Families soon will have more reasons than just boating, swimming and fishing to visit the Lake of the Ozarks.
Developers have announced plans for the Oasis at Lakeport development. The $300 million family resort and year-round entertainment district will include a 400-room, full-service hotel, an indoor water park and an amusement park with a Ferris wheel. The development will be near the intersection of U.S. 54 and Jeffries Road near the Grand Glaize Bridge in Osage Beach.
“As plans for the family-friendly offerings at Oasis at Lakeport continue to be announced, I am enjoying watching our community gain momentum as one of the fastest-growing lake destinations,” Osage Beach Mayor Michael Harrison said.
The Marriott hotel will include a 26,000-square-foot conference center, indoor water park, restaurants, 200 public boat slips and 1,000-space parking garage. Developers said the project attractions also will include roller coasters, thrill and family rides, and a 200-foot Ferris whee visible from across the Lake of the Ozarks.
Construction is expected to begin this year, and parts of the project could open as early as next summer. The recent surge in tourism has been good news for businesses and local sales tax revenues around the lake.
Aside from the new resort, the area also is expecting a major redevelopment of the beleaguered outlet mall in Osage Beach. A proposed incentive deal with Kansas City developers recently fell apart, the Lake Expo reported. Now, local developer Gary Prewitt plans to redevelop the site.
Prewitt, who has developed local shopping centers and several popular bars such as Backwater Jack’s and Shady Gator’s, is expected to submit formal development plans this spring. Those plans, he told the Lake Expo, “will include family friendly recreation opportunities mixed with dining establishments and premium retail stores.”
–Alan Goforth | MV
