Demolition of the abandoned Indian Ridge Resort structures is underway following the property’s recent acquisition by Silver Dollar City.
The 26-acre Parcel 34, which is located off of Highway 76 in Branson West, has been the subject of a variety of stories over the years; from former property owners being charged with committing bank fraud in federal court to going viral on TikTok last spring.
Demolition of the property’s resort remnants, which sits above the Silver Dollar City theme park just to the northwest, began on Wednesday, Oct. 26.
The owners of the 1880s-era theme park confirmed the purchase of the property in a statement to Branson Tri-Lakes News.
“We confirm we have purchased all 836 acres – the first tract is 810 acres; the Indian Ridge property is 26 acres. The land is adjacent to Silver Dollar City controlled land (owned and/or leased),” Silver Dollar City Director of Public Relations and Publicity Lisa Rau shared via email. “We have no announcement regarding this majestic Ozark Mountain Table Rock Lake property.”
Rau added there are no other structures on the property.
Earlier this year, SDC confirmed their purchase of 800 acres of land surrounding the failed development. In a statement from January 2022, Rau stated “The land was purchased for strategic purposes.”
The initial groundbreaking of the resort began in June 2007 with Jim Shirato and Donald Snider with North Shore Developments, according to Branson Tri-Lakes News archives.
Construction on the initial 1,000-acre, $1.6 million dollar project came to a halt in 2009 when the bank who financed the project was taken over by the FDIC. The developers were unable to get the FDIC to continue funding on the project and began looking for other funding. After unsuccessfully finding the funding in 2011, the developers plead guilty in a federal court in Springfield for violating the Missouri Clean Water Act. Shirato was fined $215,000 and Snider was fined $100,000, according to the Branson Tri-Lakes News archives.
In 2012, the FDIC purchased the more than 800-acre property in July 2012 for $3.1 million. The FDIC sold it later that year, but when the buyer failed to close, a 25-acre parcel was sold to Jim Jones for $700,000 in 2014. The remaining property was sold later that year to Ascent Acquisitions for $1.4 million in July 2014, according to Branson Tri-Lakes News archives.
In 2017, three people were sentenced to serve time for their role in the failed development. David Drake, 76, of Lone Tree, Colorado; Donald D. Snider, 57, of Littleton, Colorado; and Heather A. Gibbs, 54, (Snider’s wife), were all sentenced in a federal court for their role in committing bank fraud in relation to the failed Indian Ridge development. Drake and Snider were each sentenced to five years in federal prison, while Gibbs was sentenced to three years’ probation, according to Branson Tri-Lakes News archives.
In March 2021, a video of the property was uploaded to TikTok by @carriejernigan1 and quickly went viral. The video resulted in people coming from all over to see the property and film their own footage. Due to the consistent trespassing, the Stone County Sheriff’s Office released a statement asking people to not enter the private property.
On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Silver Dollar City announced the investment of more than $30 million in upcoming park enhancements, which will have a direct effect on guests, employees, parking and roadways. The purchase of the Indian Ridge property was not a part of Tuesday’s announcement.
Additional photos and video of the demolition can be found on the Branson Tri-Lakes News Facebook page. Visit silverdollarcity.com.
