Branson attraction sues man over TripAdvisor review

BRANSON, Mo. -- Owners of a southwestern Missouri attraction are suing a Kansas cattle rancher over a review he wrote on TripAdvisor.

Randy Winchester initially left a three-star review about Bigfoot on the Strip after visiting the Branson "fun park" with his daughter in March, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The attraction includes thrill rides, a mini-golf course and a tour of Bigfoot Farms and its cattle.

"All in all a decent experience, but had we paid more than the $10, I would have been disappointed," Winchester said in his review. He wrote about spending five to 10 minutes feeding cattle on the tour, as well as seeing "maybe 10 of the cows."

Winchester said a man identifying himself as an owner of the attraction repeatedly contacted him and his daughter to complain about the review after it was posted on the travel website. Winchester then changed his review to one star.

"I have significant reservations regarding any business run by someone who seems to think it is an acceptable business practice to contact family members and associates of a reviewer because they seem to be unhappy with a review," he said.

Bigfoot on the Strip filed the lawsuit in April against Winchester, his daughter and their Kansas business, Dancing Cow Farms. Bigfoot's owners are asking the court to order the Winchesters to remove the reviews, which they call "false and defamatory."

The attraction is suing for libel, negligence and tortious inference. The owners are seeking the Winchesters to pay at least $25,000 in addition to attorney's fees.

Both parties didn't respond to the newspaper for comment.

The lawsuit alleges the Winchesters didn't take the tour, according to court documents. The business also denies repeatedly contacting Winchester and his daughter.

The attraction's owners allege Winchester's review was intended to discourage people from visiting and to hurt business.

Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com