New Casino in the Works in Missouri?
In other casino news, a popular Missouri travel destination may become home to a casino if some developers and Lake Ozark city officials have their way. The city board of aldermen recently voted in favor of plans for a gaming property located on the Osage River, which flows into the large body of water.
A group called Osage River Gaming and Convention (ORGC) is attempting to build a casino in the area. However, getting to that point involves overcoming a major obstacle: the Missouri constitution.
State law currently allows for casinos only on the Mississippi or Missouri rivers. Additionally, the state also only allows the Missouri Gaming Commission to license 13 casinos in the state. A new casino on the Lake of the Ozarks would violate both of those requirements.
Any new casinos and new locations would need a change to the constitution. ORGC is now pushing for an amendment to allow for an additional casino to be located on the Osage River.
“The group is currently working on the citizens initiative petition process in order to get enough signatures to get the question on the November 2024 ballot, and they say their polling shows strong support of such an amendment,” LakeExpo.com reports.
ORGC announced in November that the group had partnered with Bally’s in the efforts. The company also operates a casino in Kansas City and apparently is now hoping to eventually move a property into central Missouri.
The Lake of the Ozarks offers an enticing location for a casino. The area offers brilliant natural surroundings perfect for outdoors and aquatic recreational opportunities among the picturesque Ozark Mountains. Whether a casino will be part of those surroundings remains to be seen.
