FEATURE by Dan Field
Ozark memorabilia coming ‘home’
Photo provided
U
nless you’ve lived on an internet-free island, or sequestered yourself without any exposure to the rest of the world the last few years, you’re well aware that the final season of the vaguely familiar Ozark has hit the big screen. The most interesting aspect to those of us who are familiar with The Lake of the Ozarks is that Ozark has several physical and personal connections to the Lake. One of its creators – Bill Dubuque – crafted the story based loosely on his time as an employee at The Alhonna Resort and Marina at the end of Horseshoe Bend. Dubuque, a resident of St. Louis, and his brother, who died last year, have roots at the Lake. They both worked at Alhonna. The Blue Cat Lodge, where Marty and Wendy Byrde landed after escaping the tentacles of Chicago to launder money, is fashioned after Alhonna. The series’ premise is this: Byrde is a financial planner who relocates his family from Chicago to a summer resort community in the Ozarks (the Lake of the Ozarks). With Wendy and their two kids in tow, Marty is on the move after a moneylaundering scheme goes wrong, forcing him to pay off a substantial debt to a Mexican drug lord in order to keep his family safe. While the Byrdes’ fate hangs in the balance, the dire circumstances force the fractured family to reconnect. Jason Bateman, who plays Marty Byrde, actually spent a day at Alhonna along with Dubuque and Jordana Spiro who played Rachel Garrison in Season 1. (Not to spoil the moment, but Season 1 of Ozark saw Rachel Garrison running away in a bid to escape from Marty and Wendy Byrde after 20 VACATION NEWS
she was forced to become their business partner, according to one website). Bateman also served as a director and executive producer for the series. Mike and Sheryl Elia, managers of Alhonna, have acquired the actual, functioning Blue Cat Lodge sign which is stored safely away on their property. The sign will be erected and lighted this spring so it can be seen from land and water. Another of the series’ memorabilia, The Lickety Splitz Gentleman’s Club sign, is now in the hands of local Realtor Mike Swift, whose agency has The Alhonna Resort listed for sale. He plans to gift it to a client who’s in the middle of purchasing a home here. It all comes full circle. The story, of course, has many twists and turns and outright stunning moments. Such as the end of Season 3 and midway through the first half of Season 4. Bang, bang. You’ll have to watch to fill in the blanks. The final season of Ozark opened on Netflix Jan. 21, with the seven-episode Part 1. Netflix has yet to announce when Part 2 of Season 4 will be released. And the series’ connection to The Lake of the Ozarks has some quirky twists as well. While most of the series was shot in Georgia, there are glimpses of the Lake, especially from the air. There’s just enough local shots to bring the series credibility that it’s about The Lake of the Ozarks. The first season, which brought a lot of hullabaloo to the Lake of the Ozark and consternation to PR types, was released back in July 2017. The second season premiered in August 2018 and the third in March 2020, with all three seasons conFebruary 11 - 24, 2022
