OSAGE BEACH, MISSOURI -- Business owners and citizens shared a variety of ideas to increase traffic and boost the economy to Osage Beach's west end business district with the Osage Beach Citizen Advisory Committee at its recent meetings.
Now, the committee will present those recommendations to the community at an upcoming public forum, tentatively scheduled for July 15 at Osage Beach City Hall. The decision to hold a public forum was the final order of business for the Osage Beach Citizen Advisory Committee at its second meeting June 17.
The committee was revived to discuss economic and traffic downturn solutions in the city's west end. They must also present any possible solutions or suggestions to the Osage Beach Board of Aldermen in September, in time for the city's annual preparation of its 2015 budget.
Committee members heard multiple west end business owner testimony, ideas for special events and activities to increase traffic and long-term recommendations such as the city hiring an economic developer during its May 27 and Tuesday meetings.
Looking at long-term development
Osage Beach Citizen Advisory Committee heard business owners and attendees pose questions about potential large developments set to come to the city. At Tuesday's meeting, City Grill Blue Room co-owner Homm inquired about the status of the John Q. Hammons resort complex, its city-approved TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district and any city funds attached to it.
Osage Beach City Attorney Ed Rucker said none of the city's money has gone to the Hammons corporation, and the company is out about a half million dollars in legal fees defending a lawsuit. Rucker added that is money they won't get back unless they build the project, and no word of them moving the project forward has occurred.
Quail's Nest co-owner Maggie Welch inquired about the status of the proposed 164,000-square foot Towne Harbour entertainment and resort complex developed at the longtime vacant Kalfran Lodge property off Jeffries Road west of the Grand Glaize Bridge.
Towne Harbour developer Kent Nixon said at last fall's Sixth Annual Real Estate Symposium that the project depended on a successful TIF application. He said he had vigorously pursued letters of intent from potential commercial tenants before moving forward TIF pursuits.
Rucker and Osage Beach Mayor Penny Lyons both said attorneys representing the development had requested information about applying for a TIF, but city staff had not heard back from them to begin the process.
Others in attendance inquired about undeveloped land on the city's west end, noting having this land available for a large retailer like Costco or even a civic center or sport complex would be beneficial to drive more traffic to established businesses in this area.
Lyons said at the Tuesday meeting that it would be nice to have developments like that come to this area of the city and said they had inquired about having Sam's Club come to the Lake of the Ozarks area. The company instead chose to build a new location in Jefferson City.
However, Lyons said currently there is no undeveloped land that is not privately owned, and it is the property owners' decision to sell for such proposed developments.
The concept of Osage Beach hiring an economic developer was addressed. Currently, Osage Beach Aldermen Steve Kahrs, Phyllis Marose and Tom Walker have all backed the idea, which Walker said supports the reason the city needs to invest not only in one business, but the business community as a whole.
"The city has a tremendous staff and they work hard. But there's no way that a current staff members can on duties of an economic developer," he said. "We need to have an economic developer for the city; someone who has the experience in economic development and knows where to start.
"There is not enough traffic on the city's west end, and an economic developer knows how to bring in business. Business breeds business, and that is what needs to happen."
Ideas for short-term growth
In the short term, many business owners and committee meeting attendees proposed special events as a a more immediate solution to garner traffic and increased economic activity in Osage Beach's west end.
Some Osage Beach west end businesses have already started conceptualizing plans, such as the proposed Passport to the Parkway program discussed last week by Blinds & More owner Joni Walden.
With the objective to increase traffic, the Passport to the Parkway is a shopping event that includes a passport for each shopper to Osage Beach's west end business district. She said everyone is eligible to win a significant prize such as an iPad, gasoline gift card, etc. The passport is given out at Blinds & More along with a tote bag filled with coupons at participating businesses.
"We have about 80 businesses on the west of Osage Beach, west of the Grand Glaize Bridge, that I have counted so far. If you got 40 businesses to participate - 20 supplying coupons/specials to participants and 20 that are on the passport - it could really showcase an initial representation of the west end businesses and garner traffic," Walden said. "Nothing is final, but this is just an idea we are hoping to go forward with. We are still trying to figure out a time of year, but possibly in the fall after Labor Day and possibly next year."
Walden is organizing a committee and then will schedule a date, a budget and a promotion plan for the proposed Passport to the Parkway project. She said the project could even give a portion of the proceeds to a local charity.
Others at Tuesday's meeting discussed additional events such as closing off certain lanes of the five-lane Osage Beach Parkway to create a car show or street festival similar to Hot Summer Nights on Bagnell Dam Strip. Christina Price, a local massage therapist, artist and writer, urged creation of a regular market, art bazaar or festival, similar to a Highway 5 Festival that she is organizing in another community.
She said it could be weekly on a certain night and allow local artists, vendors and others to showcase wares, but also allow for those businesses to gain traffic from such an event. Working with local organizations such as the Lake Arts Council could help stimulate a variety of participants.
Don Welch, co-owner of Quail's Nest Inn & Suites, said events do help bring in a lot of traffic to the Lake. He said it is "our fault" events such as car shows were moved to other areas. However, he said it is easy to bring other events to the Osage Beach area. Welch said Osage Beach has economic generators such as Prewitt's Point, the outlet mall and Dierbergs, but to help garner more traffic in areas of the city that need an economic boost events could be the answer.
"Bringing economic developments to the area does bring in more traffic. A TIF is the only thing that brings a large economic generator to the city, but it takes a long time, two to four years. Events can start immediately," he said.
The Osage Beach Citizens Advisory Committee will attempt to highlight as many of the long-term and short-term recommendations given to the committee at its meetings. They will release additional information about the time, structure and information available at the upcoming public forum in the coming weeks to citizens.