The Osage Nation announced a plan to develop a new entertainment district at Lake of the Ozarks. The complex will include a casino, hotel complex, restaurants, bars, and entertainment. The $60 million dollar investment in the area is one of the largest economic development initiatives at the lake in years, said a release from the Osage Nation.

Additionally, the project will include land and infrastructure improvements, additional lodging, and long-term parking.

“We have established very good relationships with several communities in Missouri and seek to have a presence back in our homeland,” Osage Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear said in the release.

“We are excited to welcome any new development to Lake of the Ozarks that can help grow our tourism community,” Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Heather Brown said.  “We are looking forward to developing a partnership with the Osage Nation’s new entertainment district at the Lake of the Ozarks.  As a CVB, we have been supporting and advocating for economic development and tourism in the tri-county region since 1932.”

“Experienced strategic partners such as the Osage Nation not only bring the obvious jobs, capital, and business acumen to this project but also a genuine desire to see the people of the Lake of the Ozarks region and Missouri Tourism prosper and thrive for years to come.  The Missouri Hotel and Lodging Association looks forward to working with Osage Nation and the people of the Lake Region to grow Missouri's ever-important and expanding tourism industry right along with them," said Missouri Hotel and Lodging Association Board President Trey Propes.

The Osage Nation once thrived in Missouri with a population of 200,000 members of the tribe at its height. The historical influence of the Tribe is still found today in the names of many Lake communities like the City of Osage Beach, Osage County, and School of the Osage.

The Osage Nation plans to give back to the local communities through philanthropic contributions to local schools, law enforcement, and other first responders, local charities, and community improvement projects. The Osage Nation also plans to support local businesses and local vendors wherever possible to provide products and services for their facilities.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton

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