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'''Branson''' is a small town in the Ozark mountains in southwest Missouri, famous as a major tourism center featuring clean entertainment with a Christian tone. The full-time population of 6400 operates over 50 live theaters, together with supporting restaurants, motels and museums. A major new airport opens in spring 2009, making the site more accessible to distant visitors.
'''Branson''' is a small town in the Ozark mountains in southwest Missouri, famous as a major tourism center featuring clean entertainment with a Christian tone. The full-time population of 7500 in the town, and 70,000 in the two-county area, operates over 40 live theaters, together with supporting 400 restaurants with 35,000 seats, and 200 motels with 18,000 rooms. Thousands of city folk have summer cabins in the area, and retirement homes are growing. A major new airport opens in spring 2009, making the site more accessible to distant visitors.
Branson's three lakes and amusement park, Silver Dollar City, began attracting visitors in the 1950s-1960s, the city emerged in the 1980s as the country music perfomance capital, second perhaps only to Nashville. As a country music center, Branson evolved through three stages of development: use of local talent, introduction of nationally recognized veteran performers, and an infusion of a younger generation of stars. For the country music artist, Branson provides a music setting historically associated with traditional country music, an opportunity to perform on a regular basis in a permanent location, cultural and physical landscapes ideally suited for establishment of residence, and investment possibilities. For the country music fan, Branson's advantages over Nashville, Tennessee, include low-cost, family entertainment clustered in one area, multiple theaters with greater seating capacities, and additional tourist-oriented amenities.<ref> George O. Carney, "Branson: The New Mecca of Country Music." ''Journal of Cultural Geography'' 1994 14(2): 17-32. 0887-3631 </ref>
Branson's three lakes and amusement park, Silver Dollar City, began attracting visitors in the 1950s-1960s, the city emerged in the 1980s as the country music perfomance capital, second perhaps only to Nashville. Branson Landing opened in 2005, an enormous new downtown lakefront development. The mixed-use complex features a multi-purpose convention center with adjoining 300-room hotel and an 80-acre retail shopping and restaurant district – all located on scenic Lake Taneycomo.
==Tourists==
By 1998 more than six million visitors came annually, and in 2005 over 8 million; despite its small size it ranks 16th among all overnight leisure destinations in the United States. Tourists spend about $1.5 billion a year, and growth continues apace. The town attracts regional conferences and conventions, and is a favorite for church groups. A geographical profile of Branson visitors shows: 11% come from a radius of 100 miles; 22% from 101-300 miles; and 67% from 301+ miles. The top three motivations for coming are entertainment and shows, theme parks, and shopping. The average family income of the visitor is $55,186; the average age is 57, indicating a strong appeal to an older audience. Although there are activities available for children, it is not Disneyland.
==Entertainment industry==
Branson host 45 music theaters with seating for 75 to 4,000 people. The town's 56,000 theater seats compares to the 45,000 seats on Broadway. The variety of musical offerings includes country, pop, gospel, bluegrass, western, rock n roll, classical jazz and Broadway. Vaudeville is represented by comedy, magic and variety shows. Each theater hosts from one to three different shows daily. Collectively, they host more than 80 shows and offer live entertainment from early morning until late evening.
As a country music center, Branson evolved through three stages of development: use of local talent, introduction of nationally recognized veteran performers, and an infusion of a younger generation of stars. For the country music artist, Branson provides a music setting historically associated with traditional country music, an opportunity to perform on a regular basis in a permanent location, cultural and physical landscapes ideally suited for establishment of residence, and investment possibilities. For the country music fan, Branson's advantages over Nashville, Tennessee, include low-cost, family entertainment clustered in one area, multiple theaters with greater seating capacities, and additional tourist-oriented amenities.<ref> George O. Carney, "Branson: The New Mecca of Country Music." ''Journal of Cultural Geography'' 1994 14(2): 17-32. 0887-3631 </ref>
Branson has remained ethnically and religiously homogeneous and has used its image as a simple and safe country town with strong family values to attract increasing number of tourists. There is little liquor and no casinos or off-color venues.<ref> Jerry Rodnitzky, "Back To Branson: Normalcy and Nostalgia in the Ozarks." ''Southern Cultures'' 2002 8(2): 97-105. 1068-8218 </ref> Branson entrepreneurs wove Christian sentiment into a fabric of nostalgia, romantic traditionalism, and whitewashed rusticity that downplays the extreme hardships of mountain life and plays up 21st century family values.
Branson has remained ethnically and religiously homogeneous and has used its image as a simple and safe country town with strong family values to attract increasing number of tourists. There is little liquor and no casinos or off-color venues.<ref> Jerry Rodnitzky, "Back To Branson: Normalcy and Nostalgia in the Ozarks." ''Southern Cultures'' 2002 8(2): 97-105. 1068-8218 </ref> Branson entrepreneurs wove Christian sentiment into a fabric of nostalgia, romantic traditionalism, and whitewashed rusticity that downplays the extreme hardships of mountain life and plays up 21st century family values.
==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.bransontourismcenter.com/bransonarticle87.htm Banson business profile]
* [http://www.oldmatt.com/ Shepherd of the Hills website]
* [http://www.oldmatt.com/ Shepherd of the Hills website]