Nearly $1B in development could transform Branson area

The six-story, 262-room Silver Dollar City Resort is on track to open in late 2026, according to Brad Thomas, general manager and president of Silver Dollar City Attractions.

A Sept. 27 media tour of the property showed framing in place for the first three floors. SDC officials reported that a crew of 150 has poured more than 3,500 cubic yards of concrete and moved 400,000 cubic yards of earth in the past year. The resort is part of $500 million in planned investments at SDC over the next decade, officials have said.

It’s the leading edge of more development to follow in Branson, with a $400 million multiphase project announced in September in the vicinity of Gretna Road and Town and Country Drive. That project spans 136 acres and 17 parcels of land in the Branson Meadows area, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting, and is slated to include multifamily residential units, a Bible Encounter tourist attraction, tourist cabins, restaurants, a convenience store and a 200-room hotel.

The Branson Meadows news came Sept. 9 via approval by the Branson Board of Aldermen of a tax increment financing plan for the development proposed by Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Philcrest Properties Inc.

It’s a combined $900 million-plus investment for the Branson area, and that’s significant, said Matt Adkins, vice president and chief economic development officer with the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & and Convention and Visitors Bureau and Taney County Partnership

“The scale of investment is transformational,” he said via email. “It signals a serious shift in the region’s economic trajectory from a seasonal tourist destination to a more diversified, year-round economy.”

Adkins said the developments will touch multiple sectors.

“These projects will inject momentum into the construction, hospitality, retail and entertainment sectors and beyond,” he said.

For the area surrounding the developments, the impact will be year-round job creation, and with it greater demand for middle-income housing, public services and infrastructure. Adkins also foresees a boost in the regional tourism draw, positioning Branson as a competitive destination even beyond the summer months.

Asked if he thought the SDC development plans may have served as a catalyst for the Branson Meadows project, Thomas merely called it more good news.

“From Springfield down to Branson and all of 417, when something happens that’s good and positive, it’s good for all of us,” he said.

Adkins likewise offered no conjecture whether the SDC development played a part in the decision process for the Philcrest Properties project.

“The Silver Dollar City announcement set a tone of confidence in the Branson/Lakes area future,” he said. “When a legacy brand like SDC commits over half a billion dollars, it sends a clear signal to other developers and investors: This is a safe bet. This is a place where you want to invest.”

Adkins added that he expects more development to follow.

“With this level of investment – both SDC and the Branson Meadows project – we should expect interest from national hospitality brands, retail and restaurant chains, and developers looking to invest in housing, workforce solutions and even health care,” he said.

While Thomas expressed excitement over the resort taking shape at the SDC property, he noted that other developments throughout the region are also very important.

“I get excited about the remodeling of the Springfield-Branson National Airport, because that’s a good thing for all of us,” he said. “As they pour more runways and they get ready for strategic growth, that’s good for visitation in Branson.”

Similarly, Thomas said, he loves the fact that Interstate 44 is going to be widened to six lanes through Springfield.

“That’s good for Branson; that’s good for Springfield,” he said. “It’s good for all of us in southwest Missouri.”

Resort on track
Brandei Clifton, public relations manager for SDC, led the media tours of the resort construction site.

Clifton said Marvel Cave on the SDC grounds is the inspiration for the theme that will be in play at the entry point of the resort. Guests will cross a bridge over a stream as they enter the lobby, which will feature stonework and lanterns to light the way, she said.

The lobby will also feature a large stone fireplace and a four-story window facing Table Rock Lake, Clifton said.

Prior to the tour, Clifton highlighted some of the features that are planned:

• Family suites with bunk beds for kids
• Door-to-door transportation to Silver Dollar City
• Indoor and outdoor pools
• Cinnamon bread delivered to guest rooms

At the site, Thomas gestured toward the outdoor pool, planned for the space between the hotel and its view of the lake. He described it as a fun shape – “kind of meandering,” he said. 

The outdoor area will also include fire pits for guest use, he said, as well as trails and grottos.

Thomas pointed out that the accommodations will be flexible to accommodate families, couples or business guests. It will be open year-round, with meetings and special events, and when a festival is happening at the theme park, events at the resort will tie into it.

“The rooms are very family-friendly, but they’re also great for adult couples, because the kids’ space is separate from the couple’s space,” he said. “Whether you’re a family or if you’re an adult couple getting away for a Valentine weekend, then it can be an incredibly romantic experience.”

Thomas said he anticipates the resort will employ 250-300.

He noted the 17,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, plus a restaurant, would make the resort very business friendly.

“We’re basically 45 minutes from the southern tip of Springfield,” he said.

People staying nearby can head to the restaurant and enjoy it and also have a tour of the hotel, he said.

“It’s going to feel like the Ozarks,” he said. “There’ll be some comfort cooking, but there will also be some fun culinary treats, and of course cinnamon bread.”

While the project remains on target for its late 2026 opening, Thomas said there have been some delays.

“Taking down the mountain took longer than even we thought,” he said. “It puts some tightness to the schedule, but we’re getting there – and every time a steel beam comes up, that’s a really good thing.”

When SBJ first reported on the resort plans in October 2024, Andrew Wexler, CEO of Herschend Enterprises, parent company of SDC, put the cost of the resort at about $100 million, with another $400 million of investment planned in the 1,200 acres surrounding the resort and to the park itself.

The cost projection is now in the $115 million-$120 million range, Thomas said.

“Inflation, other cost pressures are certainly present all around us,” he said. “It’s a real deal.”

Pamela Yancey, president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB, said her organization is looking forward to partnering with the SDC team as the resort comes to fruition.

“Watching Silver Dollar City and the Herschend family make a large investment in their local community is very exciting for our team,” she said in an email. “Creating new things for visitors and locals to see and do while maintaining traditional Branson values is something Silver Dollar City does well, and we are confident that these projects follow the same heart.”

Supporting growth
Adkins said the real work begins as Branson prepares to accommodate the growth that is coming.

“Development doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” he said. “These projects bring hundreds of new jobs, but where will those workers live, how will they get to work and what services will they need?”

Adkins said an effort to provide affordable and attainable housing options must be accelerated, including both rental and ownership models.

He also said improved transit is needed between workforce communities and job centers.

“This includes expanded roadways, parking solutions and possibly even seasonal or permanent shuttle services,” he said.

The talent pipeline will need to be developed through collaborations with local schools, technical colleges and workforce boards, he said, with a focus on hospitality, trades and health care. Additionally, child care and health care are essential services that influence whether workers can live and work in the area year-round.

“This combined $900 million investment is about far more than physical infrastructure or a new resort,” he said. “It represents a pivotal opportunity for economic repositioning.”

He added that prioritizing workforce development, infrastructure and overall livability is essential.

“If the Branson/Lakes area can seize this moment, the region won’t just grow – it will evolve into a leading example of what a modern, resilient tourism economy can be: vibrant, diverse and thriving year-round,” he said.