The question is simple, “Is the city of Branson’s convention center web site, paid for with tax payer funds designated for the marketing of its convention center, being used to market Branson Landing and the Hilton Convention Center Hotel, both of which are privately owned?” The apparent simple answer appears to be, “Yes.”
As of the morning of Jan. 11, 2008, when one goes to the home page of the web site for Branson’s convention center, www.bransonconvention.com, they are greeted by a large static picture of the Hilton Hotel with not even a glimpse of Branson’s convention center in sight. If a picture is worth a thousand words, and first impressions count the most, why is the only picture on the page that of the Hilton Hotel rather than Branson’s convention center?
Contrast the home page of Branson’s convention center with that of the St. Charles Convention Center at http://www.stcharlesconventioncenter.com. Now isn’t that a refreshing thought, a picture of the convention center that the web site is promoting rather than a picture of a hotel owned by the company being paid to manage and promote the convention center that the site is promoting.
There is a slide show available from the home page of the Branson convention center site through a link entitled “Take A Tour” located near the middle of the page When that link is selected there is an eight picture slide show of which six, possibly seven of the slides, appear to highlight Hilton Hotel features rather than the features of Branson’s convention center. Contrast that with the home page of the St. Charles Convention Center where they have incorporated the apparently novel idea, at least as to those who built the Branson convention center web site, of using a seven picture slide show to promote the features of the convention center itself rather than a hotel associated with it.
The firm managing and promoting the St. Charles Convention Center, Global Spectrum manages how many convention center facilities and arenas? The firm managing and promoting the Branson Convention Center, Hilton, manages how many convention center facilities?
When one selects the “Experience Branson” menu item from the upper left hand corner of the home page they are taken to a page that has two static pictures of Branson Landing. It should be noted that Branson Landing is a private development owned by HCW Development Company, LLC.
As one selects from each of the menu items under that selection, “Hotels,” “Entertainment,” “Attractions,” “Branson Landing,” “Dining,” or “Area Map,” they are taken to a page that features two static pictures featuring either the Hilton Hotel or Branson Landing. If the link to “Entertainment” was selected the pictures at the top of the page are a shot of people walking in Branson Landing and one of a clown tying balloon animals at Branson Landing. Click on the link to “Attractions” and see pictures of Branson Landing’s fire and light show and its trolley. Could anything possibly say “Branson attraction” more than a picture of the Branson Landing Trolley?
It’s interesting to note that there is a separate menu item for Branson Landing. Again, Branson Landing is a private development owned by HCW not the city of Branson and is no more a part of the convention center than are the businesses located in historic downtown or elsewhere in Branson. Indeed, the unique shopping experience that can be found no where else in American except in historic downtown Branson is just as close to the convention center as Branson Landing yet, is there any specific link to its site or, for that matter, the site of any of the many other shopping destinations in Branson?
Is this the appropriate time to point out that Hilton has a contract with HCW, the company that owns Branson Landing and both the of the Hilton Hotels, one at Branson Landing and one at the convention center, to promote and manage those hotels for HCW? Isn’t that the same Hilton that has a separate contract to manage and promote the Branson Convention Center for the city of Branson?
Ok so it’s a rhetorical question but the point remains, as to the facts involved with the web site, could a reasonable person think there was at least the possibility of the appearance of a conflict of interest? “Oh hush my beating heart,” is it even possible that HCW is the registered owner of the Branson Convention Center web site that the city is spending thousands of dollars in taxpayer money promoting? Please say it isn’t so.
