Ozarks Casino Supporters Try Again With $20M Plan for 2026 Vote
Supporters of a Lake of the Ozarks casino are relaunching their campaign with a $20 million budget for the 2026 vote, addressing past communication issues.Summary
Proponents of a state-controlled casino at the Lake of the Ozarks are preparing for another attempt to gain voter approval after their 2024 initiative failed with 52% voting against it. They attribute the previous defeat to poor messaging, insufficient publicity, and opposition from competing gambling businesses, believing voters were confused and associated the proposal with tribal gaming. This time, the group, now known as Lake of the Ozarks Community Gaming, plans to invest approximately $20 million – nearly four times the previous budget – in advertising and voter outreach. They aim to clarify ownership, purpose, and economic impact, and will begin petitioning earlier to avoid legal challenges and competition with other ballot measures. A key strategy is to secure neutrality from major gaming companies, preventing negative ad campaigns that impacted the previous vote. The casino is projected to generate at least $100 million in annual revenue, potentially providing $4 million annually to the city of Lake Ozark and $1 million to Miller County in tax revenue.
(Source：Gamblingnews)