LAKE OZARK, MO. – This November, Missouri voters will decide on expanding casino gaming in the Show-Me State.
When Missouri gaming facilities were approved in the 1990s, the law limited the number of venues to 13 statewide, and they could only be on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Now, in a few weeks, voters will be deciding on Amendment Five. The measure asks if the state should issue a license for a 14th casino and allow it to be built on the Osage River, a tributary of the Missouri River.
This week, developers and the Yes On 5 campaign shared new renderings with Ozarksfirst highlighting the proposed Bally’s Casino. The venue would be built in Lake Ozark, below Bagnell Dam where U.S. 54 crosses the Osage River. The multi-story tower will include a hotel, casino, and space for other amenities like retail and restaurants.
The Amendment 5 ballot language states annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million would be generated. It reads, “All state revenue derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education.”