Branson/Tri-Lakes News: Arvest banks on Branson-area growth

Arvest Bank opened its third Branson-area branch late last month in Hollister near the U.S. Highway 65 interchange. On Dec. 4, officials will host a 10 a.m.-2 p.m. open house, said Greg Baker, president of the Branson/Hollister region. The $1.3 million branch was built by Metro Design & Construction of Ridgedale.

Arvest operates a branch in central Branson at State Highway 248 and Gretna Road and opened its first area branch at Branson Landing when it opened in 2006.

The bank was formed in 1961 in Bentonville, Ark. Its board chairman is Jim Walton, son of Sam Walton. Arvest now has more than 200 branches in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Kansas.

In Branson, there are at least a dozen institutions operating more than two dozen branches in the town of 7,499 people, Baker said it's not too many.

"If you go to any town that is growing in southwest Missouri, you're going to see a lot of banks," he said, noting that Arvest also has land on the west end of Branson near Celebration City, which closed in October to make way for a new project by Herschend Family Entertainment.

Airport manager on board

The privately financed and operated commercial service Branson Airport - set to open in May - has hired Sharon Morris as manager of fixed-base operations and airline services. For private and chartered aircraft, she oversees services ranging from fueling to catering to booking hotels or rental cars for travelers. For commercial flights, she manages parking of incoming aircraft, fueling, baggage, ticketing and boarding operations.

Morris comes from Boston where she was a seven-year operations manager at Signature Flight Support. She's been in the airport industry for more than 20 years including supervisory jobs with Northwest Airlink Airlines in Memphis, Tenn., and Valujet Airlines in Raleigh, N.C., and Boston.

She's not surprised by a commercial airport in Branson.

"What surprises me is that it's been so long in the coming; that there wasn't something here to support this market for the retirees, veterans and everyone who comes here," Morris said. "We have an amazing opportunity to do something for the community. I walk around the community, and anyone who sees anyone wearing something with a Branson Airport logo comes up and talks about it. It's a very intelligent community, and they want this."

Christmas tunes online

James Little became director of Web services for the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitor Bureau in August. After adding an Internet radio channel called The Branson Mix to the chamber's site, www.explorebranson.com, Through Dec. 25, the channel features round-the-clock Christmas music by Branson entertainers.

The service is provided by Live365. The plan accommodates up to 150 listeners at a time, and it costs the chamber $150 a month to subscribe. Live365 lists the channel in its directory, making it accessible to people anywhere. The channel also is accessible at www.bransonmix.com, www.live365.com, iTunes and Winamp.

There are more than 140 songs on the radio channel. Live365 pays royalties to the featured Branson artists. After Christmas, there will be a variety of Branson music from bluegrass to rock 'n' roll.

King of the shotgun start

Thousand Hills Golf Resort has hired PGA Golf Pro Dan Davis to oversee sales, marketing and operations of the course and pro shop.

Davis has experience organizing tournaments, and he's planning to create new corporate deals at Thousand Hills.

Before Branson, Davis opened Spring Creek Golf Course in Seneca, Kan.

"(Spring Creek's) schedule went from three or four to 33 shotgun events," Davis noted.

He'll focus on using all facets of Thousand Hills, such as lodging, a conference center with Internet access and a dance floor.

Kathryn Buckstaff, membership public relations manager of Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, can be reached at kbuckstaff@bransoncvb.com.