Watch For These Developments & Grand Openings In Camdenton In 2026

It's shaping up to be a strong year for Camdenton — one of the most bustling cities at Lake of the Ozarks. Here's a look at a handful of the grand openings and infrastructure progress expected in 2026...

Community Center

This is the big one. The long-anticipated, much-talked-about Camdenton Community Center is really going to happen. The city's plans for a one-of-a-kind community center have proceeded in fits and starts, with a long period of inaction due to the 2020 construction material price-increase era. The city had budgeted $3.8 million, but in May 2020, bids came back at more than $5.5 million.

Then in January 2025, the City struck an agreement with Nabholz Construction to build the community center at a cost of approximately $4.5 million. The City was able to cut the cost by moving the location to flatter ground, building one story instead of two — thus eliminating elevators — and reducing the size by 8,000 sq. ft.

Camdenton Community Center - exterior rendering Large.jpeg

The plan now is for a 14,000 sq ft community center, located next to the Camdenton Aquatic Center in the Camdenton Park. The center will have a full-size gym, a full walking track, a reception area, and a large community room. The 150-person capacity community room will be available to rent and will offer a warming kitchen for caterers to bring food in for events.

Camdenton Community Center - interior rendering Large.jpeg

The City broke ground in August 2025, and City Administrator Jeff Hooker says they hope to open by June 2026.

"We’re gearing it toward people who actually live in the city, or this area," Hooker said, adding, "It'll be the only thing like this in the Lake area."

Twisted Tony's (Now Open!)

A hot spot in Osage Beach for sandwiches, Twisted Tony's just opened its second location, on Dec. 29. The new Twisted Tony's in Camdenton is located behind Great Southern Bank — across the street from the new PaPPo's that opened last year.

UPS Store

Right next to the new Twisted Tony's a UPS Store will be opening in March, at 76 Chestnut Ave.

Cannabiz Depot

In the budding commercial center near the Highway 54/Highway 5 intersection, a cannabis dispensary is in the works. City Administrator Jeff Hooker says Cannabiz Depot will be situated right next to Culver's, in the former dental office on the corner. This will be the second Cannabiz Depot location at the Lake; the first store opened in June 2021 and is located near Osage Beach Wal-Mart.

Soft opening: March 1

Grand opening: April 20

TBD

Hooker revealed the lot next to US Bank has been purchased and the developer has been clearing a pad for construction there. He also dropped a couple more hints about development at Jack Crowell Road — which runs through the commercial center containing Culver's, Scooter's, and The Wash Shop. "Some restaurants... and a large retail nationwide grocer" are under contract at the location, Hooker said, though he was not yet able to reveal the names of those businesses.

Highway 54 Construction

The project to widen Highway 54 from the square westward to the Niangua Bridge will make serious headway in 2026... but it will feel like more of a problem than a solution this year. MoDot says the project won't be complete until 2027. When it's done, it will dramatically improve traffic flow through an historically congested area of Camdenton. But until then, MoDot Area Engineer Danny Roeger says drivers should prepare to deal with the woes of road work.

Meanwhile, with the flurry of growth at the Highway 5/Highway 54 intersection, all eyes are on Governor Mike Kehoe to release funds for the expansion and improvement of that infamously clogged intersection. Even if Kehoe does so, construction would likely not begin until 2027, Roeger said.

Read more about the Highway 54/Highway 5 logjam and the plan to fix it, here.

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