$11 Million Adventure Park Coming To Lake Of The Ozarks At Stark Caverns

ELDON, Mo. — Stark Caverns has broken ground on an $11 million expansion that will create the Lake of the Ozarks Adventure Park, with the first attractions expected to open in late spring 2027.

Construction began Monday, Nov. 9, and is expected to continue through the winter and spring. The project will open in phases, with an anchor attraction planned for later next summer.

The park will include several attractions, including an XD Dark Ride from Triotech and an old-fashioned shooting gallery themed as the Hatfields & McCoys Shootout. Stark Caverns said the anchor attraction will also be a first for the Lake area, but details have not yet been announced.

Stark Caverns owners Jeff and Amy Hargroves purchased the property in 2017. Jeff Hargroves previously worked as a tour guide at the cave while attending high school in Eldon in the 1980s.

“The timing is right for this ambitious project,” Amy Hargroves said, pointing to continued tourism growth around Lake of the Ozarks, the property’s proximity to Highway 54, and more than 300 acres available for development.

The project is being supported through financing and tax incentives from Miller County and OakStar Bank.

Miller County approved its first Chapter 100 Bond for the development on Oct. 14. The agreement provides property tax abatement at decreasing levels over 15 years, along with a sales tax exemption on construction materials. OakStar Bank is providing the loan supporting the bond, with UMB Bank serving as bond trustee.

Miller County Presiding Commissioner Kevin Cardwell said the development is expected to create more than 50 jobs over the next five years, attract additional visitors, and eventually increase local property and sales tax revenue.

“This project is expected to add more than 50 new jobs over the next five years, bring new visitors to the county and significantly expand our property tax and sales tax revenues,” Cardwell said.

The project team includes Generator Studios of Kansas City, Thomas Construction of Osage Beach, Rimiller Architects of Jefferson City, Great River Engineering, and Trail Consulting of Osage Beach.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held Monday at Stark Caverns, with representatives from the business, Miller County, OakStar Bank, Thomas Construction, and the Eldon Chamber of Commerce taking part.

Stark Caverns will remain open during construction. The cave has operated as a public attraction since 1950 and currently offers tours, blacklight cave experiences, and an in-cave escape room.

Current hours and additional information are available at starkcaverns.com.