Politics, Elections and Government

Lake of the Ozarks casino proposal added to Missouri's November ballot

St. Louis Public Radio | By Jason Rosenbaum

Published August 30, 2024 at 2:57 PM CDT

Election officials wait for voters on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, at the Julia Davis Library in St. Louis’ Penrose neighborhood.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially said that the plan didn’t receive enough signatures in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District. But a judge on Friday ruled that backers did collect enough, and ordered the measure included as Amendment 5 in the November election.

Missourians will get to vote on whether to authorize a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Backers of a casino in the popular tourist destination need to go to statewide voters to build the casino, because the Missouri Constitution only authorizes those gaming facilities on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft initially rejected the ballot item from going before voters, because he said that the measure didn’t have enough signatures in six out of eight congressional districts. Ashcroft found that the plan did receive the necessary signatures in five districts, but fell short in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.

Cole County Judge Daniel Green ruled on Friday that proponents of the casino ballot item did actually gather enough signatures in the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses parts of St. Louis, St. Charles and Warren Counties, and all of Franklin County. He then ordered Ashcroft to place the proposal on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Ashcroft spokesman JoDonn Chaney said that the GOP statewide official does not plan on appealing Green’s ruling.

“During the initiative petition review process local election authorities were tasked with checking well over 1 million signatures,” Chaney said in an email. “From their reporting, the secretary of state’s office determined the Osage River Gaming petition was just short of the required signature count for ballot certification. After a challenge by the petitioner it was determined that enough additional signatures could be verified to place the petition on the November ballot.”

Backers of the plan to build the Lake of the Ozarks casino say the facility will spur 500 construction jobs and create 700 to 800 permanent jobs. State revenue from the casino would go toward education programs, with a specific emphasis on early child literacy efforts.

Missourians are also to vote on a measure legalizing sports betting, though opponents of that proposal filed a lawsuit contending that it didn’t get enough signatures in six out of eight districts.