Rumors Circulate a Possible Disney Theme Park in Joplin, Missouri

A news item in Springfield's News-Leader has ignited rumors of a possible plan by Disney to build a new theme park in Joplin, MO.

Though rumors once circulated in the mid-90s that Disney had planned to build a theme park near Branson, MO, rumors are once again sparking following a request for road improvements that would make way for a $1.1 billion theme park in Newton County. The company that requested the improvements, ARM Risk, is reported to have Disney connections following an investigation behind the company's owners. Two of those owners, Robert Brown and Jason Johnson, list their addresses on the "Registration of Fictitious Name" form filed with the state as those of Disney offices in California and Florida.

According to a list of specifications provided by Todd Marshall, a representative of ARM Risk, the proposed theme park would include land purchases of 1,000 acres which would hold one park utilizing 100 acres, 27 rides, 12 stages and 18 restaurants.

In 1993, under the direction of then CEO Michael Eisner, Disney proposed a third American theme park to be built in Haymarket, Virginia. The theme park, which was to be titled, "Disney America," would have included 7 lands based on American history and ideology. Among the proposed plans for "lands" within the park were a Native American village, a Civil War fort, Ellis Island, a State Fair and a Family Farm. The proposal also mentions a number of attractions that later made their way into Disneyland's sister park, Disney's California Adventure, including Grizzly River Run and the park's signature roller coaster, California Screamin'.

The plans for the park were short-lived, however, when Protect Historic America raised opposition to the park. Giving into the opposition, even though Disney had already gained the support of the Virginia Commission on Population Growth and Development, Disney relinquished its plans for the Virginia park.

Many fans now believe that Disney might be trying to revive some hope the abandoned idea due to the recent road improvement request by ARM Risk. Either that or they're deliberately sending curious parties on a futile search for a truth that isn't there.

Walt Disney, a native of Marceline, MO (which is curiously 273 miles from Joplin), set out to create a theme park that both children and adults could enjoy when he opened the gates of Disneyland in 1955.

In 1964, Walt Disney began purchasing land for his Florida theme park, Walt Disney World, using the names of dummy corporations in order to avoid arousing suspicions about his land purchases and thus raise the cost of the land significantly.

Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris all take their design cues from Walt's original Disneyland Park, including the area dubbed as Main Street, U.S.A., a tribute to his home in Marceline, MO. Whether or not Disney will begin to plan an additional park in Missouri or anywhere else for that matter, Missouri natives can still get a taste of Disney in Marceline, which has dubbed itself as the original "Main Street, U.S.A."

SOURCE: The Disney Blog
SOURCE: Springfield News-Leader