Re: Branson, MO

Hi,

People "banking" on Branson, MO should consider the failings of a number of
resort towns from times past.  One that I'm familiar with is Mineral Wells
TX, now a sleepy little town west of Ft. Worth that shows little trace of
the hopes and dreams invested in it save an abandoned 25 (+-) luxury hotel
sitting in the middle of town.
There are differences between Branson and Mineral Wells: Mineral Wells'
target market was a more elite crowd (in its hey day Mae West held court
there) and the primary draw was a "natural" one (mineral baths in a sort of
wild west setting) rather than the sort of museum of americana Branson
seems to offer.

Mineral Wells seems to have died as a resort destination because of:
a) the depression.
b) the falling out of fashion of "taking waters" as a health/fitness
method.
c) the end of the primacy of rail travel and the advent of long distance
automobile and air travel.  (Mineral Wells is on the prmary east/west rail
line but was bypassed by highways and is/was nowhere near an airbase or
major airport.

It was the thought of Branson as a ruin that made me think of MWells.  If
anyone is ever near that section of the country I would highly recommend a
stop there to see what must be the smallest town (pop. 5-10 grand?),
unfettered by any sort of geographical limitation (very much a prairie/hill
country landscape, no surface body of water) with a 25 story building at
its center.  Beautiful, abandoned resort hotel with ballrooms, deco diner,
3rd story promenades, etc. All left with little change made since their
closure in the 1950's (?).  No freeze/thaw there to destroy the masonry
structure and ornament.

Maybe Branson could be left to such a fate eventually?
Maybe not because MWells can't afford to tear down this massive brick
building but the value engineered architecture of Branson will require much
less effort to remove once its time has gone.
Imagine what would be left of 42nd Street if it had been made up of Butler
buildings and Dryvit rather than brick and terra cotta.

Then again look at what's happening to old Shanghai.

Brian