Cliff Sain’s excellent report on Branson Landing in the July 18 Springfield News-Leader contains statements that illustrate some of the dilemmas faced by developers and local governments when planning a large project.
Branson’s aldermen (none of whom were in office when the Branson Landing project was approved for construction) have chosen to take $1.4 million from the city’s general fund and $1.2 million from the city’s transportation fund Read the rest of this entry
On January 3, 2010, I posted a glum summary of published economic reports from Federal Reserve Banks in Kansas City and St. Louis and other sources from the metro areas that surround the Ozarks. My rough guess is that the economic activity in the Ozarks is primarily generated by the surrounding metro areas, which create demand for goods and services produced in the Ozarks, an idea that looks something like: Read the rest of this entry
Homeowner associations (HOAs) are given responsibility by recorded subdivision and condominium documents for maintaining, insuring and operating private communities’ common properties, such as streets, drinking water systems, sewer collection and treatment systems, and recreation facilities.
With many developers having abandoned projects before the HOA is operated by residents, the residents and other lot or unit owners (such as lenders that have foreclosed) are often faced with HOAs that cannot properly Read the rest of this entry
The constantly dispiriting news about the uncontrolled oil and gas well 50 miles off Louisiana generally doesn’t address the financial loss resulting from the wasted oil and gas. This brings up the question of who owns the oil and gas that is escaping.
While BP is losing in every possible way, including financially, the loss of income from the wasted oil and gas extends to the United States Treasury, the coffers of states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and two federally-administered funds, the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Historic Preservation Fund. This publication of the Minerals Management Service gives an overview of the process of oil and gas leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico.
In short, the oil and gas underlying the Outer Continental Shelf belongs to the people of the United States. The Department of the Interior’s Mineral Management Service acts as the trustee for the people of the United States in managing this resource.
With its infrastructure complete, the streets, water and sewer systems of Branson Commerce Park were turned over to the City of Branson today. This 200-acre development on the north side of Branson is designed for commercial, light-industrial and residential development. In the photo, owner’s representative Phil Lopez and Branson mayor Raeanne Presley prepare to cut the ceremonial ribbon.
The original developer of Branson Commerce Park took advantage of Missouri’s Community Improvement District (CID) statutes to finance the installation of streets and water, sewer and underground telecommunication lines. Rather than install the infrastructure in phases, with years of construction traffic, the digging and disruption is over, except for what takes place on each lot. The CID program as used here does not involve the use of any taxpayer outlays or liability. However, a portion of the cost of installation of the infrastructure is allocated to each lot annually, collected with property taxes and remitted by Taney County to the trustee for the bondholders. The bondholders, through the purchase of the CID’s bonds, provided the construction money.
The Branson area is a popular destination for vacations and retirement, with not many private sector jobs outside these industries. Branson Commerce Park provides an ideal location for enterprises that support Branson’s extensive medical facilities and its many resorts, hotels and restaurants.
But there’s more. Because of its telecommunications infrastructure, Branson Commerce Park is a practical location for businesses that can be wherever there’s a good electronic link to the world. Entrepreneurs and employees who are attracted to the Ozarks may appreciate Branson Commerce Park’s proximity and easy access to residential neighborhoods, shopping, medical facilities, K-12 schools, and Branson’s RecPlex.
It’s hard to argue with a new bridge.
The view of the existing bridge between Branson and Hollister is now a historical relic. A new bridge is being constructed now, as you can see below. Once the new bridge is completed, the old bridge (built in 1931) will be closed for major repairs before reopening in a couple of years.
The $7.4 million new bridge project is being paid for largely by so-called stimulus funding, appropriated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The rehabilitation of the old bridge is is financed from an $4.8 million earmark arranged by Read the rest of this entry
This post has been removed because the Missouri Supreme Court’s opinion in City of Sullivan v. Sites overruled the Court of Appeals’ opinion in City of Sullivan v. Sites and affirmed the trial court’s decision upholding different tap fees for different parts of town.
Federal courts apply state law, but not state procedural rules. The long but clearly written opinion by the U. S. Court of Appeals in Cole v. Homier Distributing Company provides good examples of how federal courts apply state law, but use federal procedural rules to do so. Read the rest of this entry
You know the story. The City of Branson gives a great deal to a private business to create an attraction on the Taneycomo lakefront. A few years later, the City doesn’t think the deal is working well for the City. The political winds have changed. Now there’s a lawsuit. Here’s how it went down, more than a half-century ago.
Jim Owen–not to be confused with the singer–played a major role in putting Branson on the tourism map. A consummate promoter of float fishing on the James and White rivers and tourism and commerce in the Branson area, he was unstoppable. Born in Webster County, Missouri (east of Springfield), he came to Branson in 1933, already experienced with public relations.
Soon Jim had built a movie theatre and started a float fishing business that got national attention and was also a banker and farmer. Some fine person posted this promotional silent film of one of his trips (11 minutes long) Read the rest of this entry
