The Facts About The Haygoods and Branson's Future... by Catherine Haygood

The Haygoods have performed as a family in Branson for 20 years. We love it here. Branson is our home and where we choose to raise our families. There has been a lot of interest concerning our recent announcement to move to the Clay Cooper Theatre for the 2014 season. We wanted to share some insight...

The Haygoods have worked with other shows for a few years, while performing our own show and operating two theatres with 12 shows. A few months ago, we received notification that Roy Rogers Jr., Jeerk, and Todd Oliver were leaving Branson for various reasons. Additionally, the Redneck Tenors management team said they needed a larger theatre and would be moving from the Americana Theatre. The Branson shuffle of shows is something that commonly happens every year. Theatres don't run without shows in them, so we elected to make some changes that we had been considering for a while now.

Our current facility at RFD Theatre is on a year-to-year lease. We have been looking at investing in new technology and production equipment for our show to take it to the next level. We needed a long term commitment in order for it to make sense financially. Clay Copper has our vision for the future, and gave us the commitment we were looking for. Also, our fans know we have been experimenting with new music for fun. We wanted to try out that music on the road on Fridays and Wednesdays. Again, the schedule at Clay’s theatre worked out great for us to do that.

Presently, we have about 35 employees. They will move with us to Clay Cooper Theatre or stay at Americana with the new show leasing it, Some will stay at RFD Theatre or move with the other shows to their new facilities. RFD and Americana Theatre are NOT closing. They are simply leasing to other shows who are shuffling around as well.

Many have commented on the economy in Branson. Our show and the shows from our theatres that are staying in Branson are doing well. Take a look at the pictures we recently posted on our web page. We have crowds like this every night, five to six nights a week. The Redneck Tenors are having an awesome fall season. They are doing quite well. Barry Williams’ show is growing very nicely. Cassandre' is sold out two complete weeks in November. Joseph Hall is the new "King" of Branson. The Tweeds are moving up again. These shows will announce new locations shortly.

Drive down the strip anytime and check out the large crowds at SIX, Presley’s, Pierce Arrow, Clay Cooper, Duttons, Sight and Sound, and Dixie Stampede. Customers may have different tastes than they did even five years ago, but some Branson shows are doing well. SIX, Clay Cooper, and The Haygoods are doing very well!

Branson showgoers’ tastes are changing. This is natural and to be expected. We believe in the future of Branson. That is why the Haygoods are making a long term commitment to perform at the Clay Cooper Theatre.

Branson is an awesome, wholesome place to vacation and a place where you can bring your family to enjoy some of the finest clean entertainment in the world. We look forward to many more years of fun. We look forward to growing and changing as Branson heads into a new era of growth and prosperity. We are counting on it and doing our part to make it happen. Thank you Branson!