Smart Energy Plan Economic Development

August 29, 2024

Smart Energy Plan supports new development and demand at Lake of the Ozarks

Excitement is building at Lake of the Ozarks for a new entertainment destination under construction in Osage Beach.

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Oasis at Lakeport is a multimillion-dollar complex slated to open near the Grand Glaize bridge in 2025. When completed, the site will boast a hotel and conference center, restaurants, water park, roller coaster and a giant observation wheel among other attractions. From the outset, reliable power was a key factor in the decision to invest in such a large project.

We had a lot of options on where to invest nearly half a billion dollars in the Oasis project in multiple different states,” says Oasis developer, Jeff Tegethoff. “We chose the Lake area because with Ameren Missouri, we knew we could get access to power.

To help meet the needs of the project, Ameren Missouri is replacing one of its oldest substations at the Lake and adding new equipment to expand capacity. “The amusement park alone will use about as much energy as the entire city of Osage Beach,” says Mitch Ditter, senior manager of Ameren Missouri’s Central Missouri division. “The new substation will increase capacity by 600%, supporting reliability for the Oasis project and 1,400 other customers in the area.”

Developers envision Oasis as a year-round destination – mirroring the growth of residents who now live, work and play full-time at Lake of the Ozarks. “We’re seeing tremendous growth at the Lake,” says Ditter. “Thanks to our Smart Energy Plan, we’ve modernized four substations in the area already, added a new substation, and upgraded and storm-hardened miles of overhead lines to reliably support this growing demand.”

Oasis developers see the project as a catalyst for future growth at the Lake, and economic development officials agree the area is poised for even more growth.

“One of the questions we regularly receive – whether it’s from a single-family home builder or a multimillion-dollar entertainment destination developer – is if they’re going to have reliable service,” says Harrison Fry, president of the Lake of the Ozarks Regional Development Council. “Ameren Missouri has consistently answered that call and delivered on that promise of safe, reliable, smart infrastructure investment.”

The substation expansion will be in-service by the end of 2024, with the first phase of Oasis at Lakeport set to open sometime in 2025.