Friday, August 21, 2009

Branson Mo: Shoji Tabuchi Theatre's Restrooms Voted Nation's

Branson, Missouri Theatre Wins 8th Annual CINTAS contest

CINCINNATI, OH – The finest restrooms in America are in the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson, Missouri - says the Internet public who cast online ballots in the 8th annual “America’s Best Restroom” contest presented by Cincinnati-based Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq: CTAS), a leading provider of restroom hygiene products and services. See pictures here: http://www.bestrestroom.com/

The 2009 contest attracted nominations from a wide cross-section of businesses, including restaurants, hotels and several theatres. Ten finalists were selected based on exceptional hygiene, style and open access to the public.

“This contest is meant to be fun, but there’s also an important message, which is that restroom hygiene matters - for good health and good business," said Cintas Senior Marketing Manager Keith Hartman. "Cintas is proud to honor the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, and we congratulate all of our participants this year."

Tens of thousands of votes were cast at the program’s web site, which produced the following results:

1. The Shoji Tabuchi Theater, Branson, Missouri
2. The Tremont Plaza Hotel, Baltimore, MD
3. Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
4. Zeffirino Ristorante, Las Vegas, NV
5. The Drake Hotel, Chicago, Illinois

Among the remaining finalists, those placing in sixth through tenth place are as follows: Macy’s – Union Square in San Francisco, California; The Tampa Theatre in Tampa, Florida; NOVA 535 in St. Petersburg, Florida; The Fox Theatre in Detroit, Michigan and Canlis Restaurant in Seattle, Washington.

The Shoji Tabuchi Theatre received the coveted “America’s Best Restroom” plaque of recognition from Cintas during a special presentation today, and secured its place in the “America’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame” found at www.bestrestroom.com.

“We believe these restrooms are the most elaborate and ornate anywhere,” says Theatre Manager Michael J. Frederick. “Each restroom represents 1,800 square feet of deliberate, one-of-a-kind elegance.”

The Cintas Corporation created the Best Restroom Award in 2001 to honor businesses across the country that maintain exceptional hygiene, with style, in their public restrooms. Previous winners have included restrooms at Notre Dame University; The Grand Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi; Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin; the Fort Smith, Arkansas Airport; Wendell’s Restaurant in Westerville, Ohio; Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield, Ohio and, in 2008, The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

For more information about the Cintas Best Restroom Award VIII and the ten finalists, contact the Survey Editor, David Brandt, at 757-404-2032.

About Cintas Corporation
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types, predominantly in the United States and Canada. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid and safety products, fire protection services and document management services for approximately 800,000 businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a Nasdaq-100 company and component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. Fortune Magazine has consistently listed Cintas as a "Most Admired Company" in its annual survey for the past nine consecutive years.


Visit: http://www.bestrestroom.com/

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Neal McCoy Makes an Impact In Branson Mo

Editorial in Branson Daily News by Josh Clark, Staff Writer
August 19, 2009

Ever since I started here at the Branson Tri-Lakes News at the end of May, I have had the pleasure of meeting, interviewing and seeing some of the best performers in the area.

With the notable exception of the Comets who, in addition to being true legends of rock ‘n’ roll, are one of my favorite shows in town, I try not to interject my opinion when it comes to shows.

That was until I got the chance to see Neal McCoy last Thursday night at the Yakov Smirnoff Theater. I was, for lack of a better word, stunned.

Spending the majority of my teenage years in the 1990s, I was very familiar with McCoy’s music. “Wink,” “For a Change” and “The Shake” have always been songs that made me think of a happier time in my life. Being a fan of his music already, I was intrigued when Yakov Smirnoff told me he’d be hitting town this year.

At first I was worried that yet another country star thought performing in Branson would be easy money. It happens all the time. They show up with their big buses, big names and big egos, expecting to do their stage show and knock the crowd dead. More often than not, those acts fall face first.

Not McCoy. He was funny, enduring and without a doubt, put on one of the most fun and exciting shows I have ever seen on a Branson stage. I had a big cheesy grin on my face the entire time, and I wasn’t the only one. People in the audience ranged in ages from 4 to 84, and McCoy was able to entertain them all.

Click here for the rest of the story:
http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=12955

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Neal McCoy in Branson: Enjoying the small stage

By Joshua Clark
Staff Writer


Neal McCoy loves to have fun, and more importantly, he likes his audiences to have fun. Now that he is performing in Branson again, he gets to have a different type of fun.

“When we play festivals and fairs, places like that, it is high intensity, high energy,” McCoy said. “Here, we keep the energy level high, but I get to sing again and do some music we don’t normally get to do.”

There are several differences between McCoy’s regular concerts and his Branson show. He brought in a new band for his tenure in Branson.

“I brought this group in so we could do ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ and ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right,’” McCoy said. “People in town appreciate the variety. Plus, playing festivals and other places, we don’t get to do that a lot.”

Another thing McCoy doesn’t have is a set list.

“You will never see the same show twice because I have never done the same show twice,” McCoy said. To read the rest of the story click here:
http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=12922

Friday, August 14, 2009

Performing in Moe Bandy's Blood: Has Show at Jim Stafford Theatre in Branson Missouri

By Joshua Clark
Branson Daily News Staff Writer


Success never came easy for Moe Bandy.

Born in Meridian, Miss., in 1944, Bandy’s family relocated to Texas when he was in the first grade. Bandy was taught to play the guitar by his father, but made little use of the ability until he was in his teens.

“My father taught me a few chords on the banjo, so I knew a little bit,” Bandy said. “They used to dress me up in a little cowboy hat. I’d sing in talent contests and I also played for relatives.”

As Bandy grew older, he fell in love with the sport of rodeo. He tried bronco-busting and bull-riding and by the time he was 16, he was competing in rodeos all over Texas.

“I put my music aside and concentrated on being a rodeo rider,” Bandy said. “I also worked as a sheet-metal worker in addition to being out on the road all the time. But I loved it all the same.”

In 1962, after breaking the same collar bone twice in the same week and getting a horn to his left side, he began to pursue a career in country music.

Bandy and a few fellow musicians began playing during their downtime when they were asked to play in a bar.

“We played that first night and got a great response,” Bandy said. “They invited us back, and Moe Bandy and the Country Partners were paid $5 a night.”

Click here for the rest of the story:
http://www.bransondailynews.com/story.php?storyID=12602

Thursday, August 13, 2009

What happens in Branson stays in Branson on GoRving Blog by Brad Herzog

Interesting blog by Brad Herzog about his visit to Branson. He appears to have liked it...sort of...:)

http://www.gorving.com/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=0562C62C-1422-1874-81D65697174B7645

Dashing to the shows in Branson, Missouri

By Dale Richter
Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN


Last fall, a group from Eastwood's New Horizons Club journeyed to Branson, Mo., the live entertainment capital of the world.

There are 52 state-of-the-art theaters with more than 100 different shows appealing to all ages, with music from nearly every era and style performed by rising young entertainers and legendary stars.

To read the rest of the story click here:
http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=21&a=411967