last day on the job was Tuesday, Feb. 12. Continue reading →

After months of negotiation between the cities of Branson and Hollister, Taney Country and MoDOT’s District 8, local officials received word late last week that both District 8 and MoDOT at the state level had decided that MoDOT’s portion of the project cost was too much. Continue reading →

Lennon was also quick to stress that the $660,000 would not be available for use until MDT’s Fiscal Year which begins on Jul. 1. He also pointed out that to get the $660,000 from MDT the Branson Lakes Area CVB must spend $1.3 million because, in addition to the programs built in maximums, it will only reimburse up to 50 percent of eligible marketing expenses Continue reading →

After hearing the summary of the independent audit conducted on the city of Branson for the year Sep. 30, 2007, Alderman Stephen Marshall said, “Our house is in good shape” and that he was pleased… Continue reading →

A portion of the retail tourism tax collected by Branson retail establishments, theatres, hotels, motels, restaurants, and attractions for marketing within the Branson/Lakes Area Tourism Community Enhancement District (TCED) may be diverted to market areas outside of the TCED as far away as Galena, Crane,… Continue reading →

According to the quarterly report received by the Branson Board of Aldermen at their Jan. 28 meeting, bookings for the Branson Convention Center are exceeding benchmark projections. Continue reading →

…requested that the decision that the previous board and mayor made to permit a 300 foot skyscraper to be built on one of Branson’s most prominent pieces of land be reversed. Continue reading →

The proposed ordinance provides that the 5 percent tax must be collected and paid, on certain transactions, to the city of Hollister by every person engaged in the business renting or leasing Continue reading →

Of the $6.6 million left to be funded locally, the $5.1 million authorized by the county leaves a gap of $1.5 million, $2.5 million if the interest cost is factored in. Continue reading →

It was a night of roses and congratulations when Branson City Clerk Lisa Westfall recently received recognition and certification as a Missouri Registered City Clerk at a recent Branson Board of Aldermen’s Meeting but it took a lot Continue reading →

At its Jan. 7 meeting, the Task Force passed a resolution recommending that both the Branson Board of Aldermen and the TCHD Board of Trustees approve an intergovernmental agreement that will, for all practical purposes, merge the city of Branson’s Health Department (BHD) and the Taney County Health Department into one… Continue reading →

The community was almost in shock when, in June, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced its intention to close the Business Highway 65/MO 76 Bridge across Lake Taneycomo (the bridge) for a year. The announcement came from MoDOT’s District 8 Continue reading →

Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley recently said that there are some concerns among Branson’s elected officials regarding the construction of a new bridge over Lake Taneycomo. Continue reading →

The city of Branson and the Hilton Hotels Corporation have something in common, neither one has managed a municipally owned convention center before. At its Dec. 18 meeting of the city of Branson’s Budget and Finance Committee (the committee) met with members of the Senate Hospitality Group (Senate) to discuss an asset management relationship. Continue reading →

Santa’s arrival was delayed about a week because of weather, but when he finally arrived at the Historic Hollister Train Depot on Dec. 16 the kids, parents and grandparents waiting for him did notseem to care. He arrived safely at about 3:00 p.m. in a Western Taney County Fire Protection Rescue Truck with a Hollister police escort. Continue reading →

If ex-alderman David Edie’s request is honored, the decision that the previous board and mayor made to permit a 300 foot skyscraper to be built on one of Branson’s most prominent pieces of land will be reversed. Continue reading →

When the downtown Lake Taneycomo Bridge was closed for repairs for about a half a day in November, two major areas of traffic congestion were apparent. One was the back up of traffic coming off the south bound Highway 65 ramp to take Business Highway 65 back through Hollister. Continue reading →

“Christmas” has always been an inherent part of Ozark Mountain Christmas now it’s official. At the Dec. 10 meeting of the city of Branson’s Board of Aldermen,… Continue reading →

Alderman Marshall presented a resolution supporting “the celebration of Ozark Mountain Christmas.”
Continue reading →

By the narrowest of margins, Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley breaking a 3 to 3 tie vote of the city of Branson’s Board of Aldermen, the board voted to support the building of a new bridge across Lake Taneycomo just north of the current Business Highway 65/M Continue reading →

At its Nov. 26 meeting, the Branson Board of Aldermen might set a record for the number of requests for funding from the city’s Tourism Tax Contingency Fund (the fund) ever handled at one meeting. The board will consider two new requests and give its init Continue reading →

…The Business Highway 65/MO 76 Bridge across Lake Taneycomo between Hollister and Branson will be closed for repairs for 14 hours between 11:00 a.m. Nov. 12 and 1:00 a.m. Nov. 13.” Continue reading →

The bridge’s deck is deteriorating, the Missouri Department of Transportation [MoDOT] has about $5.5 million for the rehabilitation of the bridge, it will be necessary to close the bridge for about a year to make the repairs, and those repairs could begin Continue reading →

…at a billion dollars gross retail sales for the Fiscal Year. That’s about $200 million over the best of any previous year.
Continue reading →

…the nation’s largest Veterans Day event Nov. 5-11 as it holds its 14th annual Veterans Homecoming. The formal event grew from a Branson history and tradition of honoring veterans and is highlighted by the annual Veterans Day parade that has been held i Continue reading →

The Christmas stars that have lit up the Ozarks Mountain Christmases of the past might not be shining as brightly this Christmas, if at all… Continue reading →

…that the city of Branson is paying $115,000 in fees for the maintenance of some common areas in Branson Landing. In addition to the up to $310, 000 per year the city is obligated to pay for the operation and maintenance of the Branson Landing Fountains Continue reading →

The trail would be on the south side of the creek, from near the pedestrian bridge to the west boundary of the park and could eventually extend to the west, as additional easements are obtained, and connect to Henning Conservation Area.
Continue reading →

The group expressed concern about the preservation of some of the downtowns remaining historical sites. They said projects to preserve these sights would require funding and the mayor was asked Continue reading →

According to a presentation given by city of Branson staff members, all the appropriate permits for excavation, tree removal, and blasting were in effect when work started on the TanStone Plaza commercial Continue reading →

With the completion of construction and the recent openings of both the new garage and the Branson Convention Center, the city of Branson’s board of aldermen took steps to expand the availability of parking in the downtown area. Continue reading →

In the final analysis, the inconvenience to local residents and users of the Business Highway 65/MO 76 Bridge across Lake Taneycomo between Hollister and Branson will be directly related to the funding available to correct the bridges deteriorating deck a Continue reading →

…the City intends that the top level of the Reish Garage and the spaces in the parking lot commonly known as the “Awbery Lot, at the southwest corner of Atlantic and Commercial Streets,” shall remain free and open on a first come first-served basis Continue reading →

The “functionally obsolete” and “structurally deficient” but safe condition of the Business Highway 65/MO 76 Bridge across Lake Taneycomo will be the major topic of a Missouri Department of Transportation, MoDOT Value Engineering Study next week in Spring Continue reading →

…the lower portion of the buildings remaining in the flood plain, such as parking garages, loading docks, and storage areas, will require additional dry or wet flood proofing documentation in order to bring them into compliance with the City’s floodplai Continue reading →

Is a skateboard a bicycle? The answer to that question, as well as some other apparent points of confusion on the ordinance, caused the city of Branson’s board of aldermen to postpone action… Continue reading →

The booking pace for events coming to the new Branson Convention Center is picking up and is in line to exceed projections. In an update report to the city of Branson’s board of aldermen at their regular Aug. 13 business meeting, Mark Hartman, General Man Continue reading →

Whether or not the Business Highway 65/MO 76 Bridge across Lake Taneycomo will be closed and, if it is, for how long has not yet been determined. It is but one factor that will be considered as the Missouri Department of Transportation, MoDOT, conducts a Continue reading →

Is there a mass transit bus system in Branson’s future? If the “million dollar” question can be answered there just might be, and it might be a lot closer than a lot of people think. Continue reading →

A press release from the city of Branson announces the departure of Terry Dody, ten year employee and city administrator since January 2000.” …A separation agreement was drafted last week and approved by Branson Alderman yesterday. Mr. Dody’s last day i Continue reading →

The bridge’s substructure, including piers and arches, is rated a 6, the deck, including the surface that vehicles drive on, is rated a 3, and its super structure, including the columns coming up off the arches is rated a 3. He went on to point out that t Continue reading →

City of Branson press release announcing departure of Terry Dody, city administrator does not mention just how much the separation would cost the city of Branson and the fact that it insured that no current employee performance evaluations would be part Continue reading →

The city of Branson’s board of aldermen held a special meeting at 10:30 a.m. on July 30 for the purpose of discussing the city’s liquor license policy and to review and approve current applications for liquor licenses submitted to the city of Branson befo Continue reading →

Representatives of the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control stated their opinion that they could not enforce perimeter or premises violations against the licensees of the “Chicago Dogs Kiosk” in Branson Landing as the license is currently writ Continue reading →

ole-seagull-branson-beer-landing-aldermen-mayor=raeanne-presley-alcohol-beverages-water-sewer-rates-Missouri-Division-Alcohol–Tobacco-Control Continue reading →

The following email information was received relative to a missing teenager in Branson. “I am sending out this flyer in the hope that someone may help us find Andrea [Cantu]. She is my 15 year old granddaughter who disappeared from … Continue reading →