VAN BUREN — The Landing ceremonially broke ground Monday morning for its new facilities, after the previous lodge was destroyed by a fire last September.
Buildings separate from The Landing were spared from the blaze, but the main resort with its restaurant, store and recreation office was a loss. Tom Bedell, The Landing’s founder, spoke over rumbling machinery and power tools as he praised Dille Pollard Architecture and Zoellner Construction for their work on the new facilities.
“We’d like to thank Dille Pollard and the architects for what they’ve done. And we’re moving along a little more quickly than I thought we would,” he said, later adding, “I know he’s (Matt Zoellner) doing everything he can do to get us operational.”
The Bedells hope to have the first new rooms, which are set back from the river, open in May. The store will ideally follow in June and the waterfront lodging and recreation office should be done at the end of the year.
“We kind of feel under the gun a little bit to try to get things up and going so that we can be fully operational,” said Matt Bedell, marketing manager at The Landing. “And so everybody’s been really great about expediting things and moving things along.”
Other companies involved are Smith & Co. Engineers, Smith & Boucher Engineers and Mettemeyer Engineering.
Matt Bedell said his family used their decades of experience in the old building when planning the new one. The blueprints include bigger breezeways, plus upgraded gathering areas and balconies. However, The Landing will not add any extra features, sticking to its winning model of “dining, lodging and floating.” These will continue all year as construction progresses.
“That’s really the message we want to get out is that we are fully operational this summer, even with construction going on. We’ll just be working around it. And as the facilities get completed, we’ll bring them right into operations,” Matt Bedell explained.
Paul Jarrell co-owns Smart Marketing in Poplar Bluff alongside Matt Bedell. The Bedells decided to rebuild almost immediately, he recalled and met with Dille Pollard Architecture two weeks after the fire. The resort is more than a local landmark, but an international attraction within the Ozarks.
“People come into The Landing from all over the world. Regularly, we get groups from Australia and Europe,” he noted.
Its significance is why Zoellner Construction was eager to tackle the project.
According to owner Matt Zoellner, “This is not a normal project. This is not just a landmark here, it’s a landmark in Missouri, so we wanted this job on our portfolio more than anything.”
Throughout the rebuilding process, the Bedells have been inspired by the positivity from their community.
“We’re just amazed at the support that we’ve gotten since the fire and you know, it’s been very touching to my family ... I think that’s been a lot of the fuel for us to come back, and make sure that this is a place that people could come visit for years to come,” said Matt Bedell.
More information about The Landing and its attractions are available at thelandingcurrentriver.com and The Landing — Current River Facebook page.