Alternative Future #2 - Destination Branson - WOW, what an idea, we could become a destination. Yes ladies and gentlemen, it could happening spite of our wasteful Earth raping history. Let's take a look at what the experts tell us in this scenarios narrative:
Under this scenario, Branson becomes a national, potentially international, tourist destination as well as a destination for retirement. The City will strategically expand their tourism offerings to attract a broader demographic, will expand upon the markets with air service into the Branson Airport and will include a variety of new activities for visitors. To attract and give access to additional visitors, the City will have more extensive transportation offerings (i.e. Amtrak, Greyhoud, etc.). Branson will have off-Broadway shows, an aquarium, a multi-purpose arena, opera, theater, music festivals/events and will expand upon convention events. The City will be widely known for its indoor and outdoor recreational offerings and will continue to attract visitors from around the country for passive and active recreation (i.e. triathlons, fishing competitions, geocaching courses, hiking courses, wilderness training, bike races, sports tournaments, etc.).
I submit we were headed toward that "national, potentially international, tourist destination" before we elected to stop the momentum and take a breath. Now we learn it is a possible characteristic of one of our futures. COOL!!! "The City will strategically expand their tourism offerings", interesting statement. I for one did not think the City had any "tourism offerings". I thought private enterprise had "tourism offering" and the city had citizens. AND, how interesting that the city will expand upon it's markets with AIR SERVICE! Great idea! How about we attract a nationally known airline service by defaulting on our financial agreements with the newly developed Branson Airport. We can expand on the relationship we have with them by searching for loopholes in the simple performance agreement we signed. Then when a BIG airline tales over the small on we have servicing the area, we can send a strong message that they had better fly into another city and leave us alone.
Next this City of the future will somehow become so GREAT, that Amtrak will extend it rail service 3 or 4 hundred miles to add the tiny hamlet in the Ozarks, bypassing the metropolitan cities that have spent millions attempting to force them to bring service, but no worries, if we don't get Amtrak, we might get Greyhound.
Next we see a small window into but one of the ultimate motives behind this ludicrous exercise. The shift towards the ever so important "active recreation"... Se we will need to take private property away from some people because we need trails and parks and bike lanes and waterfronts to have all these huge profit centers operating in the City. OH!, and out of the corner of your eye, just behind the door left slightly ajar, notice the ever present danglies? The aquarium and the arena. More on those little tidbits later.
The character of the strip will be improved with incremental streetscape improvements including consistent, wider sidewalks, designated cross walks, a signage and identity system, benches, lighting, landscaping and the overhead power lines will be undergrounded. Property owners install landscape improvements to their private property that abuts the public right-of-way of Highway 76 in an effort to enhance the pedestrian experience. Any potential parking that may be lost as a result of these improvements may be ‘bought’ from a nearby, centralized parking bank
Aint' that a pretty picture? Wider sidewalks would not necessarily need to be on land owned by the government. I for one can not wait to see who is going to pay to have the power lines dropped underground. I will give you a hint... Not bigger than a bread box. That's right boys and girls, the electric company, after all it is a franchise and they will pass the cost along to you anyway. OR perhaps the City will simply wave their hands across the viewscape and the lines will burry themselves. I do want to commend the authors of this paragraph though, I did not think they realized that there was a "public right of way" I had the impression that they thought the city owned all the land.
Design guidelines that guide the development character of new buildings along the strip will help unify future construction and redevelopment. The visual clutter along the strip will be improved. Similarly, design guidelines for the downtown will preserve the historic character of the core area and will encourage similar architectural styles are applied to new construction. A rubber-tired trolley or bus that transports tourists from location to location along the strip and to the Landing will be in service. The trolley ride will be an activity in addition to an alternative transportation option. There will be directional signage that clearly demarcates and encourages the use of the alternate transportation routes to help alleviate traffic congestion.
ONE more try at a trolley on 76. GREAT. How about we just get a city bus or two and get the employees to work. Newsflash!!! most of these pedestrians are employees. Anyway, this begins the goosestep towards boredom. "Design guidelines" is the newspeak words for conformity. You're out of here Ripley and take a hike Hollywood Wax (By the way a hike will be much easier, see above). And let's review some other towns attempt to "preserve the historic character of the core area"..... the kids call it the DMZ in St. Louis, but hey, we got experts helping us.
Development and growth will occur within the City limits before growing outward. Vertically mixeduse districts/nodes will be concentrated around the intersection of major arterials and residential growth will be prioritized around parks. The City will make infill and redevelopment of underutilized properties a priority and will maximize the use of existing infrastructure.
Well, The first sentence is so inaccurate it is scary. NO, growth will happen elsewhere is the plain and simple truth. It will happen outside the city limits, where a land owner is still free to develop what the market wants and not what the experts think is right. Growth will occur in our competitor’s town, where the developers feel welcome.
Oh no, somebody forgot to tell the expert land planners that we do not allow vertical growth. But then again, it's not their fault, it is the paragraph that always gets put here. The City gets the full set of boilerplate in their three futures, no skimping.
Retirees and empty nesters will know Branson for its entertainment, activities and outdoor recreation. These characteristics will draw retirees from around the country, creating a larger local resident population. Retirees will move to Branson from economically challenged areas of the country.
Especially those longing for and reminiscing the good old days when you could visit Havana legally. Here they will be able to see government controlled landscaping, the bad man known as the entrepreneur will be gone and buildings will be closed, but hey, they will all look alike and have wide sidewalks to view them from through the slatted fences that surround them.
Soon, , , , Future number 3….
Special NOTE! : The City in their infinite wisdom will be voting on the annual budget Tuesday night ( the 9th of November) and it appears they will once again set in motion a plan to default on the Branson Airport contract. IF that is the plan, we can all forget about the Alternative Futures. This sends a message to the airline carriers. A clear and loud message. That being, “ You are not Welcome Here! “ Contact your aldermen and let them know they do not have to fall prey to one members loyalty to the competitor. Let them know we in the good town of Branson, we with our high morals and special values that are better then anyone else, think we should honor an agreement we made. You can remind them that it used to only take a handshake in this town to have a deal you could count on.
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