Indoor sports complex study session introduces game plan

The City of Branson is weighing a massive investment. An indoor sports facility is proposed for a 17-acre site along Gretna Road. This area is historically seen as blighted, yet it is primed for renewal. The city wants to capture a new type of visitor—the traveling sports tourist. This would expand local business into a consistent, 12-month economy. To do this, the city must decide whether to purchase the land by a September 9 deadline.

On July 28, 2026, the board of aldermen held a study session to review a massive indoor sports facility project. Alex Gerard, chief of staff, gave the primary presentation. The session was specifically designed as a preliminary conversation. It informed the public and the board exactly where the indoor sports complex currently stands before any final decisions are made. A fully vetted information package—detailing costs and designs—is too massive for a single meeting. The city used this session to get ahead of the workload and provide a status update. It sets the stage for more detailed community input in the coming weeks.

Preliminary planning for this project began in late 2024. The city entered preliminary discussions with a developer, and by January 2025, the Taney County Partnership commissioned an initial exploratory study. A site competition evaluated locations in Hollister and at Ballparks of America. They ultimately selected the Branson site in late spring of 2025.

The proposed facility covers 149,070 square feet. It offers eight hardwood basketball courts. These can be converted into 16 volleyball courts or 24 pickleball courts. A telescopic bleacher system seats 4,000 spectators for championship events. A family entertainment center, an arcade, a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, and a dedicated medical lease space are all drawn into the blueprints.

It sits at the center of a much larger, 136-acre mixed-use development. A private developer leads this larger footprint. It includes a 200-room hotel, retail stores, tourist cabins and 318 units of workforce housing. The total developer project is valued at $300 million. The city sports complex is estimated at $81 million in the master plan.

If built and stabilized, the sports complex is projected to draw 224,389 visitors annually and generate up to $4.6 million in revenue. Gerard emphasized that the primary strategy is not to keep visitors inside the building, but to get the athletes and their families to play their tournament games, leave the facility, and spend money at local shows, restaurants, attractions and hotels.

The city has contracted third-party experts, Baker Tilly and HVS, to conduct a comprehensive Market and Demand Analysis. The purpose of this ongoing research is to quantify the expected overall tax revenues the facility will generate beyond just those coming from the complex itself.

Funding relies heavily on a financial tool known as Tax Increment Financing, or TIF. A TIF captures the future tax revenues created by a new project to pay for its current construction costs. The city negotiated a pay-as-you-go model. The developer must build the private sections and collect tax revenue before receiving any incentives back. The city assumes no financial risk for the private improvements. Once the private development is paid off, the remaining tax revenues can be directed toward the city sports facility.

Alderman Ashley Harkness said it was important to know the specific costs. She said that the board needs to know whether they are having a $100-million conversation or a $50-million conversation before taking the final discussion to the public. Estimates have fluctuated wildly. They range from a low of $56 million, projected by the initial consulting firm, to a high of $100 million, estimated by a separate financial advisor.

Gerard said that the exact price tag depends heavily on final design choices. It also depends on the land itself. A construction model identified premium costs associated with the Gretna Road site. This includes $1.6 million for a retaining wall and $500,000 to excavate the bedrock just below the surface.

Other board members focused on how the building will serve the people who already live in Branson. Alderwoman Harkness wanted to ensure that the design includes spaces locals can rent for events like birthday parties. She wants it to serve residents, rather than acting solely as a magnet for out-of-town athletes.

The facility has about 5,000 square feet of medical space set aside to house physical therapy and sports medicine providers. Alderwoman Ruth Denham called the addition genius, noting that traveling athletes frequently sustain injuries and require immediate care.

Alderman Harkness suggested the board could consider adding a one-cent tax to the project to create a revenue stream for the city parks department. Alderman Ruth Denham opposed the idea, stating the city is creative enough to fund department needs without tacking additional taxes onto the sports facility project.

The city has contracted with multiple third-party firms to vet the project. Navigate Building Solutions tested the soil. Sports Facilities Companies drafted the operating budgets. Baker Tilly and HVS are currently finishing a demand and economic impact study. This will be presented at a special public meeting in early August.

Time is running out. The city paid $50,000 in March of this year to extend its land option agreement for six months. If the city does not finalize the land purchase for the complex by September 9, the current agreement will expire.