Take On The Lake

The conversation around data centers, opportunity zones, and large-scale development at the Lake has gotten loud—and fast.

So we did what we do: invited the developer to come talk about it.

In this episode, Blake Hodits walks through his proposed 2,000-acre master-planned community near Camdenton—what it is, what it isn’t, how it doesn't have to include a data center... and how all the pieces fit together.

Blake is equal parts dreamer, tech guy, and systems engineer. And that all comes across in this marathon of an interview.

We cover:

Whether you’re for it, against it, or just trying to understand it—this is a chance to hear directly from the person behind the proposal.

In this episode, I begin with an apology and clarification on a recent video that... well, just didn't land quite right.

Then we jump into the questions people are asking about data centers, in the aftermath of a frenzied week in Camden County related to this topic. I lay out the background (what happened last week), and the biggest questions/concerns people have about them.

Where's the money?

In this episode of Take On The Lake, Camden County Presiding Commissioner Ike Skelton joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on local government, state politics, and the decisions that impact taxpayers every day.

We get into:

Whether you follow politics closely or not, this conversation offers a clearer look at how systems work behind the scenes—and why it matters.

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Halt! It's the speech police!

The Missouri legislature just passed a bill that bans antisemitic speech in public schools and colleges/universities across the state. They keep forgetting Orwell's writings weren't supposed to be a playbook.

Here's why the bill is awful, and how their justification for it makes zero sense. 

Most people at the Lake of the Ozarks have never heard of this place. But for the past 25 years Lighthouse Mission has helped more than 1,000 men transition out of prison, rebuild their lives, and rediscover purpose—and it’s happening right here in the Lake of the Ozarks community.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Sanders, the Program Director at Lighthouse Mission. Chris went to prison 7 times before his life completely changed.

This is a raw one. Chris shares his story of failure, redemption, faith, and second chances.

Topics:

What it’s really like getting out of prison
How Lighthouse Mission works
Why structure (no phone, no car) matters
The moment that changed Chris’s life forever

If you enjoy stories like this, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

—
Lake of the Ozarks
️ Take On The Lake by LakeExpo

Got a guest idea? Message us on Facebook @TakeontheLake

What’s actually happening with the Osage Beach outlet mall redevelopment — and could Lake of the Ozarks outpace Branson?

In this episode of Take on the Lake, I had Osage Beach Mayor Michael Harmison in studio to talk about the biggest issues facing the city right now.

We discuss the proposed mall redevelopment, how the city evaluates tax incentives, and why the project has become one of the most talked-about developments at Lake of the Ozarks.

We also talked about everyone's favorite topic: the long-running sewer odor issue. Plus, new housing projects coming to the area, parks improvements, airport questions, and whether all growth is good growth.

Topics include:

The Bass Pro / mall redevelopment proposal

How TIF incentives work

Sewer system improvements

New housing developments

Parks and recreation upgrades

Airport discussions

A potential sports and events complex

The future growth of Osage Beach

Subscribe for more conversations about the future of Lake of the Ozarks.

I've been wanting to interview Justin Wagner for a long time, and we finally got together. He's the powerhouse behind Waves and Wheels, Blue Wave Audio, and now Doug Wright Powerboats, and I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Justin shares his incredible journey from arriving at Lake of the Ozarks with just $300, a cat, and a pregnant wife to becoming a Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Hall of Fame member and owner of one of the most iconic names in power-boating.

In This Episode:

- How Justin launched Waves and Wheels from a Chevy Astro van

- The legendary all-nighter that changed everything

- Building the Iron Man boat that put custom marine work on the map

- Surviving the 2008 recession by pivoting and innovating

- The stories behind Bluave Audio and Boardwalk Marina

- Acquiring Doug Wright Powerboats and the vision for its future

- Native Ridge development - bringing luxury motor coach resort living to Lake of the Ozarks

- Real advice for young people starting out: "Be passionate, work hard, and do what you say you're gonna do"

Key Takeaways:

- Why Lake of the Ozarks is the perfect place for the American dream

- How to build lasting success through dedication and integrity

- The importance of team, family, and community

Doug Wright Powerboats: dougwrightpowerboats.com

After a long winter's lull... we're relaunching with a new season!

In this solo episode, I talk about the biggest stories to come across our LakeExpo news desk so far this year. And there's already a LOT!

We'll dive into the Outlet Mall Rescue Plan, and unpack:

• What developers have revealed so far (Bass Pro!)

• How much they plan to spend 

• What they're asking from the City of Osage Beach

It's already shaping up to be a fascinating year at Lake of the Ozarks... let's dive in!

When Chris Edgar took office as Camden County Sheriff, he didn’t just inherit a badge — he inherited a mess.

Welcome to Season 2 -- aka year two -- of Take On The Lake! We're starting this year off with a bang... specifically, hundreds of missing flashbangs.

In his first year on the job, Edgar discovered missing flashbangs, non-functional AR-15s, weak ballistic vests, unsecured firearms, and IT systems so broken the office lost dispatch for an entire week. In this episode, we talk through what he found, what he fixed, and what still keeps him up at night.

Topics include:

Why hundreds of flashbangs were unaccounted for

How deputies were issued rifles they didn’t trust to fire

Why some ballistic vests wouldn’t stop a 9mm round

Rebuilding firearms security, armories, and inventory systems from scratch

The financial reality of running a full jail — and why it’s a losing deal for counties

Mental health, burnout, and why suicide is the #1 killer of law enforcement

Drug trafficking at scale in Camden County — and what’s changed

The real workload behind 18,000+ calls per year with limited road deputies

Why visible patrols still matter — and how zoning deputies is reducing crime

This is a rare, candid look at what happens when leadership actually audits the system — and starts fixing it.

I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.

(NOTE: Apparently the first version of this was too quiet -- my apologies! New version has been uploaded with better audio balance.)

Nathan, Tegan, Jill, and Robby go full holiday gremlin: favorite Christmas movies, worst Christmas movies, “this is not a Christmas movie” rulings, and a few rants.

From Elf and Jim Carrey’s Grinch to Rudolph trauma, Hallmark “cheap love,” and subscription service rage—this one’s pure Christmas chaos.