Does the old Disney park rumor in Branson have a new Mich. theme park connection?

[minnie61650]

Ok my fellow Dis'ners I am asking for your thoughts and input . Do you think there may be a connection between the proposed theme park for Branson ,Mo. which was turned down by their City Council and the theme park proposal which was Ok ed by the Grayling Township, Mi. planning commissioners?
Or do you think I am connecting two dots that should not be connected?

This is why I am connecting those dots:


Last April 2007 a rumor of a new Disney Theme Park in NEOSHO, MO.which is about 100 miles from Branson ,Mo.was posted on this board.

The end of May Grayling Township (in northern Michigan ) planning commissioners unanimously approved a concept plan for a $161-million, four-season theme park, essentially recommending the Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) sell land to a Rochester-based group for the park.The park featured several attractions, from a water park and roller coasters in summer, to winter events such as snowmobile racing tracks and toboggan lifts. Other conceptual features of the park included a shopping district, educational and entertainment exhibits like an assembly-line roller coaster, an indoor surfing venue, 500-person competitive video game center and oval race track.

For more info on the new proposed Main Street America coming to Grayling please see this website:

http://www.absolutemichigan.com/dig/media/newspapers/main-street-america-coming-to-grayling/

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I started thinking just maybe the old rumor about the proposed theme park for Branson, Mo really was not Disney seeking land for a theme park but rather the same company that is now interested in Graying first sought out Branson and when no interest was shown by the Newton County commissioners the company turned their attention to Michigan.

Edited to add the Disney name is mentioned in the news video about the proposed theme park for Grayling, Mi..
According to news video the proposed theme park was designed by the same company that designed Disney & US theme parks.

Here is a link to the video:

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=117305

Below is a little info about the Branson theme park proposal.


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I edited a quote from page 9 of New Disney park in Branson? thread:
Here is the link if you want to read the whole post:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1429766

Here is a long read from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Disney in the Ozarks: Flim-flam or front man?

NEOSHO, MO. — The man promising a mysterious new venture arrived at the courthouse square in a yellow Corvette. The three Newton County commissioners took note of his flashy ride.......

He said his name was Todd Marshall. He said he represented an outfit called ARM Risk. He wanted to talk about opening a theme park and resort. He never said the magic word — "Disney." He didn't need to. Others soon made the connection for him.

Sitting at one end of a conference table, Marshall said he could not disclose whom he represented, but he was working to secure the rights to 1,000 acres in a corner of Newton County, just outside Joplin.

He slid a sheet of paper across the table. It contained a brief, yet ambitious, proposal: $1.7 billion to buy the land and build 10 hotels, 95 shops, 18 restaurants and 27 amusement rides. It promised to be a legendary project, even in this fast-changing southwestern corner of the state. It was a plan of Disney-esque proportions.

"So, are you excited?" Marshall asked, according to the commissioners.

They were not. ........

Jerry Carter, the lead commissioner, noted that the paper lacked a formal letterhead. This can't be real, he thought. ......

The meeting lasted 30 minutes. Marshall left in his Corvette. It was the last time the county commission — or just about anybody else — would see him........

Right away, the Disney rumors hit the local papers and airwaves. And though Walt Disney Co. eventually denied involvement, the mystery has only deepened. ..............


Tim Bender insists he didn't start the Disney hysteria. He says he's just a hired hand who, for various reasons, has fingerprints all over the deal.

One of Bender's companies is a legal research firm in Joplin with 12 employees, called AIS. He says his company was hired last year by a lawyer from St. Louis to research various parcels of land. He was not told who the client was, but he says he couldn't share that anyhow because he signed a confidentiality agreement. ................

His firm looked at land in Tulsa, Okla., Springfield, Mo., and two sites around Joplin. He says his firm paid others for engineering work and soil testing, expenses the law firm reimbursed "to keep it as anonymous as possible." ................


The connection to Disney was made shortly after Marshall left the courthouse.

ARM Risk's state filing can be found online and lists three owners:

— Michael Hill, 2711 Centerville Rd., Wilmington, Del.

— Robert Brown, 500 South Buena Vista St., Burbank, Calif.

— Jason Johnson, Corporate Office, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

The Burbank address is Disney's corporate office. Disney also has offices in Lake Buena Vista, near Disney World. And Delaware is a renowned haven for companies seeking to incorporate. "It looked like Disney was behind it," Carter said. ..................


The Walt Disney Co. only fanned the rumor's flames by declining to comment. Last Monday, the tight-lipped Disney Co. finally opened up — a little.

"We have no plans for a theme park in Missouri," Disney spokesman Donn Walker told the Post-Dispatch.

Everything about the Newton County land deal screamed that the Walt Disney Co. was not involved, the official said. "This is bogus and bunk," the official said of a potential Disney investment in Newton County.

After all, the official noted, this was a company that back in the 1960s managed to acquire the land for Disney World in Florida without anybody's getting wind of it. Disney wouldn't be so sloppy that the company's interest could be easily discovered. "It simply defies logic and reason," the official said. ..................

"There is something going on here — whether it is the real estate people trying to stimulate prices, or a small amusement park or something else," Carter says, exasperated at how the rumors persist.................


At one point, the commission secretary answers and muffles the receiver against her chest. She says a man wants to talk about the theme park, but he doesn't want to give his name.

"Then I don't want to talk to him," Carter says.

He is done talking about Disney.

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Please post your thoughts.

TIA

 

[mla973]

I'm from West Michigan, and I've never heard of this before. I think it sounds like a great thing for the area, and for Michigan jobs. I never knew that Disney didn't design their own parks - isn't that what the Imagineers do. It surprises me that another company claims that, although perhaps they mean "build" and not "design."

As far as the connection, it's certainly possible, but I don't know. I really would love to see this happen, with or without a Disney connection. What a great thing for unemployed people in the area, and I really like to hear abotu tourism dollars coming in to the state.

 

[disrailfan]

I agree at any rate whoever is behind this it would be great for the state of Michigan. But with all of the Automotive layoffs that will more than likely be coming in the next 4 years, when GM, Ford and Chrysler LLC file for Bankruptcy, who will be able to shop or attend the park.

Just my 2 cents, if the Domestic automakers do not turn things around Michigan is in deep doo doo! I am in Indiana working for one of those companies and we can see the writing on the wall. The union owns those companies not the company and the unions will run them in the ground.

====Oh sorry, I am off of my soapbox now!

But the idea sounds great.

 

[SkrapKat]

The news about a theme park in neosho was bogus news. The address that were listed are bogus. And neosho is not even close to branson. Branson city counsel had nothing to do with it.

 

[EUROPACL]

OH no I've gone...

and I'm...

 

[minnie61650]

The news about a theme park in neosho was bogus news. The address that were listed are bogus. And neosho is not even close to branson. Branson city counsel had nothing to do with it.

Ok, now I am confused since the title of the thread on the DIS that I quoted from was New Disney park in Branson?
I just assumed that Neosho must be located right outside of Branson.

I do not know how to change the title of my thread but I will make corrections in my original post.

Thank you for pointing my error out to me.

 

[minnie61650]

I'm from West Michigan, and I've never heard of this before. I think it sounds like a great thing for the area, and for Michigan jobs. I never knew that Disney didn't design their own parks - isn't that what the Imagineers do. It surprises me that another company claims that, although perhaps they mean "build" and not "design."

As far as the connection, it's certainly possible, but I don't know. I really would love to see this happen, with or without a Disney connection. What a great thing for unemployed people in the area, and I really like to hear abotu tourism dollars coming in to the state.

I was not sure about the video claiming that the company that designed the new potential theme park for Grayling also designed parks for Disney and US.

I think maybe they may have designed or helped design one of the newer Disney parks. Maybe the Studios or AK.

Just a thought.

If it is the same company that designed AK I sure hope the Michigan theme park is designed with a better traffic flow than AK.

I personally hate how we have to criss-cross Discovery Island so often to get the other areas at AK.

I am hoping that the DNR will sell the land and that the park will become a reality.
Northern Michigan really needs more opportunities for jobs.

If this does become a reality they claim they will be employing 2,000 persons.
700 persons would be employed full time.

I agree we do need more tourism dollars coming in to the state

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I agree at any rate whoever is behind this it would be great for the state of Michigan. But with all of the Automotive layoffs that will more than likely be coming in the next 4 years, when GM, Ford and Chrysler LLC file for Bankruptcy, who will be able to shop or attend the park.

Just my 2 cents, if the Domestic automakers do not turn things around Michigan is in deep doo doo! I am in Indiana working for one of those companies and we can see the writing on the wall. The union owns those companies not the company and the unions will run them in the ground.

====Oh sorry, I am off of my soapbox now!

But the idea sounds great.

GM has been running itself into the ground for years, to say its the fault of the union is taking the easy way out. After years and years of concessions GM continues to make the same mistakes. GM management needs only look in the mirror to see who the problem is.

 

[MJMcBride]

there is no chance that Disney will be build a park in Michigan

 

[minnie61650]

there is no chance that Disney will be build a park in Michigan

I never thought and I never implied there was a chance that Disney would build a theme park in Michigan.

I just thought that maybe the company (not Disney) that sent the scout to Grayling ,Michigan had also sent a few scouts to other parts of the country looking for a good place to build a theme park.

As I pointed out in Branson/NEOSHO, MO. rumor the scout never mentioned Disney.

He never said the magic word — "Disney." He didn't need to. Others soon made the connection for him.

I did say the Disney name is mentioned in the news video about the proposed theme park for Grayling, Mi. ,because
according to news video the proposed theme park was designed by the same company that designed Disney & Universal Studios theme parks.

Here is a link to the video:

http://www.9and10news.com/category/story/?id=117305

 

[Another Voice]

Disney's 'Grand Villa" concept will have them looking at lots of resort and tourtist areas throughout the country. That doesn't mean Disney will build anything (just as the first try at the Disney Vacation Club fell apart in ruins), but don't discount rumors...nor buy an property.