Frontier Town-Missouri to be built near Branson

Panther Mountain Water Park Inc. announced June 11 it had received zoning approval for the construction of its Frontier Town-Missouri theme park in Stone County, about 10 miles from Branson.

Panther Mountain owns and operates Frontier Town in New York state. The company said in a release that construction will begin in July on the Stone County project.

Frontier Town-Missouri will be built on about 249 acres of the 900 acres the company controls in the area. The initial construction will include a Western frontier theme park, a 200,000-square-foot multipurpose convention hall and entertainment arena, a 20,000-square-foot microbrewery with a restaurant, along with activities and rides. Panther Mountain said the park is scheduled to open in 1999.

"With the zoning board's approval, our construction program can begin," said Kenneth Delafrange, president of Panther Mountain Water Park Inc. "The Frontier Town-Missouri development will follow the successful format of Frontier Town, N.Y. We believe this ... format fills a void in current amusement and them park operations."

The company said about 300 people are expected to be employed here.

Plans for the park include a large herd of working animals, a full-sized enclosed rodeo arena, a music hall, an Indian village and other 1800s Old West attractions.

The first Frontier Town has been operating since the 1950s in the Adirondack mountains in New York.

The architect for the project is Walter D. Meredith of Space Planners Architects in Monroe, La. Archer Engineers in Springfield is the project engineer. SCI General Contractors Inc., of Bossier City, La., will construct the planned park.

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