Branson News Guide

One of the most popular and distinctive bands in the world will add some sizzle to Branson’s Hot Winter Fun season in March. Welk-Sullivan Productions announced today that Three Dog Night will perform at the Welk Resort Theatre in Branson at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5.

Huge hit singles and albums along with sold-out concerts established Three Dog Night as the most popular American group in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. From 1969 through 1974, no other group had more Top 10 hits, moved more records or sold more concert tickets. Their list of hits includes Mama Told Me Not To Come, Joy To The World, Black and White, Shambala, Easy To Be Hard, An Old Fashioned Love Song, The Show Must Go On, One, Never Been To Spain and more.

Three Dog Night has 21 consecutive Top-40 hits, 18 straight Top-20 hits, 11-Top 10 hits, three #1 pop singles, 7 million-selling singles and 12 straight gold albums. They recorded music of the best and mostly undiscovered new songwriters of their time including Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman, Elton John, Laura Nyro, Paul Williams, Hoyt Axton and others. The group’s eclectic taste, combined with their ability to recognize and record hits in a distinctive and appealing style, resulted in Three Dog Night dominating best-selling charts for years.

“Three Dog Night’s success came not only in record sales and radio,” said Joe Sullivan, Executive Producer of Welk-Sullivan Productions. “Three Dog Night is known for their live performances and that’s the experience we’re bringing to Branson. Audiences are in for a real treat when Three Dog Night performs their classic rock/pop music in the intimate, elegant setting of Branson’s Welk Resort Theatre,” he said.

Three Dog Night’s signature sound features founding members Cory Wells and Danny Hutton on lead vocals, as well as original keyboardist Jimmy Greenspoon and guitarist Michael Allsup. Completing the lineup are Paul Kingery on bass and vocals and Pat Bautz on drums.

Welk Champagne Theatre and Resort opened in 1994. The destination resort complex includes a 160-room hotel, the Stage Door Restaurant & Lounge, a miniature golf course, swimming pool, game room and other amenities. The 2,245-seat theatre near Table Rock Lake has been home to The Lawrence Welk Show since 1994.

In 2003 the theatre was renamed The Welk Resort Theatre. A new alliance announced in October 2003 united the Welk Resort Group and SullivanShows in a venture designed to bring a vast array of new shows to Branson. Welk-Sullivan Productions has operated, managed and marketed the Welk Resort Theatre in Branson since January 1, 2004.

The theater’s 2005 entertainment lineup includes three seasons of Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers – new spring shows, Together Again with Pam Tillis in the fall and Celebrating Christmas 2005 with The Lennon Sisters; an expanded, 8-month schedule for Darren Romeo, the first and only protégé of Siegfried & Roy; The Lowe Family of Utah; and special events such as the Three Dog Night Concert. The complex is also the site for the 13th Annual BransonFest in April.

Ronnie Prophet has just announced he has signed with country music legend George Jones to tour with the entertainer September 22 through November 6, 2005. “I worked with George in 1996 and am really looking forward to the tour coming up this fall,” Prophet said.

This news coincides with the announcement that Ronnie and his wife Glory-Anne will be on stage with their Down Home Country & Christmas Show at the New Shanghai Theatre in November and December 2005.

Down Home Country & Christmas opens November 10, 2005. The New Shanghai Theatre is home to the Acrobats of China featuring the New Shanghai Circus. The beautiful new 900-seat theater is located at 645 Hwy. 165, south of Stone Hill Winery.

Ronnie Prophet is an accomplished “finger style” guitar player and has had two Gold Albums. Prophet’s newest CD, Prophet Pickin’, has just been released. The CD includes Chet Atkins-style songs as well as songs written by Ronnie Prophet. One of his songs has been picked up by a Nashville publishing house and put on hold for an upcoming television project.

Originally from Canada, Prophet has been named Canadian Entertainer of the Year and Duo of the Year with his wife and singing partner Glory-Anne. Both are now United States citizens. Ronnie and Glory-Anne are veterans of their own television shows and Ronnie had a popular show in Nashville’s famed Printer’s alley, the Ronnie Prophet Carousel Club. They have been performing in Branson since 1997.

Ronnie & Glory-Anne said, “We’ve lived and traveled all over, and here in Branson we really feel we are ‘back home’!”

Chamber To Offer Branding Strategy Workshop January 27 & 28

With several qualified agencies vying for the opportunity to create a new advertising approach for the Branson/Lakes Area, leadership of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB is announcing their choice for the 2005 branding and advertising campaign. The nationally-respected Kuhn & Wittenborn of Kansas City was selected based on their experience, their proven commitment to research-based campaigns and their overall industry track record.

“They understand where we’re going and what we’re trying to achieve,” said Ross Summers, president and CEO of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber & CVB. “That was clear during the selection process when they showed genuine interest in our branding campaign and expressed strong support for the branding study, saying it was a great foundation upon which to build a creative campaign. They also conducted their own focus groups and preliminary research to enhance their knowledge of our product.”

Selected by Chamber members and staff, Kuhn & Wittenborn (K & W) will now lead the second phase of the branding campaign initiative.* K & W’s client log includes work with Sprint, Microsoft and Crown Center Corporation, which owns Hallmark. Destination and tourism marketing is also key to their resume having headed up work with the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City, the Kansas Speedway, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Worlds of Fun/Oceans of Fun, and the Kansas City Zoo.

“With the support from our community, our members and our city, we are confident that K & W will help us achieve our long-term goal of seeing first time visitation numbers increase,” said Summers.

K & W is the 2003 recipient of the American Business Ethics Award, recognizing the agency’s commitment to ethical practices in their everyday operation and philosophies.

Branding Workshops Offered

Chamber officials say while K & W works on creative concepts for 2005, area businesses can learn about incorporating branding strategies into their own marketing and advertising campaigns during community branding sessions presented by the Chamber’s vice president of marketing and public relations, Dan Lennon and brand marketing consultant, Linda Antus.

The free public sessions will help area businesses understand the Chamber’s recent branding research findings, interpret the branding study’s recommendations for targeting new visitors, and be updated on the Chamber’s brand advertising campaign.

POWDER KEG LAUNCHES RIDERS FROM 0-53 MPH IN 2.8 SECONDS

Silver Dollar City blasts into 2005 with a new explosive-launch roller coaster, Powder Keg; a new Bluegrass & BBQ festival combining the hot sounds of American bluegrass music with an all-American favorite food; and a new Salute to the American Cowboy within the Festival of American Music & Crafts. New for Kids’ Fest, “Newton’s Revenge” is a live show that explores the zany side of science, and the “Purina Dog Team Challenge” presents world-champion Frisbee-catching dogs in amazing team competitions. Throughout the season, the 1880s-style theme park features music and entertainment, demonstrating craftsmen, themed rides and foods from festival specialties to home-cooked feasts.

Opening in Spring, the new $10 million roller coaster Powder Keg sends riders into a thrill zone within seconds of climbing aboard, launching riders from 0 to 53 miles per hour in just 2.8 seconds. A thrill ride unlike any other in the history of the theme park, Powder Keg combines the shocking speed of the compressed air-launch with spiraling turns, negative gravitational or “G” forces, and “floater” hills at speeds up to 64 miles per hour for a truly wild ride experience, billed as a “blast in the wilderness.”

WORLD-FEST - APRIL 7 - MAY 15 (Open Wednesdays through Sundays)

World-Fest kicks off with new groups and shows including the high-flying German stilt jumpers, an Irish Celebration with three separate Irish shows, a Honduran choir and a Czech brass band, all during the festival which runs April 7 – May 15. Favorite returning groups include the energetic Russian Cossack dance troupe performing with swords and drums; the unique entertainment of Bulgarian Eurhythmics blending acrobatics, gymnastics and dance; and the colorful Italian flag throwers. Each evening, the Kenya Safari Acrobats perform amazing acts of strength and agility. Hundreds of performers from around the world entertain, bringing their music, dance, costumes and culture to World-Fest, America’s largest international festival.

BLUEGRASS & BBQ - MAY 21 – JUNE 5 (Open Daily)

Bluegrass & BBQ is a new festival that sizzles with the upbeat sounds of American bluegrass music, along with the aromas and flavors of a huge all-American barbecue, including Kansas City-style, Memphis favorites and Texas traditional barbecue. Bluegrass legend Marty Stuart performs May 28, headlining a lineup of national touring bluegrass bands and rising stars. Silver Dollar City features the most talented artists of the popular roots music genre on stages throughout the park, including Blue Highway, NewFound Road, Rarely Herd and the Chapmans.

The festival serves up a barbecue feast, featuring the country’s most popular styles for ribs, brisket, pulled pork and chicken, with over 300 barbecue sauces to sample and a Barbecue Expo with the latest in grills, demonstrations and tips from the experts.

NATIONAL KIDS’ FEST - JUNE 10 - AUGUST 21 (Open Daily)

The new live stage show “Newton’s Revenge” from Mad Science explores the zany side of science with interactive experiments and hilarious antics, and the “Purina Dog Team Challenge” features world-champion Frisbee-catching dogs performing unbelievable high-leaping stunts. The animated Circus of Dreams Parade returns with larger-than-life fanciful floats and colorful characters. Guests can join the Puppet Platoon as the spectacular musical parade winds through the park twice each day. The Xtreme Air show returns with amazing flying stunts on inline skates and bikes, showcasing the breathtaking specialties of extreme stunts athletes as they jump, flip, glide and spin. Champion cloggers, kid-acclaimed entertainment and kid-crafts are all part of the Kids’ Fest festivities.

FESTIVAL OF AMERICAN MUSIC & CRAFTS, with a New Salute to the American Cowboy – SEPTEMBER 8 - OCTOBER 29 (Open Wednesdays - Sundays)

A Salute to the American Cowboy features special performances by Riders in the Sky, Michael Martin Murphy, and the Sons of the San Joaquin during the Festival of American Music & Crafts. Gunsmoke’s Buck Taylor hosts stars of America’s favorite Westerns including Robert Fuller, Peter Brown and Kim Darby. Trick riders and ropers, rodeo stars with trick-performing bulls, a tribute to John Wayne, cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell and the palomino-riding Sons of Tennessee are part of the Western-flavored entertainment. The festival also presents hundreds of musicians playing bluegrass, string band, country and gospel, and visiting craftsmen demonstrating America’s most unique crafts. Best of Missouri Hands juried artists are showcased throughout the festival. Southern Gospel Nights returns to Echo Hollow Amphitheatre – seven nights of performances with some of the top names in Southern Gospel music, including the Kingsmen and the Florida boys, September 23-25, 28-30, and Oct. 1.

AN OLD TIME CHRISTMAS - NOVEMBER 5 - DECEMBER 23 - (Open Wednesdays - Sundays through Dec. 4, Thursdays- Sundays Dec. 8-23)

Silver Dollar City presents the world-famous Vienna Boys Choir in special performances November 18-19 during An Old Time Christmas, named one of the top 10 places in the country to have a bright Christmas by USA Today and the A&E Network, and named the USA’s Best Holiday Light Show by America’s Best Online. An Old Time Christmas features the dramatic five-story Special Effects Christmas Tree, adorned with over 250,000 lights coordinated to blaze to the musical movements of Christmas songs, and the colorful Holiday Light Parade with dazzling, musical floats that glide through the streets of the City each evening. A popular musical production of the famous classic, A Dickens’ Christmas Carol features pyrotechnic special effects, elaborate sets, an impressive cast, and flying spirits. The festival presents a new production of the Living Nativity and more than four million lights.

Myer Hotels of Branson is pleased to announce that four of its properties have been honored in 2004. The Comfort Inn & Suites and the Comfort Inn West each received Choice Hotels Gold Award while the Best Western Center Pointe Inn and Best Western Music Capital Inn received the Best Western Director’s Award. Additionally, for the third consecutive year, Myer Hotels has been named a 2004 Top Hotel Company in Hotel and Motel Management Magazine.

“These awards are tremendous honors exemplifying the hotels’ exceptional service, facilities and hospitality,” stated Gail Myer, VP of Operations.

The Choice Hotels Gold Award is an annual accolade for hotels exceeding Choice Hotels’ rigid quality assurance standards. To qualify, a hotel must undergo rigorous inspection evaluating each operating department. Departments are rated based on staff knowledge, attitude and professionalism; training; safety and security; maintenance and energy conservation; and physical conditions. By receiving the Gold Award, the Comfort Inn & Suites and the Comfort Inn West are placed in the top 5% of 5,000 Choice Hotels internationally.

Similarly, the Best Western Director’s Award is the chain’s highest honor for outstanding quality standards. The award recognizes Best Western International hotels with cleanliness and maintenance inspection scores of 950 points or more out of a possible 1,000. Hotels must also meet Best Western’s design requirements and high customer service scores to qualify for the distinction.

Chris Myer, VP of Marketing, noted, “The hotels’ team members daily exceed our mission of ‘Friendly, Fantastic Service Always.’ These prestigious awards attest to the dedication they embody.”

In the lodging business for 37 years, the Myer family has actively contributed to Branson’s hospitality market for over 20 years and received numerous awards. Myer Hotels emphasizes excellent locations, countless amenities, and exceptional customer service while focusing on great value in the upper mid-scale area.

The Best Western Center Pointe Inn in Branson has received the Signature Training Award for outstanding quality and hospitality. This award recognizes hotels whose front desk agents obtain a perfect score on all five test calls anonymously made each month by Signature Training examiners.

“We’ve actually received nine perfect scores out of ten calls within the past two months, which places us first out of the 2,100 hotels participating in the program nationally,” observed Richard Frender, General Manager. “The front desk personnel have worked hard to attain this level of excellence and such an honor confirms their commitment to providing quality service.”

The Signature Training program is a follow-up to annual training sessions. Upon training completion, front desk agents are expected to answer the phone according to acceptable procedure. Signature Training examines them by making five anonymous calls each month to all participating hotels. To obtain a perfect score, specific criteria must be met in five distinct areas. The test calls provide a checking system to ensure front desk agents are acting within Signature Training’s guidelines for all calls.

“Receiving all perfect scores within a month is truly commendable,” stated Gail Myer, VP of Operations. “There’s no way to distinguish a Signature Training call from an ordinary inquiry, which says a lot about the front desks’ consistency in excellence.”

Located at 3215 W Highway 76, the Best Western Center Pointe Inn is in the heart of Branson’s entertainment with over 25 shows, attractions and shopping outlets within one mile. The 164-room inn features an indoor pool, spa, sauna, exercise room, game room, deluxe continental breakfast, ticket service, high-speed internet access and level parking.