LAKE OF THE OZARKS (KTRS) The name will remain Tan-Tar-A but there’ll be something added to the Lake of the Ozarks resort: a Margaritaville Property. This comes after the announcement Thursday that the Jimmy Buffet-inspired company of resort hotels has bought Tan-Tar-A and will make a multimillion dollar investment in renovating the longtime resort. It will feature several aspects common to all Margaritaville locations, including the 5 o-clock Somewhere Bar and Grill and the Landshark Bar and Grill.
Fred Dehner, general manager of Tan-Tar-A for 15 years, says the Ozark landmark will undergo a lot of improvements but it will remain Tan-Tar-A. Dehner also says there will be no job cuts among the more than 400 employees at Tan-Tar-A. The resort will remain open during the renovations, which will be finished in 2019.
In a news release, Driftwood Acquisitions & Development, a Miami-based investment firm that recently announced its purchase of Tan-Tar-A, said Tan-Tar-A has joined other Margaritaville hotels located primarily in coastal locations, including Key West and the Cayman Islands. The chain of resorts is named after Jimmy Buffet’s classic song. DAD says more than 15 million travelers visit a Margaritaville resort.
Tan-Tar-A has two golf courses, a 103-slip marina, eight food and beverage venues and 91,000 square feet of event space. The resort will remain open while the property is renovated.