Ranchers and store-owners in Montana claim the smash hit TV series Yellowstone is a double-edged sword, even suggesting the Kevin Costner cowboy drama is affecting their state’s reputation.
Mark Greeno, a rancher at Nine Quarter Circle Ranch, put it bluntly: ‘The show has given our ranchers a bad name.’
The other side of that equation, however, comes from a University of Montana study that says the show has brought an estimated 2.1 million visitors and $730 million in tourist dollars to Montana.
The study argues that the show has also created 10,200-plus jobs and brought over one million visitors.
However, as Greeno and other businesspeople and Montana put it, the show and the starring Dutton family – which is ending this season amid Kevin Costner’s multi-million dollar divorce but likely to continue via a sequel starring Matthew McConaughey – can be a blessing and a curse.
Ranchers and store-owners in Montana claim the smash hit TV series Yellowstone is a double-edged sword, even suggesting the Kevin Costner cowboy drama is affecting their state’s reputation
He dislikes the series’ explosive violence, political corruption and dumping of bodies, according to the Washington Post, and worries visitors won’t take away the show’s themes of ‘environmental stewardship.’
Greeno claimed that for the first time in decades, he’s started discovering litter in the Yellowstone River.
Another complaint came from Blackfeet tribal member and local business owner Nathan St. Goddard, who finds it ludicrous that the cold Montana winters are never portrayed.
‘One thing I’ve noticed is that ‘Yellowstone’ was only shot in the summer so people are blown away that it’s cold, that the wind blows up here. It looks like it’s 80 degrees and perfect temperatures.’
He also joked that the show’s main tribal chief Thomas Rainwater, is too nicely-dressed.
‘There’s no Indian that wears a suit 24/7,’ St. Goddard quipped. ‘He’s in a suit all the time, rain or shine.’
The University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Melissa Weddell, however, says the show’s positive impact on the state is undeniable.
‘Film is an economic driver of tourism, and the ‘Yellowstone’ TV show has demonstrated the power of Montana’s American West image to influence people to visit the state,’ she said.
The other side of that equation, however, comes from a University of Montana study that says the show has brought an estimated 2.1 million visitors and $730 million in tourist dollars to Montana
Mark Greeno, a rancher at Nine Quarter Circle Ranch, put it bluntly: ‘The show has given our ranchers a bad name’
The Motel Bozeman is one of the businesses to reap the benefits of Yellowstone-inspired tourism
Western Outdoor stores say the show has been a huge cash cow for their locations
‘Everything from food services, hotels, rental companies and transportation services to high tech and skilled trades such as electricians and carpenters, are benefiting from the film industry’s activity in the state,’ added Todd O’Hair, president and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce.
Yellowstone will finish at the end of this season, Paramount has confirmed, with its star Kevin Costner now mired in an ugly divorce battle with his wife Christine Baumgartner.
Paramount Network announced in May that Yellowstone will officially end with the final episodes of the fifth season launching in November.
The show has been a monster hit for the network, and tells the story of the Dutton family, and their battles over their gigantic Montana ranch.
It is still a ratings smash, but the atmosphere on set is said to have become fraught over Costner’s insistence on only working part of the week.
Kevin Costner’s megahit Yellowstone will officially end with the conclusion of the fifth season which will begin airing in November
Trouble on set: In March, the New York Post reported that Costner’s desire to cut down his workload on the fifth season to focus on other projects was also to blame for the tension between him and Sheridan; publicity image for Yellowstone
But fans of Yellowstone will likely be soothed by news that a sequel has already been given a full-series order.
Matthew McConaughey has been tipped as its possible star, although producers have yet to confirm any members of its new cast.
The show originally debuted to modest ratings and lackluster reviews in 2018, and even though the series — which was created by showrunner, director and writer Taylor Sheridan — did well enough to be renewed for a second season.
Paramount opted to sell the streaming rights to Peacock in 2020, rather than saving the show for its own streaming service.
It turned out to be a short-sighted decision, as Yellowstone has only increased in popularity with subsequent seasons, allowing Peacock to syphon of some of Paramount’s potential revenue in the form of new subscribers, though Paramount still benefits from the licensing fees that Peacock pays to stream the series.
The news comes at a difficult time for Costner, whose second wife Christine Baumgartner settled their divorce in mid-September but was still a fiery legal battle when the show was canceled.
The couple have been married since 2004.
Baumgartner cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ and requested joint custody of their three children: Cayden, 15; Hayes, 14; and Grace, 12, TMZ reported.
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