Branson Hilton set to reopen next month

Officials said today that the Hilton Hotel attached to the Branson Convention Center is scheduled to reopen Sept. 15, nearly seven months after an EF-2 tornado caused significant damage and forced it to close for repairs.

During the Feb. 29 tornado - which followed the Highway 76 strip east into downtown Branson and Lake Taneycomo - the hotel took millions of dollars worth of damage, but no guests or employees were seriously harmed. The convention center, which sustained less damage, reopened in May, according to a news release.

Since the tornado, workers have replaced nearly 3,400 glass panes, as well as most of the carpeting in the 12-story hotel. The tornado also caused a portion of the hotel bar's roof to be blown off; it is set to reopen along with the hotel.

“Given the extent of the damage, we are very pleased with how the repairs turned out and are now looking forward to welcoming guests again,” hotel General Manager Bill Derbins said in the release. He noted that through the repair process, workers were able to add green upgrades to the hotel.

The replacement windows feature energy-efficient technology, and thermostats have been added that contain motion detectors, allowing the room temperature to return to a pre-set level when the room is unoccupied.

The Hilton attached to the convention center has 294 rooms, some of which look out at Lake Taneycomo, the release said.[[In-content Ad]]