Finley River Outpost project planned in Sparta

The owners of a bison and Clydesdale farm in Sparta are planning a multimillion-dollar project called Finley River Outpost.

The project, designed as a "luxury guest ranch," has a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled 11 a.m. Feb. 10, according to a news release from the Show Me Christian County economic development organization. The project represents a capital investment of $10 million, according to Show Me Christian County officials.

Finley River Outpost is slated to be developed at Shook Farms, which is owned by Chad and Tiffanie Shook.

The first phase calls for a wedding venue, called The 1803, and an outdoor pavilion, dubbed The Woodson. The other two phases would add a saloon-style restaurant and bar, rentable cabins and covered "glamping" wagons, horseback riding, river recreation and a shared garden, according to the release.

“Agriculture and conservation are at the core of this development,” Chad Shook said in the release. “We’re focused on getting the land to where it’s usable and regenerative, as well as utilizing the river and introducing animals and fish to the property.”

The site is located southeast of Springfield at 3830 State Highway 125 in Sparta.

Torgerson Design Partners is the architect for the first phase comprising the wedding venue and outdoor pavilion that are scheduled to open this summer.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Finley River Outpost in our beautiful slice of the Ozarks,” said Steve Childers, Show Me Christian County board chair, in the release. “We’re excited to see agritourism flourish here, and we’re thankful of the Shooks for their investment into the area.

"This joining of conservation and tourism is precisely what we’re wanting to see in Christian County.”