Disneyland Missouri?

[Robin]

I already firmly believe WDW has competes with DL for tourism. I think another park would compete with the existing parks as a destination.

Now Disney did mention they were interested in setting up mini-parks. My first thought, was that they wanted to add a presence to existing tourist Meccas. Branson would fit that idea.

Might the full park simply be a carrot dangled in front of planners, to get the road improvements Disney wants? Then they could build a mini-park, but keep the rights to expand.

What do you think? Could Disney add a third destination without drawing business from existing parks or would they need to rely on locals and guests already traveling to that area?


Walt Disney Company Linked To Project In Branson

Associated Press
4/22/2007

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) -- Could the Magic Kingdom be coming to southwest Missouri?

Speculation is increasing around Branson after a request for road improvements for a $1.1 billion theme park in Newton County.

Such rumors of the Walt Disney Company opening an attraction in Branson were common about a decade ago. But the recent road improvement request has county commissioners investigating whether Disney is involved in the theme park proposal made earlier this month.

A Springfield company called ARM Risk is behind the project.

An early proposal includes the purchase of about a thousand acres of land. A hundred acres would be set aside for the park, and construction would include six hotels, 95 shops, 27 rides, 12 stages and 18 restaurants.
Officials at Disney declined to comment on a possible theme park in Missouri.

The Disney link arose when commissioners noticed that two of the three ARM owners have offices in Burbank, California, and Lake Buena Vista, Florida -- the corporate offices of Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World Resort.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


ETA: Anyone else chuckling over the visual of county commissioners Googling the names to see verify a Disney rumor? :rofl:

[Frogman]

I think that depends what they define as a "mini-park". I don't think they can support a full feldge Disney park AND keep attendance as high as they currently do at the others. They could easily make it a weekend destination, after all that is how the roller coaster parks survive. I am not too sure what they plan to do in the winters though. DL and WDW enjoy year round crowds due to weather. I don't see locals or tourists spending much time in a park that is below freezing.

[MissBianca]

Universal also has parks in CA and FL (although not Lake Buena Vista, I guess). Very interesting. That's a huge committment. Keep us posted!

[Moley]

That is so doable a park for us! :minnie: I would still want to travel to WDW, too, though.

[roodad]

I am not too sure what they plan to do in the winters though. DL and WDW enjoy year round crowds due to weather. I don't see locals or tourists spending much time in a park that is below freezing.

Although it would be an easy drive from here and the Splash Mt theming would certainly fit Branson, I am just not feeling the love for something called "Splash and Freeze your Butt to the Log Mountain."

[Robin]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say about Universal?

USH is their original film studio. One of the things I really like about it, is you can see things like the real Psycho house. A must do, is the studio tram tour. I'm sure MGM's was a copy of the Universal tour, except it has no history.

Back in the 20's the studio charged people to watch them film movies. Once 'talkies' became popular the studio evolved to include the park. USF is a themepark based on the original and is Universal's attempt to cash in on the tourism industry in Orlando, just like every other 'attraction' built after Disney World became a hit.

[Rosebud]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say about Universal?
I think MissB's point was, that perhaps those two ARM owners are connected with Universal and not Disney as the rumor suggested. I could have misunderstood her though.

[Robin]

Actually USH, is in Universal City, sort of like the Reedy Creek Improvment district. It's near Burbank, but is associated with North Hollywood instead.

The addresses mentioned in another article (on the DIS) gave 'Disney' addresses, such as Buena Vista, one of the streets that borders the Disney Studio.

[Robin]

Joplin has more details. Interesting. It doesn't sound like the land has been already bought, and rumors like this would bring up prices. :confused:


Officials cautious about approach involving possible theme park w/ ARM Risk's registration with the Missouri Secretary of State and related documents.


From staff reports
news@joplinglobe.com

Word that a Disney-scale theme park is coming to the area is going around again.

There is a variation on the theme this time — Newton County instead of more rural McDonald County — but the reaction of local government and business officials ranges from caution to skepticism.

A land-acquisition company that recently sent a representative to meet with the Newton County commissioners has identified property in the Redings Mill area for a possible park, according to Jerry Carter, presiding commissioner.

An address listed on a document that the company filed with the Missouri secretary of state’s office is also the address listed for the corporate offices of Walt Disney Co.

Carter said a man named Todd Marshall, representing ARM Risk, visited the County Commission late last week to ask about roads south of the Redings Mill area in connection with a potential theme park.

Carter said he referred Marshall to the Joplin Special Road District and to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Robert Brown, listed as one of three principals with ARM Risk, according to papers filed March 16 with the Missouri secretary of state, said when contacted by phone Wednesday: “Our main job is land acquisition. ARM was put together for this land-acquisition deal, and it has no other purpose.”

ARM Risk has a Springfield address on the state document.

Brown said the proposed park initially would have 95 shops, 27 rides, 12 stages, and 18 restaurants and eateries. The proposal would include 1,000 acres of land, with the first phase to be completed in two years on 100 acres of that land. The proximity of two U.S. highways is a factor in the site selection, Brown said.

“They are looking at employing about 1,200 full-time people and about 6,000 seasonal workers,” Brown said. Parking capacity would be 9,000 vehicles, he said.

But even Brown cautioned that nothing is final. “It is still definitely just a proposal,” he said.

“I think the second phase is additional parking, additional hotels,” he said.

He would not identify the name of the company that is interested in the area for a theme park. When asked if it was related to Silver Dollar City or to Hard Rock International, which is building a Hard Rock Park in South Carolina, he said “no.”

Asked about Disney, which has been the subject of rumors for years in Southwest Missouri, Brown said, “I can’t release that.”

Asked if he or others with ARM have ever done work for Disney, he said, “I can’t really comment on that.”

Brown would only say that the project involves a “family-oriented” theme park that is privately owned.

Brown, however, listed an address on the filing with the Missouri secretary of state’s office as 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA. That also is given as the address for Walt Disney Co. Another address listed on the filing is that of Jason Johnson, who gives his address as “Corporate Office” in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Lake Buena Vista is the address for numerous Disney properties.

Asked when the name of the theme-park company would be released, Brown said that would be announced with a groundbreaking ceremony if the proposal goes forward.

Asked if the company has identified sellers, Brown said ARM is working with Charles Burt Realtors in Joplin, and he specifically mentioned Allyn Burt.

Burt said Wednesday that he was contacted several weeks ago to put together the land in an area south of Joplin. He stressed that the buyers are “flexible” in terms of the location.

“We were very skeptical, not knowing how real this was,” he said. “We have been working on it, trying to get the majority (of property owners). We have not accomplished that.”

He said ARM has been “very quiet” about who it represents, and he noted that rumors about theme parks have circulated around the region for a long time.

“That’s kind of the reason we are skeptical,” he said.

So far, Burt said, his efforts have turned up some “tough ones” and some “pretty good ones” regarding property owners willing to sell.

“We can’t say it’s definite because they have told us it’s not,” he said. “We are hopeful, but a lot has to happen.”

Asked whether the company is having any luck finding sellers in the region, Brown said, “Everyone has been really cooperative.”

Several residents in the Redings Mill area, specifically along Douglas Fir Road, said Wednesday that they recently had been approached about selling their properties, but none suggested that any transactions had been completed.

Gib Garrow, director of economic development for Neosho, said he also has heard the rumors about a theme park in the area, but nothing official.

“Two months ago, it was NASCAR. Now, it’s Disney World,” Garrow said of the talk surrounding Newton County property.

Garrow said he has not been approached about any potential theme-park project, but that he probably wouldn’t be because in projects that big, information is kept to a minimum in an effort to keep land prices from increasing.

Asked what he thought of the proposal, Carter, the Newton County commissioner, said the county needs to be cautious and “just take it one step at a time.”

“These things,” Carter said, “have significant impact, and it is very important for the citizens of Newton County that we watch this carefully, and that we report any information we receive thoroughly and timely.”

No response

A phone message left Wednesday with the media relations department at Walt Disney Co. offices in Burbank, Calif., was not returned.


The Joplin Globe seems to be the one following the stores the closest.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/neosho_newton_mcdonald%20county/local_story_109000418.html?keyword=topstory

[roodad]

I could be totally wrong about this, but this effort at "hiding" the identity of the purported developer seems so clumsy and seems to so obviously point to Disney ivolvement that I'm smellin' a scam. Maybe some folks with property interests in the area are trying to drive up land prices.

[BriarRose]

That is my home town! I'd be thrilled! I grew up in Joplin, MO Newton county Missouri and went to college in Springfield MO!

If it is true it would be great for the area as it tends to be a low income community.

[Robin]

They've filed government papers, so it would be easy enough to trace these guys back to the corporate offices.

Random thoughts...

Disney already owns the land, so sending prices up don't matter.

They've 'accidentally' let it slip to see if the county tries to woo them. It makes for better local PR if they are offer concessions rather than ask for them.

After the fiasco when they attempted to build a park in Virginia, they are testing to see how welcome they are to the neighborhood.

If it's not Disney, or Disney employees behind this company, someone's going to be in a lot of trouble for trying to impersonate them. If it is Disney, they've shown their hand on purpose.

I'll be curious to see what the various Disney bloggers think.

[Robin]

BR, how close is that area to Branson and it's tourist area? Does it seem close enough that they could lure people over for a day or more?

Being low income would not only probably mean low land prices, but also a large pool from which to hire staff for the resort/park.

[BriarRose]

It is about 30 minutes to Branson the back way. It is very hilly and hairpin curves which would explain the need for road improvements.

It is beautiful area with lots of trees. As a matter of fact my family has quite a bit of land that direction.

[roodad]

The second article indicates that the folks ARM represents are "flexible about location" and that while some folks have been approached, no transactions have been completed, so I don't think Disney owns the land yet. It would be easy to set up an intermediary corporation to hide disney's involvement until development begins, so that is why I described the process as clumsy.

[Robin]

I wouldn't put it past Disney to have a few cards still up their sleeves. They could have another fake company acquiring land.

I'm not sure what it means, but ARM is a type of risk management.

[Robin]

I love a good mystery.


Disney rumor reignited
Newton County officials told of possible theme park plans.

Kathryn Buckstaff
News-Leader

A request for road improvements for a $1.1 billion theme park in Newton County has led to new speculation about the Walt Disney Co.'s interest in southwest Missouri.

Rumors that a Disney attraction was coming to Branson were rampant in the mid-1990s. Now, Newton County Commissioners are investigating whether Disney could be linked to a theme park proposal made earlier this month.

Jerry Carter, Newton County Presiding Commissioner, said the notion arose after Todd Marshall, who said he represented a Springfield company called ARM Risk, attended the April 12 commissioners' meeting. Carter asked about changes on county roads leading to the location the company is considering for a theme park.

A list of specifications Marshall gave the commissioners included first-phase construction costs of $1.1 billion, land purchases of 1,000 acres with the park taking 100 acres, six hotels, 95 shops, 27 rides, 12 stages and 18 restaurants.

"We want to be cautious and careful," Carter said. "We live in an opportunistic world and sometimes things come along we can't even conceive of."

A possible Disney connection was raised when commissioners checked the company owners. On a form called "Registration of Fictitious Name" filed with the Missouri Secretary of State's office in March for ARM Risk, three owners are listed. Corporations routinely file such forms.

The owners are Michael Hill of Wilmington, Del.; Robert Brown, who lists his address as 500 South Buena Vista St., Burbank, Calif.; and Jason Johnson, who lists his address as Corporate Office, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

On the Internet, commissioners found that the Burbank address is corporate headquarters of the Walt Disney Co. Lake Buena Vista, Fla., is headquarters of Walt Disney World Resort.

Officials at Disney headquarters in Burbank said the company would not comment on the matter.

The secretary of state's office has only an administrative role in filing business registrations, said communications assistant Ryan Hobart.
When someone signs the registration, he or she is legally bound to give correct information, Hobart said.

ARM Risk's address is listed as 1926 S. Glenstone Ave., Suite 353, Springfield, on the registration.

Todd Marshall could not be reached for comment. No phone listing could be obtained for ARM Risk.

Carter, who is 71, is a Newton County native. He said that such a project would forever change the county. The area where the company is seeking to buy land is mostly small acreage and some farms of 60 to 100 acres, Carter said. It is in the southwest quadrant of the junction of U.S. 71 and Interstate 44.

Some residents would be interested in the project, and some wouldn't, he predicted.

"We're right between two of the largest growth areas in southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas, so we are becoming accustomed to shock here," Carter said. Just to the south is the Bentonville area and to the north is Joplin.

"It'll never be what it used to be."

In Branson, Herschend Family Entertainment spokes- woman Lisa Rau said they had not heard of the plans. The company owns the Silver Dollar City and Celebration City theme parks and other attractions.

Ross Summers, director of the Branson Lakes/Area Chamber of Commerce, said he also had heard of no such plans by Disney.

"These Disney rumors have floated around here for as long as I can remember," Summers said.

Developer Glenn Patch heard lots of Disney rumors after he purchased 7,000 acres of land just south of Hollister in the early '90s. His land is now the site of two golf courses, upscale homes and a commercial airport in development.

"When I was first coming here, I thought about painting a pair of black ears on my plane just for the fun of it," Patch said.


http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070421/NEWS02/704210360/1007/NEWS01

[Robin]

Hmm, the bottom of the document says Atlas Risk. Didn't Atlas hold up the world? :lol:

http://www.sos.mo.gov/imaging/16263702.pdf

[BriarRose]

Okay that specific quadrant is just to the south of the corner of the highway where the Precious Moments Chapel is located!

It is actually the beginning of a small community called Diamond MO just south of Carthage and NE of Joplin. It is about 30 to 40 minutes from Springfield. Springfield is about 30 minutes north of Branson!

Very interesting - I need to call my cousins :D

[Robin]

Rumored Disney park 'shenanigans'

http://www.news-leader.com/graphics/pixelclear.gif
Kathryn Buckstaff
News-Leader
April 24, 2007

http://www.news-leader.com/graphics/pixelclear.gif
Neosho — People in rural Newton County will have to forget, at least for now, the prospect of selling their land for big bucks to the Walt Disney Co.

After rumors flew last week that Disney was planning to build a $1.1 billion theme park in the area, Presiding Commissioner Jerry Carter got the word Monday that, as he put it, it's "shenanigans."

"I just talked to the vice president of public affairs for Disney, and she said there's nothing to it," Carter said.

Carter said Disney officials didn't recognize the names of any of the three owners of ARM Risk, the company supposedly working to assemble the 1,000 acres of land.

"(Disney) can say absolutely that they're not involved in Newton County or in southwest Missouri," Carter said.

Two weeks ago, Todd Marshall, who said he represented ARM Risk, attended a Board of Commissioners meeting to ask about making changes to rural roads leading to the site of a planned theme park. Marshall did not identify who would develop such a park. But when commissioners checked addresses on ARM Risk's registration with the Missouri Secretary of State's office, two of the three addresses were those of Disney corporate headquarters in Burbank, Calif., and Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Also, the business address listed on the registration form is 1826 S. Glenstone Ave., Springfield, Suite 353. That address is the site of a UPS store with a mailbox numbered 353.

And lending an odd touch, the name of one of the company's owners is registered as Robert Brown. While it may be a common name, it also is the name of the deceased first husband of Walt Disney's daughter, Sharon Disney. That Robert Brown died in 1967.

Carter said he's perplexed by the events.

"It's amazing the number of people who have called with the thought of their land going up in value. We're calling the attorney general's office."
Robert Fougere, press secretary for the Missouri Attorney General's office, said he couldn't yet say whether the events will come under scrutiny by that office.

"We certainly would be interested to hear if someone has complaints," Fougere said.

While Marshall gave commissioners a toll-free number, repeated calls yielded a busy signal. Also, e-mail to the address he gave commissioners was not returned.

"It doesn't smell right," said Steve Critchfield, a commercial real estate broker in Branson. If Disney were seeking property, "they would never be this public if they didn't control all the land they needed."

"It would happen before we'd hear anything about it," Critchfield said.
Despite rumors, there's never been any sign of Disney interest in the Branson area, he said.

Jim Hill, a New Hampshire resident, has been writing about Disney for 25 years. He makes his living from his Disney-related Web site.

"It's a cruel prank," he said. "The history of the Disney Company is that they're incredibly careful about this stuff."

According to a timeline of the Disney Co., in 1964, Disney attorney Robert Foster began to purchase land in Florida. To keep his identity secret, he used an assumed name. Among the property was 12,400 acres owned by three Orlando home builders that he bought for $145 an acre.

However, Disney officials have begun exploring expansion by building stand-alone Disney-branded businesses such as resort hotels and water parks because travelers go to major theme parks only once every four years, according to minutes of a report by Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

In February, Rasulo said Disney is thinking about developing themed hotels that could be built in large cities that already are tourist draws. Disney also is contemplating "niche theme parks" and water parks in other cities, Rasulo said.

"Our relationships with millions of families will enable us to expand to new businesses and new markets," Rasulo said. "We will never stop dreaming." "The irony is that Branson would probably be great turf for Disney," Hill said.


http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS01/704240365

[Moley]

I like that. Shenanigans. We need a shenanigans smiley to update Rumor Mill threads.

[Photographer]

Oooh can I go to my local town meeting and say I may or may not be with Disney too? Of course around here someone will recognize me. Darn it.

[Robin]

Oooh can I go to my local town meeting and say I may or may not be with Disney too? Of course around here someone will recognize me. Darn it.

Though I wonder if they are in legal trouble for finally false information on a government form?

I really amazes me they went to the trouble of showing up at the orginal meeting. 'Guess they can't show their faces in town again. :lol: Did they really think just implying they were Disney would be enough to get road upgrades pushed through without any further effort?