Do you want 12 month employment/economy

[JackPurvis]

Should our commmunity leaders (business and elected) be working to find solutions to the 10 month economy? Do you want or neeed 12 month business/employment?
MAKE it a great day

[Zach7777]

YES....We need and want a 12 month economy....and not necessarily all entertainment...if there are any manufacturing jobs left in the USA....a few of those would be good....

[onemobetta]

Originally Posted by JackPurvis

Should our commmunity leaders (business and elected) be working to find solutions to the 10 month economy? Do you want or neeed 12 month business/employment?
MAKE it a great day

Well, Jack a 12 month economy would fulfill many dreams of many people.

The hard working hourly and/or customer service people in town would have a full year of income which as another subject, needs to improve before employment levels can meet employer demands. When these folks are on tip income or hourly base pay and get laid off for 2 to 3 months, they just can't make it through on unemployment and shouldn't have to.

All businesses would benefit by it. Theatres included and if they want a "vacation" or relief, they can easily go dark for the desired time.

Higher income levels of the general employment population, from, hopefully higher wage base together with a longer income year, would serve to strengthen the overbuilt retail community we have now.

HOWEVER , having said that, there are a number of factors which really make that difficult to unlikely. First but not the least of which is the weather conditions in our area. If a family planning a vacation outing are considering January thru March, they have probably two considerations. If they like winter sports, they head to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah,etc. They can't count on anything approaching winter fun here. Secondly, if they prefer a true "southern atmosphere" as to beaches, etc., they will head to Florida, Vegas or the Caribbean etc. They cannot, once again, count on nice weather for their trip here.

The outdoor attractions, (writeLink(315712, 0, 0, 20908, "", "Do you want 12 month...", "03-21-2008", "07:50 PM", 1); writeLink(315718, 0, 0, 20438, "T", "YES....We need and want a 12...", "03-21-2008", "08:11 PM", 1); writeLink(315724, 0, 0, 20519, "T", "Well, Jack a 12 month economy...", "03-21-2008", "08:24 PM", 1); writeLink(315729, 0, 0, 16340, "I,T", "Guy,\n\nI remember when that...", "03-21-2008", "08:33 PM", 1); writeLink(315731, 0, 0, 20519, "I,I,L", "You are both right, Griz and...", "03-21-2008", "08:38 PM", 1); writeLink(315734, 0, 0, 16340, "I,I,1,L", "I tend to agree, however, one...", "03-21-2008", "08:43 PM", 1); writeLink(315742, 0, 0, 0, "I,I,2,L", "", "more", "", 1); writeLink(317074, 0, 0, 15898, "I,L", "One element that will pull...", "03-26-2008", "01:29 PM", 1); writeLink(316015, 0, 0, 14250, "L", "Isn't that how we got from an...", "03-23-2008", "03:22 AM", 1); writeLink(316074, 0, 0, 20438, "1,L", "I have gone back and read...", "03-23-2008", "01:09 PM", 1); etc. etc.) including the lakes areas and resorts are heavily impacted by this. They can not gear up these attractions only to shut them down every day or few days due to weather. It is not economically feasible to expect these attractions and resort type properties to risk capital on this type of move. It is nothing more than wishful thinking. It just doesn't work and people aren't looking to spend time in the outdoors in those types of attractions. The hoped for convention business will be effected by this, perhaps not in its entirety but certainly significantly by the "lack" of a full bore, active "Branson" in those winter months. The signature Branson attraction doesn't exist for a convention planner for the months of January, February and March either. During those months, essentially or largely because of weather, we don't have a "Branson" to sell, we have a very unique and nice small town with some shopping centers. How many of those exist?

There is a possible avenue which may serve to provide a more seamless approach to all of this. If Branson were also to attract a very light industrial and/or scientific- technical industry base which could or would attract and support professionals and advanced technical positions with good wage levels, its possible to elevate the family income factor to a comfortable level and interest the spouses or younger family members in the tourist employment areas. This would serve to level out the income factors facing the affordable housing element and smooth out the impact on the families from seasonal layoff.

The bottom line is there is no silver bullet for this subject. It is going to take strong planning and pursuit. This won't happen by cowtowing and rolling out the carpet to self interested developers. We need diligent non self interested steering on this issue with a strong, focused economic development staff and city administration which is above reproach.

[Grizzly]

Guy,

I remember when that was the answer we got when someone said " Can we expand from closing on Labor day until Christmas".....

And...


I remember when we could not even think about opening before Mothers Day.

And I rememebr hearing about everything being closed until Memorial Day.




.

[onemobetta]

You are both right, Griz and Mellie- What I referred to more than anything was the "perception" of the tourist in planning their time. They don't envision the "risk" of rain etc in the spring and fall but do in the winter. writeLink(315712, 0, 0, 20908, "", "Do you want 12 month...", "03-21-2008", "07:50 PM", 1); writeLink(315718, 0, 0, 20438, "T", "YES....We need and want a 12...", "03-21-2008", "08:11 PM", 1); writeLink(315724, 0, 0, 20519, "T", "Well, Jack a 12 month economy...", "03-21-2008", "08:24 PM", 1); writeLink(315729, 0, 0, 16340, "I,T", "Guy,\n\nI remember when that...", "03-21-2008", "08:33 PM", 1); writeLink(315731, 0, 0, 20519, "I,I,L", "You are both right, Griz and...", "03-21-2008", "08:38 PM", 1); writeLink(315734, 0, 0, 16340, "I,I,1,L", "I tend to agree, however, one...", "03-21-2008", "08:43 PM", 1); writeLink(315742, 0, 0, 0, "I,I,2,L", "", "more", "", 1); writeLink(317074, 0, 0, 15898, "I,L", "One element that will pull...", "03-26-2008", "01:29 PM", 1); writeLink(316015, 0, 0, 14250, "L", "Isn't that how we got from an...", "03-23-2008", "03:22 AM", 1); writeLink(316074, 0, 0, 20438, "1,L", "I have gone back and read...", "03-23-2008", "01:09 PM", 1); does well in December due to Christmas as do most everyone but we still have the theaters closing shop around the 13th of December. Theres exceptions of course.

The whole thing is perception as to those months. I don't know if marketing can overcome that "weather risk perception" or not. I wish it could and hope it can.
To support the town being "open" we do need very strong traffic or the vicious circle thing happens.

[Grizzly]

I tend to agree, however, one of the craziest things many of my retail tenants tell me is the number of tourists in February that complain about all the shows being closed. Now they came, but we were closed.... It's a chicken and egg thing again.

Retailers are open because for the most part we make them stay open. Landlords don't like closed signs on their shopping centers. They all seem to make a go of it. Especially these past two yeras.


.

[onemobetta]

Originally Posted by Grizzly

I tend to agree, however, one of the craziest things many of my retail tenants tell me is the number of tourists in February that complain about all the shows being closed. Now they came, but we were closed.... It's a chicken and egg thing again.

Retailers are open because for the most part we make them stay open. Landlords don't like closed signs on their shopping centers. They all seem to make a go of it. Especially these past two yeras.


.

It IS the chicken and the egg thing-I just don't see how we can overcome that.
The centers do contractually require open and I don't blame them a bit. But, again on the other hand the merchant, (especially the sole proprietor, ma and pa) howl understandably when they're paying rents in the down months, which of course they would have to pay anyway to keep the space and so on. Back to the chicken and the egg.

It is a very interesting subject and truthfully there is no one silver bullet.

[Crazy4Branson]

One element that will pull people in 24/7/365 is.......................a CASINO!

I'm not a gambler, but I do go to casinos for the world class entertainment that some of them have, here in Iowa, esp in the winter. I usually take along some of my family; gr kids swim, S & d.i.l do the spas, dine & a little gambling.

I took my little family to a fantastic Easter brunch last Sunday @ a casino nearby. Very nice &&&& they let the 3 gr ch 4,8,10 eat free; usual price for kids was 9.95 ea; adults 15.95.......nice favor.....

My point is, as we walked into the casino on Easter @ 11:30 a.m. there were people in there @ the machines & tables !!!!!!!

I know that the casino idea has been hashed & rehashed, but the places pull in the crowds year round.....

[TheOleSeagull]

Originally Posted by JackPurvis

Should our community leaders (business and elected) be working to find solutions to the 10 month economy?

Please tell the Ole Seagull that is a rhetorical question! In 2007 you call, what community leaders for years have referred to as “extending the season,” finding “solutions to the 10 month economy.” At least ever since the Ole Seagull has lived here, and that has been since 1986, community leaders, both elected and unelected have been working to extend the season. As a matter of fact without their efforts your question would be “Should our community leaders (business) and elected) be working to find solutions to the 8 month economy?”

Thanks to the efforts of a lot of people, Branson's season has expanded from the end of October, when writeLink(315712, 0, 0, 20908, "", "Do you want 12 month...", "03-21-2008", "07:50 PM", 1); writeLink(315718, 0, 0, 20438, "T", "YES....We need and want a 12...", "03-21-2008", "08:11 PM", 1); writeLink(315724, 0, 0, 20519, "T", "Well, Jack a 12 month economy...", "03-21-2008", "08:24 PM", 1); writeLink(315729, 0, 0, 16340, "I,T", "Guy,\n\nI remember when that...", "03-21-2008", "08:33 PM", 1); writeLink(315731, 0, 0, 20519, "I,I,L", "You are both right, Griz and...", "03-21-2008", "08:38 PM", 1); writeLink(315734, 0, 0, 16340, "I,I,1,L", "I tend to agree, however, one...", "03-21-2008", "08:43 PM", 1); writeLink(315742, 0, 0, 0, "I,I,2,L", "", "more", "", 1); writeLink(317074, 0, 0, 15898, "I,L", "One element that will pull...", "03-26-2008", "01:29 PM", 1); writeLink(316015, 0, 0, 14250, "L", "Isn't that how we got from an...", "03-23-2008", "03:22 AM", 1); writeLink(316074, 0, 0, 20438, "1,L", "I have gone back and read...", "03-23-2008", "01:09 PM", 1); closed, to the middle or end of December. Indeed some folks believe that the make it or break it months for a lot of businesses is that time frame. Even as this is being written there are many folks and businesses working to extend the season even farther, “Hot Winter Fun” is but one example.” For what it’s worth, in an Ole Seagull’s opinion, the obvious answer to your question is “Yes.”

[Zach7777]

I have gone back and read again Grizzly's comment about affordable housing and need to make sure we understand that perhaps he did NOT say exactly what I thot he said...what he says is there IS affordable housing and plenty of it, but we don't have it for those working 9 or 10 months and for low wages and no health benefits. So he is probably agreeing there is NO affordable housing.....I'm not really sure. And Grizzly I am not picking at what you said either....I may not quite understand what you were saying for sure. We NEED housing for those who are working those months and for those wages and I know you know that. In my area I have seen manufacutured homes listed for rent at unbelievable prices.....$500 and more PLUS utilities and I can promise you they are NOT worth that...falling apart and shouldnt even be lived in. I don't know what the answer is. With rising gas prices one can't afford to drive far to work either. Anyway I just wanted to clear up my misunderstanding of what Grizzly may have been saying. Also, Mellie, rent isn't changing..those quotes are still good!!

Originally Posted by Mellie

I'm sure it was a rhetorical question. Jack knows that we need a 12-month economy and he knows that he needs to work toward that...we've discussed it. I think he was just a little discouraged by those who told him, "Our theaters work so hard that they need a two month vacation"...

To those elected officials who believe that...give me a break! The vast majority of workers in Branson are not in the entertainment business, and we work just as hard (if not harder), and we need that 12-month paycheck. We don't need no stinking 2-month vacation!



Zach, I was not going to touch that comment by Grizzly, but I was thinking the same thing. Grizzly, you know I love you dearly, but if you hadn't pm'd me about our house showing up on the MLS, we may still be looking for something affordable. My husband and I make a fairly decent salary and have no children at home, but we could not find anything that we could afford...not anything that we would live in. I just don't know how people with families make it, after they pay rent. I listen to my co-workers telling about how they're going to have to move from their affordable apartments, because they've just witnessed one of their neighbors being busted for meth...one too many times. They don't want their kids to wake-up in the middle of the night, to the sounds of the police searching the apartment next door, and leading the occupants out, in handcuffs.

The average rent on a 2/3 bedroom house (that I found), was $1200 a month. There are not many people who can afford that. The ones under $1000 were trash. Maybe it's changing...I haven't looked for almost a year, now. I hope it's changing.