Is Someone Dropping The Ball?

[oneshot]

Ok this week end was the New Hillbilly Days. I tried looking up Hillbilly Days, Lebanon, MO. on the internet, all I kept coming up with is they use to have it at the Park but no longer do. Seems Lebanon Chamber of Commerce didn't promote this as much as they should have. I felt it was much better when it was held at the park and had the Renaissance but Higher Up put a stop to that.

I see Float and Camping Outfitters just from the road not looking like they are doing as well. I do know some not reinvesting their money towards the operation. New people just not caring. Some outfitters are known for the Party Place and a lot of Families with young children don't want this.

Today after Church we went out to eat found most eating places packed but not because of Hillbilly Days it was more because of Fathers Day.

Ok yes Lebanon has a lot of Commercial Business for a town of its size but Tourist have always brought in so much work and money. Considering me and my Family has been in some way dependent on Tourist for some of our living these things are of concern.

Is it the economy, the way things are going at Bennett Springs, the way people in Lebanon is promoting the area or something else???

oneshot

[Wayne SW/MO]

Bennett and the river were bound to top out eventually. The park can only hold so many and in reality so can the river on weekends. The New Hillbilly days will never match the original. In the park people parked and walked to the various attractions, but now it's a drive on a busy highway that isn't really conducive to slowing and looking.

I think Lebanon is more interested in 44 then 64.

[XP 590]

Not entirely sure, but I do remember a year or two ago, the Lebanon Chamber was no longer going to do Hillbilly days. From what I read, it was actually their event, but most of it was done at Bennett. Since it was so popular, alot of the local businesses there at Bennett are doing their own version of it, to keep it alive. But it's not in the park at all.

There were several articles about it last year in the Lebanon paper and the Trout Talk. I don't know if they said it was the money, or they felt the event had just run it's natural course. I never made it to Hillbilly days but I know lots of people really enjoyed it every year.

[oneshot]

Bennett and the river were bound to top out eventually. The park can only hold so many and in reality so can the river on weekends. The New Hillbilly days will never match the original. In the park people parked and walked to the various attractions, but now it's a drive on a busy highway that isn't really conducive to slowing and looking.

I think Lebanon is more interested in 44 then 64.

Yes but Lebanon would not be a Tourist area without Bennett Springs.

oneshot

[Wayne SW/MO]

Things change Oneshot, like the addition of an interstate to California coming through town. most of Bennett is served pretty well locally and only one route to the park really comes through Lebanon. 5 grazes it and OO and 64 form the south and west don't come close. If you look at Lebanon today and compare it to 30 years ago you can see that Bennett didn't build it, jobs and highway, period.

This Hillbilly Days just doesn't compare to the old one in the park. I don't think it will ever come close unless they can centralized it in one location with all the services required.

[oneshot]

Things change Oneshot, like the addition of an interstate to California coming through town. most of Bennett is served pretty well locally and only one route to the park really comes through Lebanon. 5 grazes it and OO and 64 form the south and west don't come close. If you look at Lebanon today and compare it to 30 years ago you can see that Bennett didn't build it, jobs and highway, period.

This Hillbilly Days just doesn't compare to the old one in the park. I don't think it will ever come close unless they can centralized it in one location with all the services required.

I know what you are talking about I spent a lot of time in the area in the early '70's wasn't much going on as matter fact it was Wild and Woolly. But have to admit there is a lot of Tourist come just because of Bennett some even consider making this their home. If things are not changed in the Park and area we will lose Business.

Me I in my selfish way would like less people on the river and in the area. But thinking of the many that depend on making a living during the Summer because of the River and Park I feel there needs to be changes.

oneshot

[Wayne SW/MO]

In my opinion the park itself has changed the environment. Since they made it less family friendly in their push to make it more resort like they changed the atmosphere.

As far as the river goes any losses there would have to be suspected of coming from overcrowding. It used to be a float river, now it's a wet out of sight party destination on summer weekends. That's the fault of the DNR primarily in not having a plan to limit use. 30 years ago they could have put the clamps on and not really harmed any outfitters, but now they are buried in inventory and new outfitters come along at will.

The Niangua is a great example of how to rape a nice river. Overcrowding, cattle in the water, and bank side clearing have had serious negative effect on it. Anyone who floated it 30 or 40 years ago know what I'm talking about.