Southwest Missouri News

Branson

Center property chosen, for now

During a joint meeting Nov. 1, the city of Branson Board of Aldermen and Taney County Commission approved a 40-acre site in Branson Meadows on the northwest side of Branson as the location of the proposed convention center. Included in the vote was a contingency clause that if a convention feasibility study showed problems at the Branson Meadows site, another location could be selected.

The city and county governments made the decision after holding a joint public hearing Oct. 19 to hear presentations for a center site.

According to city of Branson Communication Director Jerry Adams, "The next step is for the Branson Board of Aldermen to appoint a Branson Convention and Expo Committee," he said. "It will, in turn, take requests for proposals for a capacity and utilization feasibility study. The study will examine the size, amenities, the usage and community impact of a convention center at that location."

A committee is to be appointed by Dec. 1.

Branson Meadows was the original location selected by the city and county last summer for a proposed convention center site, but a public hearing was scheduled after several property owners came forward with proposals for alternative sites. Besides Branson Meadows, four additional proposals were made at the October public hearing, Adams said. They are:

A 40-acre property situated between Green Mountain Drive and Fall Creek Road in central Branson with an estimated cost of infrastructure development at $12.1 million.

A 40-acre property at Canyon Springs, across from the Branson USA amusement park and near the junction of Hwy. 76 and Hwy. 376, with an estimated cost of infrastructure development at $415,000.

A 40-acre property on Wilderness Safari Road near Hwy. 265 with an estimated cost of infrastructure development at $16.4 million.

A 70-acre property at Branson Glen in Branson Hills on the north edge of the city with an estimated cost of infrastructure development at $4.1 million.

According to Adams, city infrastructure is already in place at Branson Meadows, a factor in its approval by the city and county.

Construction values are down

The value of new construction for October in the city of Branson totaled $8.4 million, bringing the yearly total to $54.3 million. That compares to $62.1 million for the first 10 months of 1999. Among the new projects permitted last month were three new theater screens at the IMAX Entertainment Complex and a 72-unit condominium at Branson Horizons by Marriott.

Real estate sales rise 3.6 percent

According to data from the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors, provided through Cooper Appraisal of Branson, home sales in Stone and Taney county markets were up 3.6 percent for the first three quarters of 2000 when compared to the same period last year.

A total of 894 homes were sold so far this year compared to 863 sold last year. Area data directly conflicts with estimates from the National Association of Realtors which predicted existing home sales would be down by 3.5 percent and new home sales would be down by 6.9 percent nationwide for the year 2000.

Cooper Appraisal's analysis of the Tri-Lakes multilist data indicated that 34.3 percent of the 894 homes sold were located within the Branson school district. The Kimberling City, Reeds Spring and Hollister areas accounted for another 31.7 percent of that total.

The average home sold for $98,482 in the Tri-Lakes area and was on the market for 186 days. The average list-to-sold rate was 95.6 percent. Of the 894 homes sold, 17.2 percent were waterfront properties while 19.1 percent were water view properties, according to Cooper Appraisal.

Joplin

Dealer certified for quality

Peterbilt of Joplin has become the nation's first multilocation Class A truck dealership to be ISO 9002 certified, which means the company provides quality products and services.

The business has seven dealerships located throughout Missouri and Arkansas.

College buys land, but has no plans

The Missouri Southern State College Board of Regents has added 24 acres to the 341-acre campus at a cost of $200,000.

The parcel, south of the parking lot on the south of Fred G. Hughes Stadium, was purchased from George and Adele Hempen.

As a result of the purchase, the college will own land north of Turkey Creek on both the east and west sides of Duquesne Road.

No specific plans for the acreage have been disclosed.

Nevada

Grant allows for expansion

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has awarded a $197,500 grant to the city of Nevada for infrastructure development so that a local manufacturer can expand.

The Community Development Block Grant will be used to build a new well and hydro-pneumatic pressure system to insure adequate pressure for the Crane Plumbing Company LLC.

Crane has promised to add 20 full-time jobs in the next two years as a result of the expansion.

Neosho

Utility refunds to customers

New-Mac Electric Cooperative announced on Oct. 31 that it will share $1 million in capital credit returns this year with some of its member-customers.

The refund checks will go to residents who were customers in 1982 and 1983, based on their electric usage at that time.

Customers who were not at the cooperative annual meeting held recently at Crowder College will receive their checks in the mail.

Including the latest return, New-Mac has returned $1.7 million during the past three years.

New-Mac is a customer-owned, not-for-profit company that refunds excess operating margins to customers of prior years.

Customers also will receive a one-time rate refund around the holiday season.

This year's credit will total $205,000 and will appear as credit on December bills. The amount each customer receives will vary depending on electricity usage.

This is also the third consecutive year that New-Mac has given customers a year-end rate refund, with the amount totaling $855,000 over the past three years.

New-Mac Electrical Cooperative now has $50 million in assets, $18 million in annual sales and nearly 3,000 miles of electric line. The company serves 16,000 rural residents and business customers in Newton, McDonald and Jasper counties.