Creating a thread for all things Lake of the Ozarks.


Ha Ha Tonka Castle Ruins

About Ha Ha Tonka
Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a state-owned, public recreation area encompassing over 3,700 acres on the Niangua arm of the Lake of the Ozarks about five miles south of Camdenton, Missouri, in the United States. Wikipedia

I spent a weekend there last fall. Great time to visit the Lake, and you've got the whole place to yourself. We cruised around on a pontoon boat, and didn't have to dodge any of the summer-time traffic.

By the way, USA Today just named the Ozarks as the country's Best Recreational Lake:

http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/bes ... onal-lake/

framer wrote:I spent a weekend there last fall. Great time to visit the Lake, and you've got the whole place to yourself. We cruised around on a pontoon boat, and didn't have to dodge any of the summer-time traffic.

By the way, USA Today just named the Ozarks as the country's Best Recreational Lake:

http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/bes ... onal-lake/

Here is the video from USA Today

How is the lake doing these days? Last time I was down, there were a lot of vacancies and seemed like it was in decline.

Is the younger generation going to patronize the lake as much as their parents did?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

downtown2007 wrote:How is the lake doing these days? Last time I was down, there were a lot of vacancies and seemed like it was in decline.

Is the younger generation going to patronize the lake as much as their parents did?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's rebounded. The most urban area, the Bagnell dam strip, got hit hard with vacancies but it's coming back and trying to build a new identity. The great recession hit the area hard as there were not many people buying million dollar boats, or dropping $2k to fill up their gas tanks. Now you're seeing state of the art marinas being built, new and improved restaurants and more national chain shopping options. There are way more full time residents there now than when I was growing up.

I don't see why millennials wouldn't patronize the lake as often as our parents or grand parents.

moorlander wrote: I don't see why millennials wouldn't patronize the lake as often as our parents or grand parents.

Some possibilities that come to mind:
* Greater urbanization = fewer people who spend their youth outdoors
* Greater income inequality = fewer people who can afford lake houses and boats
* More lake pollution = less attractive to future generations

Of course, that last point might self-correct somewhat if popularity were to wane significantly.

MarkHaversham wrote:

moorlander wrote: I don't see why millennials wouldn't patronize the lake as often as our parents or grand parents.

Some possibilities that come to mind:
* Greater urbanization = fewer people who spend their youth outdoors
* Greater income inequality = fewer people who can afford lake houses and boats
* More lake pollution = less attractive to future generations

Of course, that last point might self-correct somewhat if popularity were to wane significantly.

Honestly, I don't see any of these as significant realistic problems.

moorlander wrote:

downtown2007 wrote:How is the lake doing these days? Last time I was down, there were a lot of vacancies and seemed like it was in decline.

Is the younger generation going to patronize the lake as much as their parents did?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's rebounded. The most urban area, the Bagnell dam strip, got hit hard with vacancies but it's coming back and trying to build a new identity. The great recession hit the area hard as there were not many people buying million dollar boats, or dropping $2k to fill up their gas tanks. Now you're seeing state of the art marinas being built, new and improved restaurants and more national chain shopping options. There are way more full time residents there now than when I was growing up.

I don't see why millennials wouldn't patronize the lake as often as our parents or grand parents.

The decline I was speaking of has happened over the past 3 years. Not since the recession. The entire business district from City Grill to Woodys is practically vacant. Condos are on the market for less than 100k.

downtown2007 wrote:

moorlander wrote:

downtown2007 wrote:How is the lake doing these days? Last time I was down, there were a lot of vacancies and seemed like it was in decline.

Is the younger generation going to patronize the lake as much as their parents did?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's rebounded. The most urban area, the Bagnell dam strip, got hit hard with vacancies but it's coming back and trying to build a new identity. The great recession hit the area hard as there were not many people buying million dollar boats, or dropping $2k to fill up their gas tanks. Now you're seeing state of the art marinas being built, new and improved restaurants and more national chain shopping options. There are way more full time residents there now than when I was growing up.

I don't see why millennials wouldn't patronize the lake as often as our parents or grand parents.

The decline I was speaking of has happened over the past 3 years. Not since the recession. The entire business district from City Grill to Woodys is practically vacant. Condos are on the market for less than 100k.

Yeah, That's a difficult location for retail since they built the new road and added the new big box centers.

City Grill is reopening as https://m.facebook.com/wickedwillies/?fref=nf

moorlander wrote:Honestly, I don't see any of these as significant realistic problems.

I'm a member of Generation X. Growing up, a number of my friends' parents owned condos and boats at the Lake of the Ozarks, and they were the same age as I am now.

Of course, fewer people in our parents' generation (baby boomers) were saddled with student loan debt. Housing was a lot cheaper for them as well. And those who were able to save for their kids' college tuition had to save a lot less than we have to save for our kids. And for those who choose it, private elementary and high school tuition is WAY more expensive than it was when I was growing up. Same with daycare. It all leaves a lot less disposable income for purchases like lake condos.

I hope the old-fashioned family-owned resorts can survive. My family used to spend two weeks at one every year when I was growing up. Renting a 3-bedroom cabin with a full kitchen is the way to go when you're travelling with a group, and very economical, too.

framer wrote:I hope the old-fashioned family-owned resorts can survive. My family used to spend two weeks at one every year when I was growing up. Renting a 3-bedroom cabin with a full kitchen is the way to go when you're travelling with a group, and very economical, too.

We stay at a mom and pop resort and keep are boat at a mom and pop marina. There are very few hotel rooms at the lake but there are thousands of rental condos and homes and dozens of mom and pop resorts left.

debaliviere wrote:

moorlander wrote:Honestly, I don't see any of these as significant realistic problems.

I'm a member of Generation X. Growing up, a number of my friends' parents owned condos and boats at the Lake of the Ozarks, and they were the same age as I am now.

Of course, fewer people in our parents' generation (baby boomers) were saddled with student loan debt. Housing was a lot cheaper for them as well. And those who were able to save for their kids' college tuition had to save a lot less than we have to save for our kids. And for those who choose it, private elementary and high school tuition is WAY more expensive than it was when I was growing up. Same with daycare. It all leaves a lot less disposable income for purchases like lake condos.

Exactly. Demographics, interests, and the way people choose to spend their money have changed drastically since the Lakes boom days. It will be interesting to see what happens down there.

This episode aired on Sunday but I'm sure you can see reruns this week.




http://www.hgtv.com/shows/lakefront-bar ... ode-tunein

I'll chime in here. As a member of the millennial generation, my bf and I just moved from downtown Chicago to Lake of the Ozarks last year. They installed fiber optic all over the area so we're able to work from home. I work in sales and he's a software engineer. We got a house on a couple acres with our own well and septic system for under 2 years of Chicago rent. It's beautiful here and in my opinion, super undervalued.

While I think that picking up a national hotel brand is always great (I fully support Chase Park Plaza being a Sonesta now), this is disappointing. Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks is becoming a Margaritaville Resort. While the property has a ton of potential, a lot of cool architectural oddities from years of additions, and could be amazing with this added investment, the Tan-Tar-A brand was so much classier than this. It had much more of a '60s / '70s tropical vibe, a Trader Vic's vibe to it, at least in the branding.

http://www.lakeexpo.com/boating/the_lak ... user-share
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 88187.html

It will be there third inland location after Pigeon Forge, TN, and Orlando (under construction).
https://www.margaritaville.com/stay

aprice wrote: ↑

Jul 13, 2017

While I think that picking up a national hotel brand is always great (I fully support Chase Park Plaza being a Sonesta now), this is disappointing. Tan-Tar-A at Lake of the Ozarks is becoming a Margaritaville Resort. While the property has a ton of potential, a lot of cool architectural oddities from years of additions, and could be amazing with this added investment, the Tan-Tar-A brand was so much classier than this. It had much more of a '60s / '70s tropical vibe, a Trader Vic's vibe to it, at least in the branding.

http://www.lakeexpo.com/boating/the_lak ... user-share
http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 88187.html

It will be there third inland location after Pigeon Forge, TN, and Orlando (under construction).
https://www.margaritaville.com/stay

You're the first negative comment I've read. The Parrot heads are swooning.

moorlander wrote: ↑

Jul 13, 2017

You're the first negative comment I've read. The Parrot heads are swooning.

Hahaha yeah, the first I saw this was on my high school choir teacher's Facebook page. She was excited about telling people she's going to the MMEA conference at "Margaritaville"

However, the Springfield News-Leader published an article this afternoon saying the resort will be branded as "Tan-Tar-A: A Margaritaville Resort" So I'm much happier (I have a lot of childhood memories associated with Tan-Tar-A, Four Seasons Country Club and the Lodge of Four Seasons so this may have hit a bit of a personal chord). I'm just praying they keep the Japanese / Hawaiian Logo & branding and restore as much of the original '70s decor as they can. Again, this could actually go extremely well if they pour some money into this place.

http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/b ... 475867001/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

At least it's not gonna be a Cabo Wabo.

framer wrote:Wow. A very large, very expensive new condo development at the Lake. I'm surprised they got approval for this:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 09657.html

Everyone is so excited to see this move forward.

Here is what it's looked like for the last ~10 years.