BRANSON, Mo.
Following last week’s tornado, the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel complex is likely to remain closed for three to four months, but the adjoining convention center will reopen much sooner, officials predict.
Nearby, the Branson Landing will be operating at full capacity soon following a tornado that tore through part of Branson earlier this week. The Landing, a $420 million lakefront “lifestyle center,” includes shops, restaurants and other attractions along Lake Taneycomo.
Rick Huffman, CEO of HCW Development, which owns the hotel building and the Landing, said 85 percent of the windows on the hotel were cracked and all will need to be replaced. Glass has already been ordered but the process will take time, he said.
Meanwhile, the convention center could be open in 30-60 days, Huffman said. Garrett Anderson, Branson Economic Development Director, said the city’s ability to host conventions would not be impacted long-term because guests could be housed across the street at the Hilton Promenade, another hotel, even while the main hotel is closed.
Courtesy of The Springfield News-Leader.com
