Missouri voters rejected Amendment 5 on Tuesday, which would have amended the state constitution to allow a casino to be built at the Lake of the Ozarks.
The measure failed to reach the simple majority needed to pass, with 47.6 of Missouri voters giving their approval according to unofficial results.
The measure would have amended the Missouri Constitution to allow for a casino to be built near the Osage River and Bagnell Dam, south of U.S. 54. It would have increased the number of state-licensed casinos from 13 to 14.
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The development would have included the casino, a hotel, restaurants and other attractions. Bally’s was set to operate the casino and was a major backer of the campaign to pass Amendment 5. RIS Inc., a developer based in Eldon, also helped bankroll the campaign, which claimed the casino would have created at least 700 permanent jobs at the Lake of the Ozarks.
The casino backers projected than $14 million annually in gaming tax revenue, which would have been used for early childhood literacy efforts in public schools.
The campaign collected more than 320,000 signatures but initially did not qualify for the Nov. 5 ballot. After a lawsuit challenged signatures that were wrongly thrown out, the measure was placed on the ballot.
The campaign raised nearly $6.5 million ahead of the election, campaign finance reports show.
The path forward for a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks
Although Amendment 5 was not approved by Missouri voters, a different casino spearheaded by the Osage Nation could come to fruition in the years to come.
Osage Nation has expressed interest in building a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks since 2002. The $60 million proposal would include a hotel, restaurants and entertainment center. Osage Nation purchased a proposed casino site and submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Interior in 2021. The application needs federal approval and a sign-off from Missouri’s governor.
