Launch Stone County

An Economic Development Campaign for Stone County

WHERE WE ARE GOING

Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce proposes an expanded, bold strategy to drive economic growth. We believe Stone County is at the pivotal point of some exciting new opportunities, and we want to ensure success by developing resources to strengthen and diversify our economy. For the Chamber to institute this aggressive, effective program, private investment is required. Our mission is to help Stone County thrive and grow by generating economic activity for the county, supporting the expansion of our existing businesses, and supporting new business and industry recruitment. We need to increase the resources available to deliver increased economic development services and to provide a professional facility for a small business resource center. Our plan includes four primary focus areas over the next five years:

Business Retention/Expansion/Recruitment

Workforce Development/Housing

Business Retention/Expansion/Recruitment

Community Development

WHERE WE'VE BEEN

Stone County has a long history of perseverance and creativity. From our earliest days, the county had many points of commercial activity, including tourism, manufacturing, and transportation. With the opening of Silver Dollar City (first as Marvel Cave) and the construction of Table Rock Lake, Stone County’s tourism economy took off. In the northern part of the county, agriculture is the most prevalent industry. Table Rock Lake Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1974 to primarily serve Kimberling City, but over the years has expanded to serve all the communities in the county, serving as the county’s Destination Marketing Organization. In 2017, the Chamber began discussions with community partners about establishing a coordinated economic development effort. In 2019, the Chamber hosted an Economic Development Summit for the community. In 2020, the Chamber worked with Southwest Missouri Council of Governments to gather economic data on the county, and in 2021 hired O’Brian & Associates to create an economic development strategy plan, with much community input.

WHERE WE ARE

Today, the possibilities for Stone County are very exciting. While our world has faced significant economic challenges, visitors to the lake have increased, and the county has experienced a major increase in the number of short-term rental properties. There are several new developments in the works, and others not yet formally announced. Each of our communities has opportunities that require a different strategy and set of resources, and only two, Branson West and Kimberling City, have full-time administrators. Our largest school district and full-time employer, Reeds Spring, has embarked on a strategic plan that includes a new career/technical center, a renovated primary school and a community park. Stone County currently ranks 54th in the nation for the number of small businesses, and tourism is our major economic driver. The Chamber has been an integral part of marketing our area to visitors, supporting existing businesses, and encouraging community and economic development. The Chamber is planning to purchase or construct a new office facility in the near future.

Launch Stone County Prospectus

Company Pledge Form

Individual/Couple Pledge Form