The Branson Chamber of Commerce will be spending another $600,000 to compete with Branson Businesses in 2009 to siphon web traffic from Theaters and travel companies marketing on the Internet.
While television, radio and print campaigns create demand, the Branson Chamber of Commerce Internet strategy utilizes predatory methods to cannibalize web traffic that already exists.
The Branson Chamber of Commerce claims they're a private organization justified in building a small handful of businesses who've directly benefited from redistribution of traffic thwarting private enterprise. Two of the primary beneficiaries of the "regional marketing group" are members of the Board of Alderman.
Where The Branson Chamber gets their cash:
– Enhancement Tax $4,610,693 $3,921,933
– City of Branson Tax $2,050,000 $2,050,000
– Pubs Revenue $ 646,763 $ 640,673
– MO DIV Grant (Taney) $ 660,000 $ 460,000
– MO DIV Grant (Stone) $ 200,000 $ 0
– Web Revenue $ 100,000 $ 100,000
– Other Revenues $ 154,375 $ 328,000
The Branson Chamber of Commerce and Convention Visitors Bureau acknowledged efforts to control user generated digital communication during their second quarter presentation citing expenditures to quash Internet speech inconsistent with Branson Chamber Objectives.
Late Summer, the Branson Chamber of Commerce launched a hate campaign encouraging Google to censor the Branson Missouri Blog, utilizing a tax payer funded database, Lynn Berry of the Convention Visitors Bureau sent correspondence to hundreds of users asking members to fraudulently label "Branson Missouri" in order to meet an objective that couldn't have been met through scrupulous methods.
Though Google didn't comply with the demands of the Branson CVB's censorship attempts, the site was moved to the Missouri Netizen domain to avoid further economic damage.
The two members of the Branson Board of Alderman who are active members of the Branson Chamber have helped establish city funding policy and strategy for the Chamber of Commerce.
Branson Chamber of Commerce Board members have been active behind the scenes with campaign assistance for the two members who serve on the Board and are expected to help as Mayor Presley and Alderman Marshall seek re-election; however, the Branson Chamber of Commerce doesn't "formerly" endorse candidates.
Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley sat on the Branson Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors while serving the first part of her term as Mayor.
Though cash flow and purchased media assets flow from Branson Tax Coffers back into Branson City Council members businesses directly, neither of the city leaders have refrained from voting on expenditures to the organization.
Presley and Branson Chamber CEO Ross Summers have held dozens of "off the record meetings" since she took office. Alderman Stephen Marshall, who runs the Chataeu on the Lake is rumored to have received several no-bid contracts to host the organizations events.
