It's still a year-and-a-half away, but the Branson Regional Airport is already causing a stir around the Ozarks.

Progress is being made on the $100 million project south of Branson. That raises potential concerns for Springfield, even for developer John Q. Hammons.

Right now it's not much more than a construction site. But it's enough to make one of the state's biggest developers lose a little sleep.

"I tell you one thing I do worry about: that's the great airport in Branson," said developer John Q. Hammons in an interview Tuesday.

Despite recently buying more real estate in Springfield, John Q. Hammons said he flies over the Branson airport construction site about every two weeks, checking out the future competition.

But Branson officials just don't see it that way.

"We don't see Springfield as our competitor. Springfield is a market in its own. The population of greater Springfield is enough to sustain the market," said Jeff Bourk, the Branson airport’s executive director.

"We don't intend to take any business away from Springfield. That's not the intention. The intention is to enhance the entire southwest Missouri region," said Ross Summer of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
executive vice president.

Just three months ago, airport officials broke ground on the airport, the first privately built airport in the country.

So far, one-third of the dirt and rock have been moved in preparation for the May 2009 grand opening.

City officials say though they aren't sure which airlines will fly into Branson, they're already developing an intense marketing plan and they hope the end result will be more money and more tourists.