JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A proposal up for vote on Missouri’s general election ballots next month as Amendment 5 could pave the way for a new casino in the Lake of the Ozarks region.
Voters will be asked to vote “Yes” or “No” on Amendment 5. Below is a brief explainer of what a “yes” and “no” vote mean and how Amendment 5 will be written on Missouri ballots.
What does a ‘yes’ vote mean?
A majority “yes” vote would help the state clear a hurdle to create a new casino in the Lake of the Ozarks region. It would allow the state to obtain one additional gambling boat license to its current total, a step required for a new casino to become a reality.
Voting “yes” would increase the state’s number of gambling boat licenses from 13 to 14. The 14th license would be used for an excursion gambling boat to operate a casino on a portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to the Bagnell Dam.
Voters who side with Amendment 5 also approve two conditions for the casino to operate.
One condition is that the casino must be located within 500 feet of a floodplain.
The second condition is that all the revenue the state gets from its new license will go directly early-childhood literacy programs in Missouri’s public elementary education schools.
What does a ‘no’ vote mean?
A majority “no” vote would prevent the state from obtaining a gambling boat license for a new casino in the Lake of the Ozarks region.
Voting “no” would keep existing regulations around gambling boat licenses intact and keep the state’s number of such licenses at 13.
Voters who side against Amendment 5 reject the possibility of a gambling boat license for a new casino in the Lake of the Ozarks region, along with any potential revenues that its license could generate for the state. It’s essentially a vote that maintains status quo in Missouri’s casino landscape.
As written on ballots
Amendment 5 will read on Missouri ballots verbatim as such….
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:
*allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling boat license to operate on the portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to the Bagnell Dam
*require the prescribed location shall include artificial spaces that contain water and are within 500 feet of the 100-year base flood elevation as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and
*require all state revenues derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education?
State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $763,000, ongoing costs of $2.2 million annually, initial fee revenue of $271,000, ongoing admission and other fee revenue of $2.1
million annually, and annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.
