Branson Designer VJ Smith - Digital Design Blog

Sometimes you just want to look at pretty pictures. A couple of years ago I setup a photoblog which I'm now inspired to start posting to again. The Branson photoblog uses the monotone Wordpress theme. The format lets you navigate wholescreen photos/art with a click of a mouse. Each click moves to the previous blogpost in reverse chronological owner.
My newest blogdaughter VJ Smith specializes in business identity, corporate creative development and printing (unique business cards are her specialty). After experimenting with a variety of blog formats over the years, Smith has found solace on Duotone where she can breakout of corporate creative and share her experiments in digital design. .

You can view Smith's creative renderings at Digital Designer.

Titanic 4th Annual Ice Sculpture Contest (Photo)

Photo by : Laci Glassinger

Branson Slave Labor Scheme Foiled by Grand Jury

Branson's unemployment rate is the highest in the state during the off season peaking above 13% during the driest months.
Business takes a burst in April and Silver Dollar City's World Fest brings a healthy crop of foreign nationals in time for the tourist season to kick off.

Over the past few years an insurgence of foreign nationals from the former Soviet Union and satellite states ensures both poverty for the local population and cheap labor for many Branson businesses.

During the spring staffing firms negotiate with local businesses to provide cheap labor. The abundance of inexpensive motels helps subsidize these firms who contract with guaranteed minimum hours.

Even the most mundane jobs are filled before the summer heat brings swarms of tourists. Locking in the import of alien workers involves advertising in developing nations for bodies to fill seasonal demand.

The laborers often stay longer than their visas and fill other service industry jobs while in Branson.

A Federal Grand Jury indicted 12 in the Western District Court in Kansas City yesterday with charges including racketeering, marriage fraud, visa fraud to name a few.

The multi state operation cited two Branson area businesses that contracted for illegal labor. The two listed are Branson Creek and Pointe Royale. The full PDF file is posted on Branson Agent or can be accessed directly

"Human Trafficking PDF"Federal Grand Jury Indictment PDF

A few related stories on the topic:

Branson Real Politik 3 of 3

Race Relations When Mexicans and Russians Unite

Silver Dollar City Discontinues Ride the Duck Manufacturing Operations

Employees of Silver Dollar City's Ride the Ducks manufacturing and repair operations report they've received notice that the Branson based operation is being cut and the company is contracting with a company in Wichita.

Branson Commerce Park

Chalk one up for Mike Rankin Branson Commerce Park had their ribbon cutting this afternoon which is good news for my business and anyone else working in tech.

The 200 acre mixed-use facility is heavy handed with the latest in fiber optics. The intent is to bring new business to Branson and second to a thriving entertainment economy it's exactly what Branson needs.

As Hollister announces a pre-ordained move into entertainment Friday Oct. 19, 2007 Branson announces a move into the 21st century. Exciting times.

Technical infrastructure is the repeated message of economic prophets when they talk about why Branson is a bad investment for business owners.

Rankin's business strategy was to bring high paying tech jobs into Branson. This is good for three main reasons.

1. They pay well increasing value, money and demand for more valuable real estate in the area.

2. The worker they attract is fortunate enough to be the sole-bread winner of the family and the demographics lure larger families. Branson's demand for inexpensive labor can be met with teenagers and part-time jobs for stay at home moms.

3. ENVIRONMENT - These industries don't damage the environment! The beauty of the Ozarks is and has always been the number one attraction in Branson.

The Commerce Park is also the catlyst that is bringing natural gas to Branson residents as well lowering the cost of fuel for home-owners who currently rely on propane.

We often talk about CID's, NID's and TIF's. The Commerce park is another CID/NID which is a self-subsidizing means of providing the infrastructure and reduced-rent residential housing.

Gerken and Associates Open House Tomorrow

Gerken and Associates is having an open house and ribbon cutting tomorrow.

Ribbon cuttings happen so often an area newspaper decided to stop covering them. The sheer frequency and lack of return on investment for the paper provides little incentive.

Charlie Gerken never fails to attend ribbon cuttings - no matter how small or seemingly insignificant they appear. For the people establishing a business in our town - it's a very big deal.

As much support as Charlie's given just by showing up at every chance to celebrate new families taking a chance on Branson it's certain the event will be well attended.

Good times and good friends.

As for me, I've committed to attending as many of these as possible. It's a small token of support that means a lot.

Branson Merchants Agree - Socialist Economic Model - "Business Incubator" total failure

Downtown Branson merchants blame the Downtown Branson Mainstreet Association (DBMA) for a history of failed leadership, poor business models and alienation for the parties most interested in Downtown Branson's economic success - the merchants that make a living off downtown Branson's success.
At the top of the list of greatest failures and ludicrous business models that sucked public funds into the trashcan in the "Business Incubator." To some, the model was nice on paper, however the reality tells another story.
The "Business Incubator", a tool promoted by the White River Valley Historical Society's applies a socialist business approach. The government, in the two cases mentioned The WRVHS and the DMBA, purchase a business using tax payer dollars and give shelf space to merchants that otherwise wouldn't take the risk to invest in a business.
The paying merchants don't appreciate it because the limited supply of buyers is split and the business organization that is supposed to be supporting them ends up competing with them.
Eventually, the business's subsidized through the "Socialist Business Incubator Economic Model" are supposed to graduate to the free market model other downtown merchants and American society in general has to compete with.
The general idea is that business owners who are successful in selling merchandise while being subsidized by the state are likely to rent a business in the district later.
------
Unfortunately, the model has never graduated a merchant, but this hasn't stopped the utterly corrupt White River Historical Society from peddling the model further, including integrating the poor idea into Proposition A - their recent $90 million tax proposal - disguised as an economic development tax - which does nothing of the sort

Branson Chamber of Commerce to win huge powergrab

Last week I ventured into the Downtown Branson Main Street Association (DBMA) a psuedo-political government entity that was well funded through co-op programs until a move last week by the state stripping funds from both the DBMA and the Branson Veteran's Taskforce.
According to White River Valley Historical Society (WRVHS) Tax Lobbyist Donna Clevenger :

Taney and Stone county commissioners have until Nov. 1 to appoint a
destination marketing organization to administer tourism dollars if
they want the matching tourism funds from the state.

The change in the co-op program of the Missouri Division of Tourism
requires that the three organizations currently receiving state
tourism money cease operations and that those entities will no longer
be able to receive the matching reimbursement funds from the program.

According to the executive director of the Missouri Division of
Tourism, Blaine Leutkemeyer, the change will better use marketing
dollars from the state and eliminate the overlap of multiple groups
marketing spending money to market to the same advertising areas.

The total state funds available for the co-op program is $3,450,000
for the fiscal year of 2008.

The following year will have $3.8 million. Luetkemeyer said his office
is committed to help grow the program and he wanted to clarify at the
meeting that the program is not a grant. Whichever organization is
appointed by the county commissioners will use tax dollars generated
in Taney County, spend those dollars on promotions and advertisement,
then send documentation to the MDT for a 50 percent reimbursement.

Citizen reports confirm Ozark Mountain Newspaper Political Pundit and News Correspondent Gary Groman aka Ole Seagull attended the meeting. According to Clevenger the Branson Chamber of Commerce is the only entity that qualifies.

--------------
Can someone tell me what happened here?

Missouri Minimum Wage Increase - Is it Good for Servers ?

Missouri's Division of Labor standards issued a press release last week reminding business owners that minimum wate will increase 15 cents on January 1st 2008 from $6.50 to $6.65 per hour.

----Opinion----
When I first heard Missouri had a separate minimum wage for servers I was shocked. But the reality is most servers make their money off tips. Restaurants typically schedule servers based on a target percentage x's estimated sales.
Branson is relatively predictable due to the tourists cycles and an increase in hourly labor means most restaurants allocate less hours.
The increase in Branson restaurant labor cost means a lower quality of service for tourists and lower pay for Branson employees.

HCW Evergreen pulls out of Springfield hotel competition

By Matt Wagner of the Springfield Business Journal reported:

One of four firms negotiating with the city in hopes of gaining the exclusive right to build a four-star hotel and corporate office building in downtown Springfield has formally withdrawn its proposal, and another has been silent for weeks.

Rick Huffman, CEO of HCW Evergreen LLC, sent a letter dated Sept. 14 to City Manager Bob Cumley that outlined the Branson firm’s decision to withdraw from the field of developers interested in building on 1.7 acres between the Springfield Expo Center and Jordan Valley Car Park.

In the letter, Huffman stated that the decision to withdraw was based on two factors: BKD LLP accounting firm’s decision to relocate to the southwest corner of St. Louis Street and John Q. Hammons Parkway, and the restrictive conditions of John Q. Hammons’ long-term lease with the city to operate the expo center.

Rick Huffman stated several weeks ago that he wouldn't be pursing the project. The skyrise in Branson is another project that he won't be trying to build either.
He's been working on the Tulsa Landing and expanding a project in Phoenix.