Morris expands Branson project's scope

Springfield businessman Jim D. Morris has expanded the scope of a proposed project on property he owns in Branson.

Via Morris Oil Co. Inc., Morris plans to add a Village Mart convenience store to the roughly 30-acre area, to be dubbed the Morris Family Entertainment Complex upon completion, according to Morris Group Properties Inc. controller Lance Watson.

The acreage along the 76 Strip in Branson is also home to several other Morris-owned properties, including the Ramada Resort and Conference Center, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theatre and the Rowdy Beaver restaurant.

"We're trying to make this a good economical alternative to the (Branson) Landing," Watson said. "Obviously, they have quite an impressive facility, so it will be hard to compete with them on that big of a scale, but we'd like to offer a little more space for some of the medium groups that don't have facilities right now."

Through Watson, last week Morris announced the early planning stages of a project to add 15,000 to 20,000 square feet of convention space to the Ramada. The announcement was made days after news came down the pike that the Morris Group is slated to close the Springfield Howard Johnson Inn and Conference Center on South Glenstone Avenue on Sept. 8. The property is under contract to be sold to Brad Thessing of Thessing Commercial Properties LLC and Kevin Guffey of central Missouri-based American Realty & Development, who plan to demolish the property and turn it into a 60,000-square-foot retail development.

Watson said the Morris Group is in talks with contractors for additions to the Branson property, and the company hopes to begin construction around Jan. 1.[[In-content Ad]]