Investors & Partners,

Summer has arrived, and that means a multitude of activities both in and outdoors right here in Christian County. Throughout the summer, we will be marketing Christian County as an amazing place for outdoor rec, entertainment, and shopping & dining, so you may see new content appear on our site and social media!

Our hope is to not only remind residents of the cool stuff we have here, but to also drive tourism into Christian County. Speaking of which, we have word that 14 Mill Market is very close to opening! Activities also occur weekly at Volleyball Beach Ozark, and the newly-opened 4 by 4 Brewing is stacked with events, food trucks, and specials all throughout the month!

Of course, we want to remind all our partners and investors that the next full board meeting will be Wednesday, July 19 at 10am at the Aetos Center in Nixa. And we are excited for our staff retreat later this month to organize and strategize for the upcoming fiscal year. It goes without saying that there are plenty of community events to keep you engaged with Christian County; if you haven't bought your ducks for the Sertoma Duck Race Festival yet, you ought to get on it!

As always, we are incredibly thankful for our investors and partners. We treasure your constant support and engagement. Have a wonderful day!

Kristen Haseltine

President/CEO - Show Me Christian County

417-496-5987 (cell)

Visit us at showmeccmo.com

Show Me Christian County Full Board Meeting

The next Show Me Christian County full board meeting will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19, 2023 at a location TBD. Investors, be sure to mark your calendars, and watch out for more information!

Annual Balloon Glow and Sertoma Duck Race

The annual Hot Air Balloon Glow is set to take place Friday, June 16 at the Finley River Park! And you won't want to miss the annual Sertoma Duck Race the very next day! Ducks are still for sale, with proceeds benefitting four regional charities; enter for your chance to win a 2023 Chevy Silverado!

Click here for Balloon Glow event info!

Click here for Sertoma Duck Race info!

60 Minutes to Success: How to Navigate Cannabis Legalization

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will be holding a lunch and learn event featuring speaker Stephen Doerhoff of the Division of Cannabis Regulation on the topic of marijuana legalization and its effects in the workplace. The luncheon is scheduled for June 21 at 11:30am.

Click here for more info and to register!

The Missouri Department of Economic Development received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to assist with economic recovery efforts. The following grant applications are open or will open soon. Please follow the link for more information about these grants.

• Entertainment Industry (guidelines finalized)
• Applications are open!
• Nonprofit (guidelines finalized)
• Applications are open!
• Cell Tower (finalizing guidelines)

Nixa Sucker Days Festival

The annual Sucker Days Festival took place in Nixa, drawing thousands of visitors into Christian County for a weekend of games, rides, crafts, and more!

Inclusive Playground Ribbon-Cutting

Nixa Parks & Rec has unveiled the completed inclusive playground at McCauley Park! We're proud to see these important placemaking efforts come to fruition!

AVP Juniors Midwest Regional Championships

Volleyball Beach Ozark hosted the AVP Juniors Midwest Championships last weekend, drawing players and spectators from all over the country into Christian County!

CC Library Summer Reading Challenge

The Christian County Library is holding a summer reading challenge through the months of June and July! Everyone is invited to participate, with prizes for those of all ages!

Learn more here!

In fiscal year 2022, Missouri saw tourism spending reach $16 billion in taxable sales, with an economic impact of $18.4 billion statewide. In NAICS-designated tourism industries, Christian County saw $129 million in tourism spending, a jump from 2021's $120 million. With approximately 2,670 employees in tourism-related industries in the county, that averages to about $48,468 in tourism spending per employee. See the table below to see how we stack up against our neighbors and other tourism-heavy locations in Missouri:

As a rapidly-growing county with an emerging tourism industry, it is heartening to see that Christian County remains competitive among big players in the state, but there is definitely room for expansion. With Branson being the #2 top destination for tourism in Missouri, and Springfield just behind at #4, Christian County is primed to attract more regional tourists as outdoor recreation, sports facilities, and unique shopping & dining options continue to populate our growing county.

Every month, we title our newsletter after a song that seems fitting. Can you name the artist who originally recorded this month's song, Sunshine On My Shoulders?