Silver Dollar City, a theme park nestled in the Ozark Mountains in Branson, Missouri, will invest $500 million over the next decade on new construction and improvements, according to an Oct. 17 news release. The park did not disclose the name of the builder.
The undertaking includes development of 1,200 acres adjacent to the theme park, according to the release from Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts. The plan is the largest investment in the company’s 65-year history, and will begin with the debut of the Silver Dollar City Resort, which the firm claims is the first theme park resort in America’s Heartland.
The 100-acre park, which opened in 1960, contains 12 stage venues, over 40 rides and attractions, 18 restaurants, 60 shops and 100 resident craftsmen, in fields such as blacksmithing and glassblowing, who act as part of the park’s entertainment, according to Silver Dollar City’s website.
The 262-room resort, already under construction, will feature vistas of the Ozark Mountains and Table Rock Lake, along with access to Silver Dollar City. The resort is set to open in late 2026.
The new resort will be located near the company’s other family attractions, including White Water water park, Showboat dinner cruises, Pink Jeep Adventure Tours and the Silver Dollar City Campground.
“Over the next decade, we will mindfully transform 1,200 acres into an authentic, only-in-the-Ozarks destination starting with our first resort,” said Brad Thomas, Silver Dollar City Parks & Resorts president, in the release.
This isn’t the only tourism project that’s underway in the Ozarks. In Osage Beach, Missouri, a team of St. Louis-based firms SkyView Partners and Tegethoff Development, alongside general contractor Brinkmann Constructors, broke ground in May on Oasis at Lakeport, a $400 million family resort and entertainment district, according to a news release.
Oasis at Lakeport’s first phase, which includes the construction of amusement rides and attractions, restaurants and a marina, plans to open in summer 2025. The second phase, opening in fall 2026, will feature a 402-room Marriott Resort and Conference Center and indoor waterpark.