Rumor of Disney park not valid

By Brandon Cone and Donna Clevenger
BDN Staff Writers

Despite what was reported by a St. Louis television station last weekend, the Walt Disney Company has no plans for building a theme park in Southwest Missouri.

Branson, somehow, was linked to the project by KSDK, an NBC affiliate, through a request for road improvements for an alleged $1.1 billion theme park to be built in Newton County.

Newton County Commissioner Jack Sanders said a man named Todd Marshall, a representative of ARM Risk LLC of Springfield, approached the county’s commission about the project, which he said would be built south of Joplin.

“He told us about this 100-acre park that would have rides, concessions and five hotels,” Sanders said. “We were skeptical to say the least.”

Sanders said the address that Marshall left for the commission was a address to Disney’s corporate offices, which led them to contact Disney.

“Disney told us that they have no plans to build a theme park here. They said there was no truth to it at all,” Sanders said. “They said this area would not be able to support a park of that size, because there is no airport.”

Attempts to reach ARM Risk, which has no phone listing, were unsuccessful, and calls to the Walt Disney public relations office were not returned as of press time Thursday.

Further investigation turned up no listing for the company as a member of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, nor has any business license been issued in Springfield to ARM Risk, LLC.

“The rumor of Disney is coming to Branson has persisted for a number of years,” said Branson City Administrator Terry Dody. “It’s often been said in an effort for people to enhance property values, but I haven’t been contacted about Disney coming here. It’s probably just a hoax.”

Taney County Presiding Commissioner Chuck Pennel said he had been contacted by e-mail from a Springfield television station concerning the alleged theme park.

“I have no comment about it,” Pennel said, “because as far as I know nothing of that kind has been discussed here.”

“We’re not counting the possibility out,” Sanders said. “(Newton County Presiding Commissioner) Jerry Carter and I are both old enough to know that about the time you decide something is not going to happen it happens. But we are very skeptical.”