Moving to the Branson area. (Springfield, Nixa: crime rate, home, employment)

[Vols44]

Some Branson residents have jumped the shark, paid their windfall taxes and moved on. It's a poor area spotted with rich folks. In the next couple of years a few more major attractions will go away. Over the last five years tax revenue is down an average of 3.5% which is explained by the usual book of excuses.

each time you visit the area your complete understanding of your surroundings will increase by 1%. I agree with the previous poster about Ozark and Nixa's school systems, COL and affordability. I don not live in any of the three communities.

[ozarksboy]

Take another look at Minnesota. It's your home and it's so familiar that you fail to appreciate what you have.

If you move to Missouri, you'll do what so many others have, i.e. love it for a few weeks and then as you become more familiar with it you'll start to find fault. Then, in a few months you'll be complaining constantly about how backward we are, how we lack culture, how we're all a bunch of Bible thumpers, how we're too conservative.

Start loving your homeland up there in the frozen North. Smile and be friendly to your neighbors. They're not going to be as friendly as the servers and cashiers in Branson, but maybe by being friendlier yourself, you can make your Northern neighbors friendlier.

Do yourself (and us) a favor; stay where you are.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Vols44

Some Branson residents have jumped the shark, paid their windfall taxes and moved on. It's a poor area spotted with rich folks. In the next couple of years a few more major attractions will go away. Over the last five years tax revenue is down an average of 3.5% which is explained by the usual book of excuses.

each time you visit the area your complete understanding of your surroundings will increase by 1%. I agree with the previous poster about Ozark and Nixa's school systems, COL and affordability. I don not live in any of the three communities.

Let me make sure I have this right. You don't live in Branson yet you're quick to predict the demise of Branson.

Here's a hint for you, the economy is kinda bad all over. Branson has survived for decades, many of them, and is a stand-alone town unlike Nixa and Ozark which, while nice enough, anymore are primarily bedroom communities dependent upon Springfield for their resident bases, and Branson as well to some extent.

We live just south of Branson on Table Rock Lake and go there often for shopping, dining, medical care, etc. I just went out on our front deck, looked up north and across the lake toward Branson and am happy to report that the sky is NOT falling.

[debbie at bouontiful]

I go to Branson quite a bit. What is a decent area that has middle to upper middle type homes on one of the lakes with a few acres. I'll sell a ranch in Eastern OK. I always spend time in Silver Dollar City and love it. Everytime I am there I see seniors so it might be a good place for a retired person. Not sure about the poster with children though.

[Vols44]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Let me make sure I have this right. You don't live in Branson yet you're quick to predict the demise of Branson.

Here's a hint for you, the economy is kinda bad all over. Branson has survived for decades, many of them, and is a stand-alone town unlike Nixa and Ozark which, while nice enough, anymore are primarily bedroom communities dependent upon Springfield for their resident bases, and Branson as well to some extent.

We live just south of Branson on Table Rock Lake and go there often for shopping, dining, medical care, etc. I just went out on our front deck, looked up north and across the lake toward Branson and am happy to report that the sky is NOT falling.

So you want to quote me although you don't live there either? Get serious. A local can tell you living on Table Rock is not like living off of 76.

Can you translate the first bolded part? How are Ozark and Nixa dependent on Springfield for their residents?

You should keep your ears closer to the ground before venturing out on a thin and ice covered limb.

[Curmudgeon]

Ten miles as the crow flies from Branson. Close(r) enough for government work and 35 miles closer than Battlefield. 76 vs 86 is a "meh!" I know the difference.

Second part self-explanatoiry. Sorry you don't get it!

[hotzcatz]

Small kid time we spent a lot of time in Branson since my grandparents lived there. Half a block up from the old Dairy Queen near the North entrance to town before the new highway was built if that helps folks any. There is a huge difference between winter and summer, it's like the town is two completely different towns. Winter time it is pleasant since there's no traffic and it felt like a nice small town but in winter time most of the fancy tourist places were closed. Although we didn't go to the dinner theater music hall places much anyway. Summer it was crazy busy all over the place. Traffic all over, loads of folks you've never seen before and will never see again, etc. A lot of the folks working there just come in for the summer, I think. At least, they did then, this was decades ago, though, perhaps it has become a year round tourist destination?

It would seem difficult to get a very valid sense of the place from just a one week visit.

[Lake Junkie]

It's the old fable of the 5 blind men and the elephant. Depends on which part you've got ahold of...

Because of my j-o-b I am in touch with lots and lots of people who move here and many who move away. And please know that when we say "here" in describing the "Branson area" we mean all of the surrounding towns in Southern Stone County and Eastern Taney County. We don't mean Ozark & Nixa which are commonly thought to be mainly bedroom communities of Springfield which has most of the j-o-b-s. Those folks often vist the 'Branson area' to enjoy the amenities resulting from those dastardly tourists but having lived in both places I can verify that it's a whole different deal.

Most of the people who move HERE are retired. Like Mr. & Mrs. C, they've done their time at the work mills and have earned a life of leisure in a beautiful place. There's also a large number of people who own second homes here because IT IS such an awesome place to hang out.

And yes, some of the folks who move here and fairly quickly move away did not find what they thought they would find here. Like my sister the spoiled brat who just couldn't handle grocery stores that didn't have a good selection of fresh herbs all year. It is a trade off. As far as I know, you can't have it all.

My advice to ANYONE who is thinking of moving ANYWHERE: Talk to the schools, don't just rely on a few people's well meaning advice. What works for them might not work for you. Get an objective local to be your tour guide. I know a couple of the regulars on here have been happy to share advice and a pizza in person on occasion! Talk to the friendly policeman about crime rates in various parts of whatever area because believe me every area had idiots who are goofed up and want to hurt other people. And if you, like me, fall in love after one week...hey. You can always move back!

And for pete's sake...check out the lake.

~Lake Junkie

[Lake Junkie]

As far as the tax revenue being down 3.5% over the past 5 years, I'm not sure where you got those numbers but I do know that the city tax revenue has been down A LOT LESS than other vacation destinations similar size to ours...like Gatlinburg, TN or the Wisconsin Dells. I didn't attend the official press conference this year, but every other year tax revenue has been generally "flat" since the economic downturn of 2008. I know last year there were fewer transactions but the average sale was up so it nearly evened out.

There are some attractions that have closed, but we've got lots happening as well. Johnny Morris and the Big Cedar properties are adding new attractions along Hwy 86...a Spa, Chapel, dinner cruises, Top of The Rock Golf Club...and the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Academy. http://www.bpswms.com/BPS/Userfiles/...20Postcard.pdf
The new $12M Table Rock Dam Visitor's Center is now open and amazing. Table Rock Dam Tours
We recently attracted Southwest Airlines to the Branson Airport...the nation's first privately funded airport! Branson Airport | Nationwide Flights | MO

Not small things.

[SW Missouri Dave]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

As far as the tax revenue being down 3.5% over the past 5 years, I'm not sure where you got those numbers but I do know that the city tax revenue has been down A LOT LESS than other vacation destinations similar size to ours...like Gatlinburg, TN or the Wisconsin Dells.

For those interested in the tax revenue received by the city of Branson over the past years - it's updated monthly on the city's website

Here is the most recent report http://bransonmo.gov/reports/financi...ory%281%29.pdf

Monthly updates posted here City of Branson