Branson/Lakes Area

• The 145-unit StoneBridge Village and Resort (866.322.1373; www.stonebridgebranson.com ) in Branson opened a new conference center last year. The center offers six meeting rooms and 4,800 square feet of meeting space.
• The Hampton Inn at Branson Hills (417.243.7800; www.bransonhillsdevelopment.com /Hampton_Inn.html) opened this May with 89 guest rooms and a meeting room that can accommodate up to 50 attendees. The hotel is adjacent to the new Payne Stewart Golf Club.
• The 244-unit Big Cedar Lodge (417.335.2777; www.bigcedar.com ) near Branson opened the Grandview Conference Center in October with flexible meeting space for up to 1,000 attendees.
• The Payne Stewart Golf Club (417.337.2963; www.paynestewartgolfclub.com ) opened last fall in Branson with an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse and a small museum area showcasing some of the celebrated golfer’s belongings.
• Branson Regional Airport (417.334.7813; www.flybranson.com ) opened in May with a 58,000-square-foot terminal and 7,140-foot runway. The airport is located 10 minutes from the center of Branson, and is currently served by AirTran Airways and Sun Country Airlines.

Joplin

• Just minutes southwest of Joplin, Downstream Casino Resort (918.919.6000; www.downstreamcasino.com ) opened last summer with 70,000 square feet of gaming space, three restaurants, two cafes, a bar, an outdoor concert venue that accommodates 6,200 visitors and two 18-hole golf courses. Last fall, the resort opened its 12-story, 222-room hotel tower featuring 15 suites, six meeting rooms, a board room and a business center.

Springfield

• The John Q. Hammons (JQH) Arena (417.836.7678; www.jqharena.missouristate.edu ) debuted on the Missouri State University campus in Springfield in November. The 11,000-seat arena has 24 private suites and a Hall of Fame, and is connected via corridor to the Hammons Student Center.
• The 4,000-seat O’Reilly Family Theater (417.873.7228; www.drury.edu /visitors) is slated to open on the Drury University campus by fall 2010 with 3,100 seats for sporting events and up to 3,600 seats for concerts and other events. The facility will also offer a 200-seat banquet room.
• Springfield-Branson National Airport (417.868.0500; www.sgf-branson-airport.com ) opened the new 275,000-square-foot Midfield Terminal in May, which is served by American, Delta, United and Allegiant Air. The terminal opened with 10 gates and can be expanded with up to 60 gates.