Silver Dollar City is the new, sole owner of 800 acres near Table Rock Lake, previously intended to be the Indian Ridge Resort.
The property gained recent traction on social media as a “ghost town,” as folks from all over visited the property to share videos of half-completed structures.
Lisa Rau, Silver Dollar City director of public relations and publicity, confirmed that the theme park recently closed on the property and the partial townhomes will be torn down soon.
Sixteen years ago, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt joined a developer from Springfield to break ground on what was supposed to be the Indian Ridge Resort. Plans called for homes, condominiums, a hotel, water park, golf course, conference center and retail shops. In total, the development was expected to cost $1.6 billion.
Due to an array of factors, including the recession, violation of the Clean Water Act and bank fraud/money laundering, the development was never completed, according to previous News-Leader reporting.
Rau told the News-Leader there are no plans for the property, at this time.
SDC looks to the future with $30 million in new projects
SDC announced Tuesday morning that the theme park is investing more than $30 million in projects, including new guest experiences, employee housing, parking and roadways.
According to a news release, guests can expect the opening of a Heartland Home Furnishings and new Fried Fancies in 2023. Popularly known as Flossie’s Fried Fancies, the new restaurant will include enhanced decorations and an additional 200-seat dining area.
More:Here are the best Halloween decorations in the Ozarks. Submit photos of your favorites.
Expanding on its Silver Dollar City UniverCity internship program, the park expects to open a new three-story residence hall for seasonal workers by mid-2023. SDC is partnering with Wisconsin-based Holtz Builders to construct the on-grounds living space, beginning this fall.
The residence hall will accommodate up to 300 students. Standard rooms will house up to four students and include individual lockers, a private bathroom, refrigerator, Wi-Fi and a study desk. The hall will also include two common kitchens with laundry facilities.
The Silver Dollar City UniverCity program is open to students enrolled in a college, university or technical school. Interns serve in a leadership role throughout the summer in departments such as food management, merchandise, attractions operations and human resources.
This winter, construction on a “significant project” to improve the park’s guest entrances will begin. The project includes an additional 1,200 parking spaces, enhanced pedestrian access routes and a new turn lane into the park. Completion is expected for 2024.
“Each of these projects has been carefully chosen and designed to meet our guests’ needs and expectations and continue to elevate Silver Dollar City as a major theme park in the very center of the USA,” Brad Thomas, SDC president, said in a news release.
