The Branson Board of Aldermen and general public were given an update on the progress of Branson Landing, the convention center and its hotel at the board’s Monday, Oct. 25 meeting. The $300 million public/private Branson Landing development, in downtown Branson, is ahead of schedule, but a convention center associated with the project is slightly behind.
Designs were unveiled for the 210,000-square-foot convention center along Sycamore Street. Schematic designs depicting the interior and exterior of the convention center lined the council chambers. Drawings showed a two-story convention center, with the second floor 22 feet in the air.
“The challenge is not only to place the convention center, but to place one that will work with Branson Landing,” said Mike Ezell with TVS Architects, convention center architects. “It will have a wonderful view out,” he said. “There will be a continuous panorama of significant portions of water (Lake Taneycomo and fountains).”
Ezell said negotiations are ongoing with Hilton Hotels to put its high-quality name on the convention center hotel. Hilton is reviewing the 172-foot-high, 275-room hotel design.
“We’re a little bit behind on the convention center,” said Rick Huffman, CEO of HCW Development Company, LLC., the developer for the projects. “We’re two years out from opening and we need to be booking now. People do want to book here.”
Designs also showed a pedestrian bridge from the convention center to Branson Landing, but Huffman said that is currently not in the plans. The Missouri Department of Transportation has disallowed any railroad crossings with the exception of existing crossings at Long Street, Main Street and Oklahoma Street. Huffman said he is trying to get grant money or find other funds to pay for an enclosed pedestrian crossing that would connect the two projects.
If money is not secured for a pedestrian bridge, visitors will have to cross the railroad tracks at Main Street to get to Branson Landing from the convention center. Improvements are scheduled for that crossing.
On the other side of the railroad tracks, Branson Landing’s design is complete and is moving into the construction phase. Huffman said the crew is three weeks ahead of schedule on the dirt work.
Harold Allen with the Benham Group, Branson Landing’s oversight team, said filling on the site is complete and a rock layer is currently being added to cap the land for a 1,800-foot-long retaining wall.
The only thing holding up the development’s progress is the lack of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 404 approval. The application was submitted by the city more than two years ago.A 404 permit must be obtained before any work can be done in the water or floodway. Allen said the lack of a 404 permit is not holding up construction of the retaining wall, but has delayed construction of a new bridge over Roark Creek. After the retaining wall is completed, work on a seawall will begin, but there must be 404 approval.
Huffman said the hydrology study has been accepted and the Corps of Engineers has passed the paperwork on to the Department of Natural Resources. Once DNR approves, the Corps of Engineers will sign off on the project, which could come as early as two weeks.
Trenches are also currently being dug out for utilities to run underground, and Huffman said buildings could begin going up as soon as December or January.
Huffman said Branson Landing is 71 percent committed, but identities of the tenants can’t be released at present time due to confidentiality agreements and competition.
“I’m very impressed by what we’ve seen,” Mayor Lou Schaefer said after the presentation.
Huffman said there will be another meeting with the board of aldermen and community to provide a more detailed update on Branson Landing at a later date.
Courtesy of Branson Daily Independent