Branson grapples with the rise of pay-by-the-week hotels — and the crime that came with it

It was after a tragic death that Branson city leaders realized something had to be done about pay-by-week hotels.

For years now, a growing chunk of Branson's 177 hotels have no longer offered nightly rentals, opting instead for a model that caters to residents struggling to find affordable housing, city officials said.

“Managers and owners were basically dumping their problems on everybody else.”

In the morning, school buses stop by these extended-stay hotels to pick up children. In the evening, police cars stop by in response to thefts, drug use or fights between tenants, said Branson Chief of Police Stan Dobbins.

Read more: http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2016/11/05/branson-grapples-rise-pay---week-hotels-and-crime-came/91941666/