Taney County development pipeline reaches record $800M

The Taney County Partnership’s development pipeline has grown to a record $800 million in projects, up 21 percent from $662 million at the same time last year, according to Executive Director Jonas Arjes.

For Springfield Business Journal’s 2017 Outlook issue, Hollister City Administrator Rick Ziegenfuss said the TCP’s pipeline was $700 million. Arjes said this morning the figure is actually $100 million more, factoring in a mix of “suspects, prospects and projects" interested in developing in Taney County.

Arjes declined to disclose the nature of the projects, citing confidentiality agreements. He previously pointed to Branson Entertainment Center LLC’s Grand Palace plans.

“If I’m tracking them, there’s viability there, but in different levels of progress,” he said. “You’ve got some projects that they are ready to pull the trigger, albeit for funding, so they’re still looking to build their capital stack or secure lending through traditional avenues, or untraditional from venture capitalists to angel funds or whatever.”

Arjes said the TCP is focused on educating and helping employers or investors interested in the area.

“We help them until we figure out if they’re going to work or if they’re not going to work,” he said.  

Arjes said there’s little overlap between the $800 million pipeline for Taney County and some $362 million in Branson-area projects being tracked by the local chamber. The Branson-area projects include the completed $10 million Fritz’s Adventure; a $15.5 million child care center by CoxHealth; Mercy’s $19 million specialty clinic; and the $10 million Antlers Resort. Arjes said this morning a $350 million number he cited in September was only referencing the Branson area and not the entire county.