My name is Dallas Martz, and I moved to the Lake of the Ozarks area this past September after accepting the role of General Manager at Ballparks National. I knew I would face some business challenges upon my arrival, but I didn’t anticipate stepping into a political situation that would have such a profound impact on our operations. However, this letter is not about politics or individuals—it’s about 27 hardworking students from Macks Creek High School.
When I arrived, Ballparks National was in rough financial shape due to past mismanagement. A federal grant, obtained through the state with the help of the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), was supposed to fund the expansion of our facility by adding three large, high school-sized baseball fields. This expansion would allow us to host larger events, including high school and even collegiate baseball games. The project began in early spring of 2024, about six months before I arrived. However, as has been pointed out in other letters to the editor, mismanagement of the grant funds led the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) to halt funding, leaving the project about 80% complete—where it still stands today.
When I took over as General Manager in September, I was informed that, with new management in place, there was a chance the grant could be reinstated. We immediately got to work. Our team at Ballparks National developed new policies and procedures to ensure proper oversight, while the CVB worked on its portion of the requirements. We submitted everything as requested and waited. We were told we would hear a decision in January, but January came and went. In late February, we were informed that a decision would come in 7-10 days. It took a little longer, but at that point, who was counting?
From the beginning of this process until now, I have felt as though a certain former political figure —actively worked against us, not for the sake of the community, but due to a personal vendetta against the park’s former manager. This person’s concern appears to be that this former manager still holds a 5% ownership stake in the park, despite having no involvement in daily operations or really anything. Their focus has been on settling old political scores rather than doing what is best for the community.
This coming June, we have a five-day baseball tournament scheduled with 148 teams preregistered assuming we would be getting the grant reinstated. This event alone would have generated nearly $300,000 for the ballpark and contributed at least that much to the local economy through hotel stays, restaurants, entertainment, and shopping. Instead of considering the greater good, political agendas stood in the way.
When we finally received the DED’s decision, it was not the outcome we had hoped for. Despite dedicating over 100 man-hours to revamping our policies and demonstrating a clear plan for accountability, the state ultimately decided they were not willing to take the risk of reinstating the grant.
The same week we received this disappointing news, a St. Louis newspaper ran a story about the former manager being “at the center of an auditor’s grant probe.” A couple of weeks prior, I had received a voicemail from the reporter working on the story, but I chose not to respond, as we were so close to a decision on the grant that I didn’t want to derail anything. Looking back, perhaps I should have responded. I firmly believe that this article was pushed by a specific individual as part of a political agenda, and its timing could not have been worse.
I understand that some people are unhappy that the former manager still holds a minor ownership stake in Ballparks National. However, this situation is bigger than any one person. This was a tourism grant—designed to support tourism. More importantly, it directly impacts the 27 Macks Creek students who rely on their part-time jobs at the ballpark.
When I first met these kids, I was blown away by their work ethic, pride, and dedication. During our busy times in the kitchen, I jumped into the kitchen to work alongside them, and we had a great time. They even switched the music to country when I was around—which I truly appreciated! These students are the heart of Ballparks National, and I would like to say they were forgotten about during this back and forth but I don’t think they were even thought of.
Recently, I attended a tourism dinner where Missouri Lieutenant Governor David Wasinger delivered a fantastic speech about the importance of tourism in our state and the critical role the Lake of the Ozarks plays in that industry. I would like to invite him and his staff to visit Ballparks National, meet these incredible Macks Creek students, hear our vision for the future, and see firsthand the positive impact we are making—not just with tourism, but in young people’s lives and our community.
Thank you for your time.
General Manager, Ballparks National – Lake of the Ozarks
