A spokesperson for Branson’s 76 Entertainment Community Improvement District said the tourism hub is “immensely grateful” for $6.2 million of funding earmarked for fixing up the Highway 76 tourism strip. Meanwhile, Branson Mayor Larry Milton touted what he called Branson’s “significant role” in Missouri tourism.
The Highway 76 improvement area currently being funded runs from the Branson Ferris Wheel northwest to the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. Branson has been working on improving its main tourism highway for more than a decade, as planning began back in 2012.
State lawmakers and Gov. Mike Parson approved the $6.2 million as part of Missouri House Bill 2020. The bill directs budget stabilization funds and federal funding under the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan toward goals like economic development, infrastructure and healthcare.
