Lake of the Ozarks Casino Project Reveals Three Development Options

A casino at the Lake of the Ozarks – Missouri’s first tribal casino – took one step forward this week when plans for the project build were released.

The Osage Nation unveiled the details in an 83-page federal assessment report as part of its review with the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs. It includes three possible options, including “no action,” one hotel-resort with gaming space and hotel rooms, and a hotel without a casino complex.

Construction could begin on the project before the end of the year.

An unexpected player 

The Osage Nation’s preferred option, known as “Option A,” would be to take advantage of its opportunity to build a casino, paired with a luxury hotel.

Plans for a casino and hotel called for a 40,000-square-foot gaming facility with up to 750 Class II gaming devices, such as bingo, a 150-room hotel tower, food and drink areas, meeting space, a fitness center, a pool, and 435 parking spaces.

The project would cover more than 237,000 square feet in total and would create an estimated 455 permanent local jobs. Development would take 12-18 months, and the campus would generate a projected $100 million in annual economic stimulus.

The Osage Nation is headquartered in Pawhuska, Oklahoma – the tribe gained entry to the Missouri market through its ties to Lake Ozark, claims that were upheld by the Department of the Interior.

Missouri, however, does not support any Class III gaming facilities and is not expected to offer the contract to the Osage, which is why they’re limited to Class II machines. Class III machines include roulette, blackjack, video slot machines, and more. 

Hurdles to clear

The future of the casino is still up in the air. The land at the targeted build site must be placed into federal trust under the Federal Reorganization Act. Then, a redetermination required by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act must determine that a casino is in the best interest of the tribe and will not have a negative impact on the local community.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) must also sign off on the findings.

A determination will be made based on the impacts to local necessities and quality of life components, such as water, traffic, wildlife, and community impact. A public input window will remain open until Sept. 2.

The Osage first announced its plans to build a casino at Lake Ozark in 2021. However, that came to a grinding halt due to Missouri’s law that there can only be 13 casinos, all of which must be along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. 

The Osage’s quest for a casino was able to bypass those restrictions due to the tribe's federally recognized status. 

Lake Ozark is a popular tourist destination during the summer months. Former mayor Gerry Murawski said the landmark attracted an average of 5.4 million tourists and exceeded 10 million in 2020 thanks to the popularity of the hit Netflix show Ozark.