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Casinos, Real Estate, Outlet Mall & More: The Lake's Biggest Business Stories In 2021

  • Updated
  • 2 min to read

It's no exaggeration to say the Lake of the Ozarks will never be the same after 2020 and 2021.

Thanks to the Lake's obvious waterfront appeal, plus our region's preference for liberty over lockdowns, people from across the country have made the Lake their permanent home in the past two years, at a dizzying rate. And it's not just full-time residents: developers are taking a fresh interest in the Lake area too.

This year has produced copious stories of the Lake's economic growth spurt. Here are the top ones:

#1. Everyone Wants To Be Here

UHaul data suggests Missouri was one of the most popular places to move to, in 2020. California, Illinois and New Jersey saw the lowest migration numbers. Ahem...

#2. Cobalt Founding Family Buys Summerset Boat Lifts

The St. Clairs just love the marine industry. And they found a thriving marine business at the Lake in Summerset Boat Lifts.

#3. Aldi & More

First Aldi was coming to Lake Ozark. Then, it wasn't. But now it is, and it seems like it really is this time. Lots of buzz over this grocery store.

#4. Premier 54 Sold

Another major marine move in 2021: Premier 54, the top Chaparral dealer in the world, was bought by serial entrepreneurs Rick Ball and Steve Brink.

#5. Everyone Wants To Sell Houses Here

Well, if everyone wants to live here, then they're going to have to buy houses! And plenty of real estate agents suddenly discovered how nice it is to sell a home at the Lake. Membership in local boards of realtors has skyrocketed.

#6. Historic Resort Goes Up For Sale

Marty Byrde would approve.

#7. The Osage Casino Surprise + A Different Casino

Late on a Friday afternoon, a press release made its way into the digital ether. The Osage Nation had purchased land at Lake of the Ozarks and plans to build a casino on it. A few people had opinions about this.

#8. More Windows Of Opportunity

Quaker Window Company continues to benefit the Lake area economy, and their newest planned expansion will come with 150 new jobs.

#9. Outlet Mall Goes Under Contract

When you buy an outlet mall, do you pay full price, or get a discount?

Probably won't know the answer to that. But the buyers say they have big plans for a "world-class destination."

#10. The Covid Vax Mandate That Wasn't

When Lake Regional Health System announced—in response to the Biden administration mandates—that they'd be requiring all employees to get the Covid jab, it created quite a stir. Many employees had already gotten the shot; some had—and would—not. The Lake area's largest healthcare provider appeared to acknowledge this in a letter to employees, published by LakeExpo.

But then, after a lawsuit resulted in a judge placing a stay on the Biden admin's order, Lake Regional announced they too would be pausing their Covid vaccine mandate.

#11. A Billion In Real Estate Sales... And Still Going

The Lake area crushed its prior record in total real estate sales volume, in 2020. And in 2021, it happened again. Will the market settle down in 2022, or will prices continue to rise as homes sell at a dizzying pace? We'll find out...

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