riverboat casino ozark

'Ozark': What the Missouri Belle Riverboat Casino Looks Like in Real Life

Ozark fans will know the Missouri Belle well. In Season 3 of the Netflix show, Marty Byrd (Jason [...]

By John Connor Coulston - August 8, 2021 02:19 pm EDT

Ozark fans will know the Missouri Belle well. In Season 3 of the Netflix show , Marty Byrd (Jason Bateman) and Wendy Byrd (Laura Linney) have successfully laundered their cartel money into a riverboat casino operation. With the help of Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner), the family's operation is popular and has loads of cash blowing through it, despite some hiccups throughout the season.

What fans might not know, though, is that you can go and see the Missouri Belle in real life, albeit with some caveats. While the show takes place in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, Netflix actually produces the show in Georgia. Furthermore, the Missouri Belle can be spotted by passersby, but it's not an actual riverboat casino.

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The actual boat and entrance for the Missouri Belle are located in Stone Mountain, Georgia, as Atlas of Wonders and The TV Traveler point out. The address is 1000 Robert E Lee Boulevard Confederate Hall, Stone Mountain, Georgia, 30083; but note that the location houses a business when Ozark is not filming. That business is Atlanta Adventure Tours , which coordinates bike tours of Stone Mountain Park.

You can also pass by the location via the water. As shown in the photo above, those out on Stone Mountain Lake can see the riverboat casino in full set dressing ( at least as of June 17 ). To stress again: Those signs are simply set dressing; there is not an actual Missouri Belle casino operating inside the vessel, so don't trespass. Interior scenes are presumably filmed elsewhere.

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Those Ozark fans unable to travel to Georgia can, of course, enjoy photos like the ones above, as well as those that pop up on Reddit regularly. You can also check out the aerial view of the boat on Google Maps .

Ozark Season 4 does not have a release date just yet, but it is currently filming. It will be the show's last season. Seasons 1-3, totaling 30 episodes, are currently streaming on Netflix .

Is The Missouri Belle Riverboat Casino From Ozark A Real Place?

The tale of a man relocating his family from the big city to a more rural area is usually a page from the sitcom playbook. But " Ozark " is anything but a laugh-a-minute romp. The crime family drama follows Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman) as he's forced to relocate his family to Missouri and launder extraordinary amounts of money for a drug cartel. Over the course of the series, things have become unbearably intense, and moral compasses have steadily eroded among the characters, all of which have helped make "Ozark" a must-see Netflix series. 

The Navarro Cartel in "Ozark" is no pushover, and panic sets in during the early seasons as Marty and his wife Wendy (Laura Linney) struggle to figure out an operation big enough for their money laundering goals. That all changes in Season 3 when the two enter the riverboat casino business. They open the Missouri Belle Riverboat Casino, which proves to be a huge success and helps further the family's descent into the criminal lifestyle. This particular story of a riverboat casino used to move drug money is a work of fiction (pending the days we read about it as headline news). But that doesn't necessarily mean that the riverboat as seen in "Ozark" is fake.

The casino is a real riverboat

While the use of exterior shots of the Lakes of the Ozarks would suggest that the series is filmed in Missouri, the actual truth is that much of "Ozark" is shot a little further south in the Peach State. Per The Atlanta Journal-Constitution , the Netflix series has used various counties in the Atlanta, Georgia, area for filming. This also includes Stone Mountain, Georgia, where the actual Missouri Belle Riverboat used as the Byrde's casino is located. Via Pop Culture , the riverboat's location is at a business called Atlanta Adventure Tours, where fans can likely catch a glimpse of the boat while on a bike ride or kayaking the river. However, don't expect to encounter a real casino. The series produces the interior shots elsewhere, as the actual boat doesn't have anything related to gambling other than the signs featured in the show.

The Missouri Belle isn't the only riverboat fans can visit. An attempt to see the Big Muddy Riverboat, which also comes under the ownership of the Byrdes during Season 3, requires a trip to a Joe's Crab Shack in Savannah, Georgia (via Atlas of Wonders ). As to why the series would choose to film in Georgia instead of its story setting, the reason is likely because Georgia is a great cost-effective state for filming. The location offers some juicy tax incentives to filmmakers. And they are too good to pass up. For instance, in 2021, Georgia granted $1.2 billion in tax credits for numerous filming productions (via The Hollywood Reporter ).

Fans couldn't help but notice a small detail about the casino's name

Even though it's a front for some illegal money laundering, the Missouri Belle Casino is a catchy name. If the riverboat were a legit gambling operation, we're sure that commercial that Marty and Wendy made during Season 3 would probably bring in big business. Who wouldn't want to gamble the night away at the charming spot? The answer to that is fans who have been following the disturbing and heartbreaking trek of Marty and his family. But in case binging episodes of the Netflix show isn't enough to show that all is not good with the casino and the family, maybe we should think about its name.

Fans on a Reddit post , upvoted over 400 times, noted that when sounding out the name of the Byrde's riverboat casino, it sounds like the word "Miserable." The realization has delighted fans, and it has also caused some to draw a parallel between "Ozark" and another classic Jason Bateman series. "'Arrested Development's wordplay must follow Jason," u/RedTexas23 said. Fans have already noticed a few "Arrested Development" references in "Ozark," with some no doubt theorizing that the two shows are linked despite their starkly different tones. We're sure this clever riverboat wordplay will add more fuel to that raging theory fire.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark | Updates 2024

Nation | Tribe : Osage Nation

OSAGE CASINO LAKE OZARK

City of Lake Ozark, Miller County, Missouri

The Osage Nation plans to build a $60 million hotel complex with casino, restaurants and entertainment center on a 28-acre site near Lake Ozark in Miller County, Missouri. The Osage have ancestral roots to the land and are seeking federal approval from the U.S. Department of Interior to build the casino.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark

In Oct. 2021 the Osage Nation announced plans to build a $60 million casino, entertainment and hotel at Lake Ozark. The announcement said the tribe had submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) for approval of a Class II gaming casino near Lake Ozark. Class II casinos do not require state approval.

The federal decision process will take one to two years to determine if the Osage casino proposal complies with the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

If The Osage application is approved, the DOI will transfer the casino land into federal trust with tribal sovereignty to the land and casino gaming rights that are exempt from Missouri laws and regulations.

The Missouri constitution limits the number of casino licenses to thirteen. A federally-approved Indian gaming casino does not need a state license and does not need state approval if similar gaming is already approved in the state.

News Headlines

The Osage Nation owns 28 acres of land at the intersection of Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Osage Beach Parkway. This is the site of the former Quality Inn Hotel.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark Renderings

February 22, 2022

The Osage Nation released these renderings of the casino resort planned for Lake Ozark, Missouri.

CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE Construction will begin after approval by the U.S. department of Interior. The approval is expected in 2023. Construction will take 18-24 months and be completed in phases

PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION

Restaurants

• Meeting space

PHASE 2 CONSTRUCTION

• Hotel - guest rooms and suites
• Fitness and exercise center
• Pool and hot tub

FUTURE PHASES - TBA

HISTORY TIMELINE

Oct 2021 The Osage Nation announced plans in late October 2021 the build a $60-million casino, hotel and entertainment destination at Lake Ozarks, Missouri. The tribe said it had applied the U.S. Department of Interior for approval under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. That process will take one or more years for a decision authorizing Class II casino gaming.

Feb 2022 A demolition contractor was selected to clear the 28-acre building site at Bagnell Dam Boulevard and Osage Beach Parkway.

Fall 2022 The U.S. Department of Interior is preparing an Environmental Impact Study. A draft report could be published as early as late 2022. Public comments will be solicited in local hearings and mailed responses.

2023 If all issues reported in the Environmental Impact Study can be resolved, the U.S. Department of Interior could approve the Osage Nation's application in 2023. Construction could begin later that year if the project is not delayed by legal challenges.

2024-2025 The opening of the Osage Casino in Lake Ozark could be in 2024-2025 following 18-24 months of construction.

Osage Nation Casinos

Osage Nation is headquartered in Pawhuska, Osage County, Oklahoma. The tribe owns seven casinos in Oklahoma, which are located in Bartlesville , Hominy , Pawhuska , Ponca City , Sand Springs , Skiatook and Tulsa .

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Features of Osage Casino Lake Ozark

DETAILS ARE PENDING

Class II gaming machines - Details to be announced

Details to be announced

Entertainment

News Articles

Osage nation casino lake ozark update - dec. 2023.

December 29, 2023

In June 2023 the City of Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen were evenly split on a resolution to support the Osage casino project. Mayor Dennis Newberry added a no vote to defeat the measure. Since that time, there has been no updates from the city or the tribe regarding the Osage casino plan.

Then recently, Lake Ozark officials announced support for a commercial casino proposal by Osage River Gaming, which is seeking a 2024 statewide gaming referendum to license a riverboat casino on the Osage River.

All of this has led to uncertainty about the future likelihood of Osage Nation ever building a casino at Lake Ozark.

This month the status of the Osage casino proposal was clarified by City Administrator Harrison Fry, who said the Osage proposal is "anything but dead".

"There was language included in there that, you know, the city is still expected to continue working with the Osage Nation to determine some agreements moving forward on what their project and the partnership looks like long term with them. And I think that both parties, the nation and the city, want to see those relationships be better defined moving forward." - Harrison Fry, Lake Ozark City Administrator

The City of Lake Ozark appears to be currently working on developing both the Osage Nation casino hotel proposal and the Osage River Gaming riverboat plan.

Lake Ozark Casino Update - June 2023

June 28, 2023

The Osage Nation's plan to build a casino at Lake Ozark has encountered opposition from the City of Lake Ozark. A resolution to support the casino project received a tie vote in the Board of Aldermen, and was defeated by a no vote from the mayor.

Lake Ozark, Mo., Board of Aldermen discussing future of casino project - Courtesy of KY3 News - Springfield, Mo. , Jun 16, 2023. Available from YouTube

Mayor Dennis Newberry explained he was not opposed to the Osage casino, but voted no because he wanted more information regarding the casino project. He called the resolution "convoluted" and wanted it defeated rather than stalled.

The Osage Nation plans to build a $60 million casino complex near Lake Ozark consisting of a casino, hotel, convention center, restaurants, entertainment center, and heritage center.

"Our plan to bring a world-class entertainment district to the Lake of the Ozarks is moving forward as planned, and once completed, will see the Osage Casinos make a $60 million investment in the community." - Kimberly Pearson, CEO Osage Casinos

The Missouri constitution limits state-issued casino licenses to thirteen, and a constitutional amendment is required for licensing a casino at Lake Ozark. If the licensing process fails, the Osage casino have a major alternative. The Lake Ozark casino may be approved by the federal government under terms of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

An Indian-gaming casino operates on tribal land with sovereignty over state regulations. Gaming is limited to Class II games where players bet against other players rather than the house. Missouri casinos play Class III games which include Vegas-style slots and table games. The Osage Nation could negotiate a gaming compact with the state to allow Class III gaming at a tribal casino in Lake Ozark.

The Osage Nation filed an application with the U.S. Interior Department in Oct. 2021 to transfer a 28-acre site near Lake Ozark into federal trust for the purpose of operating an Indian-gaming casino. The Osage have strong ancestral ties to much of Missouri including the Lake Ozark area. This is an important consideration for a favorable federal decision. The decision is expected any time within the next year.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark Plan: Update Jan. 2023

January 28, 2023

A public meeting was held for residents of Camden County this week to hear a debate between the benefits and risks of building a casino at Lake of the Ozarks. The Osage Nation have announced plans to build a casino, hotel and entertainment destination near Lake Ozark.

Potential casino on the Osage River - KRBK 9PM Courtesy of KOLR10 & Fox49 , Jan 18 2023. Available from YouTube

Osage River Gaming is promoting a ballot measure to amend the Missouri constitution and allow a casino at the Lake of the Ozarks. An Osage spokesman, Timothy Hand, said "We are trying to change the Constitution to allow gaming on the Osage right from Bagnell Dam to where it meets the Missouri River in Jefferson City." A ballot measure for the amendment is expected for the 2024 election.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark Construction Update - June 2022

June 14, 2022

The Osage Nation purchased a 28-acre site in the City of Lake Ozark, Missouri for the purpose of building a $60 million hotel and casino. The first step towards authorizing the casino is approval by the U.S. Department of Treasury to transfer the land into federal trust for the tribe. That process grants sovereignty for gaming rights on that land to the Osage Nation.

The land-into-trust application is expected to be submitted to the federal government by July. In preparation for submission of the application the tribe has demolished the former Quality Inn & Howard Johnson hotel to clear the land for environment assessments required in the process. The demolition was completed in late April.

If the U.S. Interior Department grants federal trust status for gaming purposes, the land may be used for a Class II gaming casino. However, the Osage Nation plans to seek a Class III gaming compact with the state to allow Vegas-style slot machines and table games.

Osage Casino Lake Ozark: Update Feb 2022

February 17, 2022

The Osage Nation plans to build a casino, hotel and entertainment center at Lake Ozark, Missouri and is seeking a demolition contractor to clear a vacant Quality Inn and accessory buildings from the 28-acre building site. A Request for Proposals was published in the Eldon Advertiser on Jan. 3 with a deadline for proposals to be submitted by Feb. 15.

The site demolition will be a step forward for the Lake Ozark project; however, construction can not start until the federal government has approved the casino. Federal approval is not expected until late this year at the earliest.

Osage Nation plans Missouri casino hotel at Lake Ozark

November 7, 2021

The Osage Nation announced plans in a press release last week to build a hotel with a casino, restaurants and entertainment on a site near Lake Ozark in Miller County, Missouri. The Oklahoma tribe will invest $60 million to develop the project on a 28.3-acre parcel of vacant land located at Bagnell Dam Blvd. and U.S. Highway 54.

Osage Nation announces casino plan for the Ozarks - Courtesy of KCTV5 News , . Available from YouTube

The Osage Nation has historical homeland ties to Missouri. These ancestral lands were ceded to the United States in an 1808 treaty.

News Headlines Continued

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Screen Rant

Where is ozark filmed filming locations explained.

Take a look at Ozark filming locations to see where Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, and Julia Garner filmed Netflix’s Ozark season 4.

Netflix’s hit crime drama has now finished and the  Ozark season 4 filming locations continued to showcase the Atlanta area. With an incredible cast including Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, and Julia Garner, the show has been a massive success for the streaming service with Ozark season 4 gaining a whopping 3 billion viewers in the first week of its release. The show's main storylines and unanswered questions were mostly settled in the ending of  Ozark season 4 part 2 . However, one key question remains in the minds of fans: where was  Ozark  filmed throughout the show's long run?

Ozark begins in Chicago with corporate-accountant-turned-criminal Marty Byrde. After becoming involved with the Navarro cartel, Ozark’s Marty Byrde moves his family to Missouri’s Ozark Mountains in a desperate attempt to keep himself and his family alive. The Byrde family integrates into the sleepy lakeside town, laundering money for Navarro through local Byrde businesses despite setbacks that cost them dearly.

Related: Ozark Season 4 Part 1 Ending Explained

Though set in the Ozark Mountains, the  Ozark season 4 filming locations weren't limited to here alone. Netflix’s hit show is filmed mainly in Georgia, specifically the Atlanta area, with some street scenes also shot in Chicago. Here’s a list of every filming location used by Ozark including season 4.

Lickety Splitz Night Club – Norcross, GA

Introduced back in  Ozark  season 1 , the Lickety Splitz was one of the first businesses acquired by the Byrdes. Ozark 's infamous strip club is actually an abandoned building at 6025 Oakbrook Parkway in the northern Atlanta suburb of Norcross. Marty acquired the business by getting Ruth to steal the ownership documents from Bobby Dean, who is murdered by his boss Darlene Snell shortly thereafter. After the heist, Marty hires Ruth to manage the nightclub. Though not one of the many  Ozark  season 4 filming locations, the Lickety Splitz deserves a mention because it's where Ruth begins to transform into a major player.

The Byrde House – Flowery Branch, GA

The iconic Byrde family house is one of the more gorgeous Ozark  season 4 filming locations, and it's actually located in Flowery Branch, another suburb north of Atlanta that's nestled on the southern shore of Lake Lanier. After relocating from Chicago, the Byrde family moves into the home and remains there after Buddy's death, until  Ozark's  divisive finale  during which Jonah kills detective Mel Sattem to protect the family, further burning the image of the Byrde family home into the minds of viewers. Indeed, Jonah's actions are an indication that he has accepted this life of crime, and Marty and Wendy standing by approvingly affirms what viewers have known all along: the Byrdes are the real villains in  Ozark.

Omar Navarro’s Estate – Westview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

Probably the most impressive of the various  Ozark  season 4 filming locations, Omar Navarro's Mexican estate is actually the Westview Cemetery in the western portion of the city of Atlanta. Quite appropriately, the Navarro cartel headquarters is filmed in a literal cemetery. Westview Cemetery's gorgeous stone mausoleum and abbey provide the perfect location for when Marty and Wendy arrive at the Navarro estate in the Ozark season 3 finale to a bloody welcome, as Navarro lawyer Helen Pierce gets killed in front of the Byrdes, whose baptism in blood pulls them closer to the cartel's inner circle.  Ozark  season 4 shows more of Navarro's estate when Omar tortures Marty after tasking him to run things in Mexico and during scenes involving Javi Elizondro and his mother Camila, who ends up running the cartel from the same estate.

Related:  Ozark Season 4: Why Ruth's Uncle Song Was Deeper Than You Realized

The Missouri Belle Casino – Stone Mountain, GA

Though the interiors of the Byrde’s casino, The Missouri Belle, were shot at Atlanta’s Eagle Rock Studios, a riverboat at Atlanta’s Stone Mountain Park serves as the exterior Ozark filming location. The riverboat casino serves as a way for the Byrdes to launder money more efficiently money for Omar Navarro, and the Ozark filming location is featured prominently since it gets built, serving as the location where viewers saw almost every single member of the  Ozark  season 4 cast . Memorable scenes from this  Ozark filming location include when Ruth pushes Frank Jr. from the boat in Ozark  season 3, and also when he retaliates and beats her in front of the casino. In  Ozark  season 4, The Missouri Belle served as the background for FBI auditor Maya Miller trying to recruit Marty, Ruth and Rachel's schemes against Wendy, and the scene where Camila Elizondro pressured Clare Shaw into revealing that Ruth killed her son Javi.  Ozark   may have ended, but these filming locations will forever be fondly remembered by those who've followed arguably the greatest antihero crime series.

Next:  Ozark Season 4 Part 2 Completely Failed Rachel

Ozark season 4, part 2 is streaming on Netflix.

Are Ozark’s Missouri Belle and The Big Muddy Real Casinos?

When Marty and Wendy Byrde first move to the Missouri Ozarks in ‘Ozark’ season 1 , they struggle to find businesses big enough to launder cartel money without raising suspicion. That all changes once their casinos come into the picture, and by season 3 , Marty and Wendy are the face and proud shareholders of two casinos — the Missouri Belle and The Big Muddy. A lot of action goes down in these two joints, especially the former, which becomes the site of a massive FBI forensic accounting investigation. Ever wondered whether the casinos in ‘Ozark’ are real? We’ve got the story!

Are Missouri Belle and The Big Muddy Real Casinos?

No, Wendy and Marty Byrde’s shady casinos funded by drug cartel money are, as you might have guessed, not real. Any criminal activities depicted on the show aside, the Missouri Belle and The Big Muddy casinos are also not actual casinos, though the boats used to depict them are very real. In fact, The Big Muddy Casino is actually depicted using the gorgeous Georgia Queen river cruise boat, which is famous for its dinner cruises on the Savannah River.

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For the show’s filming, the Georgia Queen was moored in front of Joe’s Crab Shack at 504 East River Street in Savannah, Georgia . Due to its already gorgeous facade, the real-life boat was only marginally altered to make it look like a floating casino.

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Meanwhile, the boat used to depict the Missouri Belle casino dwells all the way in Stone Mountain Park, Georgia. The waterside building, which forms part of the Missouri Belle casino on the show, is real enough and can be found at 1000 Robert E Lee Boulevard in Stone Mountain. The structure seemingly houses the Atlanta Adventure Tours company.

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The interiors of the fictional casinos are reconstructed on soundstages at the Eagle Rock Studios Atlanta, which can be found at 6205 Best Friend Road in the city of Norcross in Gwinnett County, Georgia. This is understandable, considering the lengthy sequences that play out inside the Missouri Belle.

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Interestingly, the most authentic aspect of the casinos in ‘Ozark’ could be the matter of the casino licenses, which is explored in season 2 . With their sights set on opening a casino to greatly boost their money-laundering business, the first hurdle for the Byrdes to cross is raising the number of casino licenses given out in Missouri from thirteen to fourteen. As of writing this article, the total number of casino licenses in Missouri is actually limited to thirteen.

Read More:  Does Ruth Langmore Die in Ozark Season 4?

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Kristen wiig’s aunt linda returns to ‘snl’ for first time in 14 years, production designer david bomba decks out riverboat casino for ‘ozark’ season 3 — production value video series.

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

Senior Film Reporter

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Coming aboard Ozark in Season 3, production designer David Bomba’s challenge was to tap into the style established for the series’ first two seasons, while honing exciting visual elements that would increase the scope of its world.

Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, the crime drama centers on Wendy (Laura Linney) and Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), a married couple who are forced to move their family to the Ozarks, when a money-laundering scheme goes awry.

A fan of the series prior to his involvement, Bomba came onto Ozark with a clear understanding of its world, as well as its striking aesthetic. “The tone of the show, to me, it’s very evident,” he says, in the latest installment of Deadline’s Production Value video series, which was recorder prior to quarantine. “It’s very blue, it’s very gray; it’s always cloudy.”

Exciting for the designer was the prospect of working within an impressive array of sets created for Seasons 1 and 2, including the Byrde’s lakeside estate and the Snell house, where one of the series’ most threatening local criminals resides. In the case of the latter location, “we’re not allowed to film at the exterior anymore,” Bomba says, “because the owners didn’t like the fact that we killed somebody there in Season 2.”

In bringing new elements to Season 3, Bomba hoped to carve out his own part of Ozark , finding the greatest opportunity to do so through the creation of the Missouri Belle. First introduced at the tail end of Season 2, this riverboat casino emerges in the narrative as a vehicle for efficient money laundering, which will allow the Byrdes to stay under the radar, while continuing to please their boss—the terrifying leader of a Mexican drug cartel.

In pursuit of the right designs for the interior and exterior of the boat, Bomba embarked on a real-world research trip. “[I] went to Indiana and Missouri, and saw two offshore gambling facilities,” he says. “One actually was from New Orleans, where I grew up, so I knew all about offshore gambling. But I wanted it in the context of this show.”

Looking specifically at a “Victorian, Mark Twain-ish style boat” and a Missouri barge outfitted for gambling, the production designer then presented his findings to executive producer, director and star Jason Bateman. “I put up boards—‘This is patterns, this is color, this is tone’—and I said, ‘I know that this show is very blue and very gray.’ And he goes, ‘I want to get outside of that,’” Bomba shares. “I said, ‘What do you think? Like reds and golds?’ And he goes, ‘That’s where I want to go.’”

The designer approached his pitch to Bateman with the understanding that the casino would naturally be different, in its aesthetics, than any environment seen on Ozark before. “It’s a completely different world. Any time you go into a casino, it’s an assault to the senses,” he notes. “It’s lots of bling-bling, lots of blinking lights.”

To create a realistic casino environment, Bomba would have to jump through a number of legal and logistical hoops. In terms of visual elements present within the set, casino tables were the most simple to put together, but slot machines were an entirely different matter. Engaging in a dialogue with the Gaming Commissions of Las Vegas and Georgia—where the show is shot—the designer wondered, “How do we get these things? How are we going to do this?”

If Bomba were to dress the set with real slot machines, borrowed from actual casinos, he’d have to “Greek out all of the graphics”—and given the glow that slot machines emit, there was the additional question of how the machines would jibe with the lighting of the interior set. “We imported 10 slots to begin with, just to get a feel for it, to see what the lights would do,” Bomba says. “[We] tested them; nothing worked.” Ultimately, the solution to these problems was to manufacture more than 160 slot machines specifically for the show.

Working within the art department for two decades, Bomba has designed a number of acclaimed films, including 2017’s Mudbound , as well as prestige series like Godless . In the era of streaming and ubiquitious screens, the designer has approached his work with the understanding that he can’t control how it will be viewed. “People might watch it on their cell phone; people might watch what you’ve done on their iPad; they might have a home theater,” he says. “[But] I’m not going to deliver anything but feature-quality sets that you know are realistic.”

While realistic production design is a must for the viewing experience, Bomba notes that it’s also in service of the actors at hand, on any given show. “Sometimes, the time frame is such, where you’ve got to slap things together and put it up. [But] I want…to deliver sets [where] actors can do what they need to do,” he says. “Because the acting in [ Ozark ] is phenomenal.”

For more from our conversation with production designer David Bomba, take a look at the video above.

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A Quick Reminder About Rachel on Ozark

The OG cast member returns in the show's final episodes.

The following story contains very light spoilers for Ozark.

So when Ruth needs help to make a play at taking over the Byrdes's riverboat casino in Season 4, Episode 11 "Pound of Flesh and Still Kickin'," she tracks someone she knows who happens to be someone we know too—we just may have forgotten about her. This person she goes to visit, now working in sunny Miami, is Rachel Garrison. Rachel was a key character in the first two seasons of Ozark, but hasn't been seen or mentioned in the years since. Still, in seeking her out and bringing her back, Ruth makes her a key player in how things wind up playing out at the end of the series.

The reason you may not remember this woman Ruth went to visit—named, again, Rachel— is because she hasn't been seen on Ozark since the end of Season 2. Due to various delays (both Covid-related and not), that was all the way back in 2018, nearly four years ago. So if you don't entirely remember a character who hasn't been seen in nearly four full trips around the sun, on a show designed to be binged in short order (it is a Netflix original, after all), we're not going to fault you too much. We're also going to help refresh your memory.

So, uh, who exactly is Rachel on Ozark again?

Back at the very beginning of Ozark —when Marty, Wendy, and the family first arrived and were living in the house with terminally ill old man Buddy (bet you forgot about him too!)—Rachel was a key figure in Marty setting up shop in the Ozarks.

When Marty first got to town, he went around looking for businesses to "invest in," really looking for businesses to fix up and invest cartel money in as part of the laundering scheme he was both extremely good at and doing to keep his family and himself alive. Eventually, he found the Blue Cat Lodge, a run down motel and bar that was owned by Rachel. After some convincing, Marty convinced Rachel to allow him to invest in the Blue Cat Lodge, and he made some changes to spruce business up (including hiring Ruth as a dishwasher). He eventually got the business booming...but then Rachel found out that Marty was cooking the books, tactfully lying about the money going in and coming out—again, all as part of the money laundering that he was so very good at.

Rachel took Marty to task on this, but he had no choice but to continue—stopping would mean his and his family's death at the hands of the cartel. Rachel eventually uncovered $100,000 that Marty had stashed away off-site, and at first left it—but at the end of the season, took it and ran after a threatening cartel member came looking for Marty. That was a good signal to get the hell out of there, and she took it.

Rachel returned to Ozark in Season 2, and with an even darker and more upsetting storyline. Rachel had the $100,000 in cash that she had taken, but had fallen into a spiral of alcohol abuse. Early in the season she was caught drunk driving, and FBI Agent Petty (a true corrupt asshole) blackmailed her; return to the Ozarks to snoop on Marty, or go to jail for life.

Rachel returned to town, but just at the same time as Marty's businesses were being squeezed and investigated by the FBI. Wendy was suspicious when Rachel returned at this exact moment, and she had every right to be—as Petty had Rachel wearing a wire when she was interacting with Marty.

Throughout this, Marty and Rachel were getting closer and closer, and while the feelings between them were real, Petty was also encouraging her to get close to him (while wearing a wire) to get him to say something incriminating on tape. Petty also got Rachel addicted to Oxycontin, and there was a whole mess here, where she wound up getting heroin that originated from the Snell farm that Darlene had laced with Fentanyl, and Rachel wound up overdosing. Honestly, it was a whole mess.

Anyway, Rachel eventually told Marty that she was wearing a wire, and Marty eventually maneuvered Rachel out of Petty's clutches (and Petty later got murdered by Ruth's piece of shit father, Cade). The two obviously had feelings for one another, but it wasn't safe or healthy to do what they were doing. Marty had Rachel flown down to Miami, where he would pay for rehab treatment and make sure the money from the Blue Cat was in her account. At that point, they probably thought they'd never see each other again.

But that Ruth Langmore tends to enjoy throwing wrenches into things like that.

Rachel is played by actress Jordana Spiro.

The role on Ozark is the biggest that actress Jordana Spiro has had yet, but she's also had leading roles on a couple other shows. From 2000 to 2001, she was one of the leads on The Huntress, a show about a bounty hunter (tangentially related to the real-life inspiration of the Steve McQueen movie The Hunter). She was also the lead for four seasons of the TBS comedy My Boys, which was kind of like a before-its-time hybrid of New Girl and Everybody Loves Raymond; in the show she played a sportswriter whose friend group is all male.

Spiro has also made a mark in some small but notable films in recent years. In 2021, she appeared (alongside Jon Bernthal and Shea Whigham) in Small Engine Repair, along with all three Fear Street movies that debuted on Netflix. In 2018, she made her directorial debut with a movie called Night Comes On.

Next up, she's set to star in Vegas High, from director Gillian Robespierre. Robespierre has done a bunch of good TV in recent years (including a few episodes of Only Murders in the Building last year), but her first two feature films, Obvious Child and Landline, both starred Jenny Slate and both were both very good.

.css-1fpt53b{height:1.25rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1fpt53b{overflow:unset;line-height:1.25rem;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-1fpt53b{line-height:1.25rem;}}.css-1fpt53b:before{background-color:#D2232E;color:#fff;margin-right:0.625rem;width:1.25rem;height:1.25rem;content:'';display:block;} What To Watch On Netflix

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Netflix's Ozark Season 3 Picks Up After A Significant Time Jump

Ozark is hot off some major Emmy wins for Netflix. That will probably prompt some new viewers to check out the Jason Bateman series before Season 3. Considering Ozark Season 3 doesn't have a premiere date yet, fans could have plenty or very little time to catch up. Speaking of time, Ozark 's new season is picking up quite a bit after the events of the Season 2 finale.

Jason Bateman just gave an update on how Season 3 starts:

The riverboat casino that you see last season in fact goes into operation. We pick up six months later from the end of the second season. The casino is up and running and provides us with more opportunities both positive and negative. Some of that is temping and some that are calming. Ultimately it all affects the family.

Sounds like Ozark Season 3 is going to spend a lot of time on that riverboat. I'm surprised that anything "calming" is ahead. "Tempting" I believe with ease.

Ozark Season 2 focused a lot on starting that casino, and ended with the Byrde family posing for a photo in front of the riverboat. Jason Bateman's Marty Byrde has that shocked and disturbed look on his face in the photo above thanks to learning about the death of Ruth's dad just moments before the photo. He knows Wendy Byrde ( Laura Linney ) was involved and that it'll have repercussions.

So we won't pick up immediately from that riverboat photo for Season 3, but a full six months later. A lot can happen in six months! How do you think baby Zeke is doing with crazy Darlene? Does she even still have him? Has Ruth found out the truth yet about Wendy ordering a hit on her dad? Guess we'll find out.

Jason Bateman gave his Ozark Season 3 tease (via Deadline ) after picking up a surprise Emmy win on Sunday. Bateman won the Best Drama Directing Emmy for the Ozark Season 2 premiere, "Reparations." He's a huge force behind this show, not only starring as Marty Byrde but also executive producing the show and directing several episodes.

Another surprise Emmy win went to the amazing Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore. She beat out all of the Game of Thrones supporting actresses to win, helping to give Ozark an even bigger showcase.

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In August 2019, Ozark showrunner Chris Mundy told THR Ruth's allegiance is squarely with the Byrdes, at least at the start of Season 3:

Going into Season 3, we see her very much wanting to be a member of the Byrde family. However, as she gets deeper and deeper into the enterprise, she starts to wonder if being a Byrde is the best thing to be.

In the same interview, the showrunner offered this troubling tease about Marty:

Marty is on a slippery slope, but he's not all the way down yet.

Chris Mundy also recently talked about Wendy's power move in the Season 2 finale, tricking Ruth's dad Cade with $500,000 to leave town, only for Cade to be gunned down by a Navarro associate as he left town.

Some of it was born out of the fact that we thought that was a decision Marty wouldn’t make, certainly at this point in time. I think Wendy’s better and this kind of stuff. ... And one of the things we’re really focusing on in Season 3 is there’s this equal and opposite resentments in their minds, where Marty’s like, 'I stayed with you, despite what you did,' and she’s like, 'I gave up part of my soul because you weren’t willing to do what needed to be done for this family.' So that just felt like the right place to end.

Chris Mundy previously talked about Wendy's brother arriving as a major source of conflict for Marty and Wendy in Ozark Season 3:

[They'll be] dealing with outside forces. . . . [Such as Wendy's brother], who we've hinted at the first couple years as having some mental illness in the past, so [her] big brother is going to be a very destabilizing factor.

As fans wait for Ozark Season 3, Chris Mundy is busy planning for how the show will end -- and when. He previously mentioned figuring Ozark would have five seasons, although he said it could be something else like four or even seven.

Of course, Netflix is going to have a say in how long Ozark stays on the streamer. Netflix does love to cancel shows after a third season -- if a show even lasts that long -- but Ozark 's Emmy wins may give it some added clout. If not, maybe the #CancelNetflix movement can get involved for this show too.

Here are a few more things we hope to see when Ozark Season 3 arrives on Netflix ... soon? Keep up with the Netflix premiere dates we already know about, and check out our handy 2019 fall TV premiere schedule .

Gina grew up in Massachusetts and California in her own version of The Parent Trap. She went to three different middle schools, four high schools, and three universities -- including half a year in Perth, Western Australia. She currently lives in a small town in Maine, the kind Stephen King regularly sets terrible things in, so this may be the last you hear from her.

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MO House considers riverboat casino proposal for Lake of the Ozarks

by Mark Slavit

LAKE OZARK — Missouri voters could decide whether it would be possible to have a riverboat casino on the Osage River. Currently, Missouri allows riverboat gambling only on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. A Missouri House bill would change the Missouri Constitution and allow gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Republican State Representative Rocky Miller of Lake Ozark proposed a bill that added the Osage River to the list of locations for Missouri casinos.

Miller said his proposal gives Missouri voters more input on gambling options. Miller said his bill was a good first step toward gambling changes in Missouri because it required a vote from the people.

Miller said establishing the Osage River as a gambling location, allows Missouri lawmakers to move ahead with other gambling changes in the future. Opponents of Miller’s proposal to allow gambling on the Osage River opposed it for religious or moral reasons. Miller said his proposal did not guarantee riverboat gambling at the Lake of the Ozarks.

“This does not, and I repeat does not, put a casino on the Osage River," Miller said. "It only allows for the possibility, if a license becomes available to put one on the Osage River.”

The State Gaming Commission had already licensed a maximum of 13 Missouri casinos. To have an Osage River casino, one of the existing riverboats would have to shut down or Missouri lawmakers would need to increase the amount of allowed licensed river casinos.

“What I’m worried about, is if we do not act as a legislative body, then if an initiative petition happens, the control of the legislative body, the gaming commission and the community as a whole can disappear," Miller said. "The input that they can have on it disappears.”

If Miller’s bill reaches the ballot box and gets voter approval, Miller said it was likely that Missourians would have to wait several years before riverboat gambling came to the Lake of the Ozarks.

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S2.E1 ∙ Reparations

S2.E2 ∙ The Precious Blood of Jesus

S2.E3 ∙ Once a Langmore...

S2.E4 ∙ Stag

S2.E5 ∙ Game Day

S2.E6 ∙ Outer Darkness

S2.E7 ∙ One Way Out

S2.E8 ∙ The Big Sleep

S2.E9 ∙ The Badger

S2.E10 ∙ The Gold Coast

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A Guide To The Most Iconic Riverboat Casinos In The US 

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Talk about casino destinations and you’ll most likely think of Las Vegas, Atlantic City or, if you are travelling outside the US, maybe Monaco or Macau.

Yet what are called “land based” or “bricks and mortar” casinos to differentiate them from the online versions are not necessarily on land or made of bricks and mortar.

We refer, of course, to riverboat casinos, a little slice of Americana that’s as American as Super Bowl Sunday or Thanksgiving turkey. Riverboat casinos conjure up images of the Mississippi and Mark Twain complete with white suit, top hat and cigar. There are more than 60 riverboat casinos operating in the USA and every single one of them has a story to tell. Here, we highlight a handful of the very best.

The Grand Victoria, Elgin

Our first stop is not on the Mississippi at all, but on the Fox River in Elgin, 50 miles north west of Chicago . Owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment, the Grand Victoria really is a slice of Las Vegas on the Illinois waterfront.  With more than 1,000 slots and video poker terminals and 36 tables, there’s a great choice of games.

If all that gambling whets your appetite, there are four dining options on board, including the highly rated Buckingham’s Steakhouse and Lounge.

Casino Queen, Marquette  

The Casino Queen would look like a lifeboat if it was moored alongside the Grand Victoria, but that is all part of its charm. It offers a more intimate and personalized experience, and although there are only eight tables, they host an intriguing variety of games that are not commonly found in land (or water) based casinos. If you know how to gamble online in the US , you’ve probably seen fusion blackjack and 21+3 at US online casinos. The Casino Queen gives you an opportunity to play them in real casino surroundings.

When you step ashore, there is an adjacent 31-acre entertainment complex with a variety of attractions and a huge choice of dining options.

The Amelia Belle, Amelia  

At last, we arrive in Louisiana, where the Amelia Belle lies nestled in the Avoca Island Cutoff waterway. This classic four-story riverboat looks like it has stepped straight out of a photograph from the turn of the 20 th century. When it is lit up at night, it takes your breath away.

At the tables, poker is the order of the day. The casino offers Mississippi stud, 3-card poker and Texas Holdem. There are also 800 slot games, while the Fanduel sportsbook has self-service betting kiosks, a wall full of television screens, and a huge video wall to show the biggest events.

Sam’s Town, Shreveport

On the opposite side of Louisiana, Sam’s Town could not be more different to the Amelia Belle. This floating leisure complex houses a hotel, health spa, sauna and live entertainment venue.

The casino offers more than 1,000 slots and 30 table games that include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Let it Ride and Craps No More.

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Riverboat Gambling Proposed At The Lake Of The Ozarks

(MISSOURINET) Missouri voters could weigh in at the ballot box about whether to have a riverboat casino along the Osage River. Republican State Representative Rocky Miller is proposing a change to the Constitution that would allow people to place their bets along the Osage River. Current law allows riverboat gambling along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

“When the first riverboat gambling came out in the 90s, I thought ‘Well gosh, why isn’t the Osage River part of the Missouri and Mississippi riverboat gaming license?’ I have no idea why it wasn’t, but I thought we really should be,” he says.

“I’ve never thought that Lake of the Ozarks is really really a family-friendly destination. There are things that families can do and I love having them there,” he says. “There are great things you can do there – there’s water parks, there’s skee ball. But honestly, compared to Branson, we’ve always been an adult entertainment area.”

Miller says the Netflix show Ozark did not inspire his decision to file the bill, but he says the measure has been referred to as “The Ozark bill”. During the latest season of the hit show, a riverboat casino set sail along the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri.

“I think that right now, we just need to right the wrong. I truly would like to see a casino in Lake of the Ozarks, but I think the problems that we have, if we open those flood gates up, we’d have every casino fighting and I think we would end up getting nothing done. This is just a pragmatic, sort of level-headed way of doing it. Let’s add the Osage River. In the future, if a license becomes available, then we’re there to make a pitch for it,” says Miller.

The State Gaming Commission has already licensed 13 casinos – the maximum allowed in Missouri. If passed by the Legislature and people, the measure would let a potential riverboat casino pursue a license along the Osage, if one becomes available.

Miller says he’s “doing battle” against initiative petitions he’s heard might come along to expand gambling.

“This is so that we could kind of head that off at the pass and actually have input,” he says. “Only some rich guy that does the initiative petition and gets the signatures has input into how that’s read. I don’t. You don’t,” he says. “Through the process that we’re going through with my bill, you’re going to have public hearings. You’re going to have input. There’s probably going to be some changes to it.”

“Cape Girardeau had a benefit of $55 million additional taxes and 726 new jobs,” Miller says. “I don’t know what the magnitude greater Lake of the Ozarks would be but you’ve got to think it would be a much greater magnitude.”

The legislation is HJR 87 .

Casinos in Idaho

We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she's our gambling tech expert . Jane's also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

The ‘gem state’ Idaho has a rich and iconic heritage, particularly when it comes to Native American heritage. ... With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the state’s nine licensed gambling resorts are all Indian casinos, which are home to nearly 4,000 slots, various table games and even lottery games. But where exactly are the best and biggest Idaho casinos and resorts, and what should you expect from your gambling experience in the gem state? Read on to find out everything that you need to know about gambling in Idaho in 2020!

• Idaho Casino List & Map
• Idaho Gambling and Games
• Idaho Legal Situation
• Idaho Resorts and Trips
• Need more info? FAQ & About ID

Idaho Casino Map - List of Gambling Locations

• Best Casinos (3)
• Biggest Casinos (3)
• Indian Casinos (8)
• Racinos (0)
• Cruise Ships/Riverboats (0)
• To See the Full List Casinos (8)

The Best Casinos in Idaho

The Biggest Casinos in Idaho

Are There Indian Casinos in Idaho

As we’ve already touched on, Idaho is dominated by Indian or tribal casinos, which are defined as licensed gambling establishments on native American land. These entities offer a unique wagering experience and lead to significant job and wealth creation in the state, so here are three more resorts operated by some of the region’s six tribes.

Racinos are gambling resorts that combine a horse track with casino facilities, but you won’t find any in Idaho. In truth, there’s little demand for such resorts in ID, while the existing gambling legislation only allows for tribal casinos and ‘class 2’ video games at present. There are also licensed local horse racing tracks in the state, where limited pari-mutuel betting is permitted by law.

Are There Cruise Ship or Riverboat Casinos in Idaho?

As you can imagine, riverboat or cruise ship casinos refer to resorts that are located at a dock or waterway. There are more than 50 such venues dotted across six US states, although the current law in Idaho means that riverboat casinos are outlawed state-wide. Still, you can satisfy yourself with the huge range of Indian casinos present in the region!

Full Idaho Casino List

There is a total of eight land-based casinos in Idaho, dotted across eight different cities. Two of these are located in Plummer, while locations such as Worley, Lewiston, Bonners Ferry, Kamiah, Blackfoot, Fort Hall and Pocatello each have one each.

It’s interesting to note that most of the casinos are established on native land in either the north or south of the state, and we’ve detailed the full list and the distances between some of these resorts below!

Expected New Casinos

We’ve already touched on the fact that casino gambling in Idaho is permitted at land-based Indian resorts, but there are currently no plans to introduce online wagering or sports betting in Idaho gambling cities. In fact, ID is one of the few states where no recent bills have even been proposed, and this is unlikely to change in the near-term.

Gambling in Idaho

Casino games in idaho.

In this section, we’ll break down the range of games legally available to Idaho casinos, and where you can find your favourite slots, table games and cash poker tournaments!

• Colossal Wizards
• Spartacus Gladiator of Rome
• Forbidden Dragons
• Queen of the Wild II
• Lazer Lock Ice Sapphire
• 3700+ Slot Machines
• Types: Traditional Reel, Video Reel
• Slot Providers: WMS Gaming
• Let it Ride
• Limit Hold ‘em
• No Limit Hold ‘em

Additional Details Only available at the Coeur D'Alene casino – there are six poker tables in total.

• Crazy 4 Poke
• Fortune Pai Gow
• Sharp Shooter
• Razz, Limit Hold ‘em
• NL Hold ‘em

Additional Details Only available at the Coeur D'Alene casino.

• American Roulette
• European Roulette

Additional Details Only available at the Coeur D'Alene casino – no French roulette on offer

• Any 2 Card Blackjack
• Hand-Held Deck
• Single Deck
• Double Deck

Additional Details Only available at the Coeur D'Alene casino – the dealer stands on a soft 17.

• Chuck-A-Luck
• 75 Ball Bingo
• 90 Ball Bingo
• Daily Lotto Draws, Mini Lottos

Additional Details Only available at the Coeur D'Alene and the Kootenai River casinos.

• Electronic Craps
• Electronic Blackjack
• Electronic Roulette
• Electronic 3-Card Poker

Additional Details N/A

Gambling Legal Situation in Idaho

Taxation of winnings.

As with all US states, gambling winnings in Idaho are taxed at a federal rate of 24%. The state also applies a levy of 6.925% on such winnings, with this applicable to all prizes of $5,000 or higher.

Idaho Gambling Laws

Casino operations and slot games are prohibited in the state of Idaho (1953).

Casino gambling is permitted and regulated at Indian resorts nationwide. (1988).

Live horse racing and simulcasts legal, pari-mutuel betting allowed. Off-track and mobile wagering remains prohibited.

Gambling undoubtedly has a checkered history in the state of Idaho, and this is unsurprising given the region’s Constitution and its approach to gambling nearly 125 years ago. Back then, it was declared that there would be no “lottery or gift enterprise”, and it has taken considerable amounts of time and conflict to introduce gambling in the state in any form.

1953 Commercial slot machines have been banned since 1953, after a brief six-year period in which such terminals were allowed to operate in Idaho Falls, Pocatello and Garden City. While slots are still considered unconstitutional, however, an Idaho state lottery was approved in 1988, albeit after a sustained legal fight and years of unsuccessful proposals.

1988 This blazed a trail for tribal gaming to follow, and it was during the same year that the 1988 India Gaming Regulatory Act was implemented. This allowed various Idaho tribes to operate their own casino and lottery operations, and while there has been some tension surrounding the deployment of video gaming machines at Coeur d’Alene, nine successful Indian casinos have since opened within the state’s borders. Over time, we’ve also seen the introduction of a 6.925% state tax on gambling winnings, which is applied alongside a federal levy of 24%.

Upcoming Changes in the Gambling Regulation

As it stands, the gambling laws in Idaho remain relatively settled, with Indian casinos currently meeting the market demand and offering a wide array of slots and games. Similarly, Idaho is one of the few North American sites that doesn’t plan to introduce a bill legalizing online or mobile gambling anytime soon, despite the nationwide push to regulate sports betting.

ID Casino Resorts and Trips

Some of the larger Indian casino reports also offer a diverse range of amenities outside of gambling, including accommodation, RV parks and swimming pools. These locations are ideal for trips and weekends away, and we’ll break this down in the next part of the page.

Casino Resorts

Casino trips.

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