Missourians,
In the next few days we will learn if an Initiative Petition will be placed on this November’s ballot amending the Missouri Constitution to allow for a 14th license, currently the state caps those licenses at 13. The City of Lake Ozark has historically been a tourist town made up of many diverse forms of entertainment. Since the building of Bagnell Dam, nearly 100 years ago hard working business owners created venues specializing in entertaining tourists who came to vacation at Lake of the Ozarks. Bagnell Dam Blvd. and the historic Strip is the entire Lake of the Ozarks regions Entertainment Epicenter, an area that buzzes with smiling tourists enjoying the offerings of our businesses and the unique makeup of our town.
This spring the City of Lake Ozark board of Alderman unanimously supported the Initiative Petition to allow for a Casino to be built in Lake Ozark. I wanted to remind everyone of how this process started and update you as to what you can expect in the near future.
City of Lake Ozark
Mayor
Dennis Newberry
The following Q/A is from Osage River Gaming:
Q: What is the estimated revenue this casino will bring in and how much of that will come from visitors who came because of the casino?
A: The $150 million dollar estimate represents NEW economic activity at the lake. A casino, spa and hotel in the Lake region would bring additional year round tourism dollars which would positively benefit local businesses, particularly during the off-season. Local investors and board members of the ORGC own businesses and entertainment venues at the Lake, and they strongly believe this casino will benefit their other business ventures in the area. Additionally, this project will generate 700 permanent jobs and 150 ancillary jobs from vendors, suppliers, and foodservice businesses.
Q: Don’t casinos cannibalize staff from other local businesses and entertainment venues?
A: Since the casino, spa and hotel in the Lake region will bring additional year round tourism dollars, new jobs will be created. These jobs can be filled with workers from surrounding communities to expand our local workforce. Further, local investors and board members of the ORGC already own businesses and entertainment venues at the Lake and do not foresee a workforce problem. The City of Lake Ozark is also actively pursuing additional housing projects that will provide new workforce housing options for workers locating to the region. The Administration also streamlined the process and cut red tape by removing development hurdles. Additionally, A TIF board was created and other initiatives to welcome new development and not deter it. The current leadership is providing the foundation to plan for new growth which will add to the health of our community.
Q: Won’t crime rates increase with a casino in the area?
A: We do not believe that crime rates will increase with a casino in the area. This casino complex is being built in a city that is already prepared to handle large amounts of tourists safely and professionally. The added tax dollars from this casino will also fund local city and county police departments to enhance their abilities to keep our citizens safe.