New state park in Shannon County set to open in July

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A new state park in southeastern Missouri is set to open July 30.

Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday announced Echo Bluff State Park's opening in Shannon County. The park was previously called Camp Zoe but was renamed after a sheer bluff on the property.

The campground once hosted weekend rock music festivals. It was raided during a Halloween 2010 concert that prosecutors said featured drug dealers.

The previous property owner forfeited it to the federal government after being convicted on a drug charge. Missouri's park system bought the property at auction for more than $640,000 in 2013.

The state park director had said the park system wanted to acquire the property for years.

The 430-acre park includes an Ozarks stream, a 20-room lodge, cabins, campsites and hiking trails.