Osage Beach To Vote On Outlet Mall Redevelopment, After June 27 Public Hearing

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — In a sink-or-swim moment for a major development team's plans to redevelop the Osage Beach Outlet Mall, the city board of aldermen will meet on June 27 for a vote.

At the special-called meeting, the board will conduct the legally-required public hearing for the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) plan submitted by the developers, Osage Beach Marketplace LLC. That company consists of local development group Horizon Development as well as Kansas City-based Legacy Development.

At a public hearing on Monday, June 13, the city hall board room was filled with members of the public, all who came out to support the redevelopment plan. There, the city's TIF commission heard mall employees and other members of the community plead for the city to take action and help save the dying mall—once a bustling center of economic activity at the Lake. The commission voted unanimously at that meeting to recommend the city board of aldermen approve the TIF.

Developers say their contract to buy the mall from Simon expires on June 29, and Dan Foster, of Horizon Development, said at the June 13 meeting that they did not expect Simon would extend the contract. Even if they were able to do so, Chris Foster of Horizon explained, that contract extension would cost around $200,000.

On the agenda for the June 27 meeting, which will begin at 6 p.m., is a public hearing, followed by the opportunity to vote on seven bills all dealing with the approval of the TIF and the Redevelopment agreement.

The development group plans to spend $186 million on the project, which they have suggested could include a zip-line course, outdoor dining, hiking trails, scenic lighting and affordable housing, along with expanding the retail brands represented at the mall. More detailed plans have been discussed with city officials but will not be made public prior to the approval of the TIF.