The Branson Board of Aldermen yesterday approved the planned development for Bigfoot on the Strip, the second $10 million attraction proposed on Highway 76 in the last six months.
On the west end of Highway 76, the Bigfoot on the Strip planned attraction is anchored by a 200-foot tall free-fall ride and a food truck park. Three miles east, another development team is building
Fritz’s Adventure, a $10 million, 80,000-square-foot indoor park with rock climbing, zip lines and tunnel exploration.
“Bigfoot on the Strip adds to the growing confidence of investors, developers and stakeholders in the future of the Branson-lakes area economy,” said Jonas Arjes, executive director of the Taney County Partnership, in a news release. “In fact, additional projects have expressed interest since the development passed first reading a couple of weeks ago.”
Organized as On the Strip LLC, Bigfoot project developers are Darrell Henley, Emma Hamilton and Matt Cook. According to the release from the Taney County Partnership, which assisted in securing the planned investment, the trio already have developed four Branson attractions: Branson Zipline Canopy Tours, Parakeet Pete’s Waterfront Zipline, Parakeet Pete’s Steampunk Balloon and Fast Shot Shooting Gallery. Bigfoot on the Strip is expected to generate 25 new jobs.
The owners have enlisted veteran thrill ride and roller coaster developer Stan Checketts, who has said the Bigfoot tower is his “pinnacle project,” according to the release. He’s known for creating Knott’s Berry Farm’s Supreme Scream and the Big Shot atop Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas.
City officials say the timing of investments is critical given the progress of the Spirit of 76 streetscape project underway.
“This is an area of Highway 76 that really needed an attraction element to draw visitors to the west end of the strip so that adjacent businesses could benefit from the continuous flow of pedestrian and trolley traffic,” Branson Mayor Karen Best said in the release.
The owners have coordinated with Spirit of 76 project team leader Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers Inc. to conform design elements with the streetscape master plan.
The roughly $80 million streetscape project is designed to improve travel for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and public transport users along the 5-mile strip between U.S. Highway 65 and Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. After groundbreaking commenced late last year, BransonSpiritOf76.com indicates the project is 10 percent complete. Physical construction is expected to begin in spring and be completed in eight years.
The Branson market is familiar with multimillion-dollar plans, and officials have seen some fizzle out over the years. There was the $1 billion
Indian Ridge mixed-use development in Branson West, the $250 million
Branson Sports Entertainment Complex and racetrack near Ridgedale and, in Hollister, a $250 million
Wilderness in the Ozarks resort community and two lakeside projects on 1,000 acres totaling $1 billion dubbed The Sanctuary.
