DES MOINES – A posse of pro-Renaissance Project personnel from Mason City presented to state economic development officials Friday in Des Moines and found out they need to clear two more hurdles before alleged millions in funding can be unlocked.
NIT learned this evening that as many as 19 “YES” campaigners made the journey to the capital city to get in front of the Iowa Economic Development Authority board and make sure their project rolls ahead. Eric Bookmeyer drove his vehicle and crammed it full, and then a van was stuffed, too. Making the journey was Interim City Administrator Kevin Jacobson, city employee Steven Van Steenhuyse, council members Josh Masson and Bill Schickel, Supervisor Tim Latham for the Board of Supervisors (who have committed $500,000 to the project), hotelier Steve Nodo, Gary Schmidt of Henkel Contruction, city employee Brian Pauly, Chad Schreck of the North Iowa Corridor, Jon Prebeck of First Citizens Bank, Kelly Harbacheck and Loni Dirksen of Bergland and Cram Architects, and perhaps others. Council member Janet Solberg drove herself down.
The board heard presentations from Bookmeyer, Jacobson, Van Steenhuyse and Schmidt and then posed questions about the viability of the project and hotelier Philip Chodur’s G8.
The board told the horde that G8 needs to come forward with legitimate financing and an agreement between the hotelier and the City must be signed before the Reinvestment District program for Mason City can be a reality and the state can make an award of perhaps $7.1 million. There is no lump sum check given to the city, if approved by the IEDA Board. Tax dollars would be collected in a small area in the downtown – only in new construction, like the hotel. Those dollars are sent to Des Moines, and then the state doles them back to the city in small increments over decades. The city would pay for millions of dollars in general obligation bonds to make the project happen.
The City will likely sign an agreement with G8 on December 28, sources tell NIT, and the City expects to see G8 produce bank financing for as much as $12 million so it can go ahead with building its hotel in a Southbridge Mall parking lot.
Clown cars come to mind.
Anything one might need is on the West side.
No reason to waste time downtown.
…they need to stick a fork in this project, cuz this turkey is done!
So what happens if the group in Des Moines votes against the project???? I feel it’s a no go as the POSSE has changed it’s mind to many times.
Why don’t Mason City cut that stupid mall in half and put Federal Avenue back where it should be?
I have never seen a town do as many stupid things as Mason City. I am so glad I don’t have to pay taxes there. You Mason City people really have your head buried in the sand!
You are correct, except their head is up their A$$, not buried in the sand.
You are right. The mall location was beyond dumb.
Traffic is a joke downtown.
I agree wholeheartedly. I avoid that area. Hate the traffic flow. There isn’t anything in the mall worth stopping to see. Should have planned this In the old sears area. Easier to drive around and close to the interstate. Why doesn’t mason want to develop all of mason city. South end pays taxes too.
look on the bright side, its being built on mall lot, that way when they are both gunna be torn down due to failure, it will be cheaper for the tax payers to hire 1 company to put them both in a pile of bricks at the same time. the mall is already on its way to a brick pile
It ain’t going anywhere.
“What ya gunna do”, lol
‘I’m the greatest’ .
Ding!
mildly disturbing yet gratifying.
Let’s find out what Loni has to say? What is your forecast Loni????
I’ve been excited about this project from the first moment G8 wanted to build another hotel down town before the whole project began. I’m going to continue to support this project because I am still way excited about it. I think it’s a catalyst for growth in our city – as I have said all along. The whole adventure has been a roller coaster that’s for sure! But you can always grab some wine and enjoy the ride 😉 . I think everything is going to work out in the end.
Ms. Dirksen, you must be smoking your socks if you think any part of this project will enhance Mason City. Ever!
Sorry.
They should have rented the Barnum and Baily Bus that brings in the welfare people from chicago/detroit.
all you Yes people donate 10% of your income for 1 year and Just maybe you guys can put a down payment on a back hoe so you can dig the hole yourselves.
This is nothing but a scam on the elites part. They have already spent almost a million dollars of taxpayers money with nothing to show for it. That money was paid by taxpayers to maintain the city, not be wasted on a wet dream that is so mismanaged it is destined to fail for sure. They should all be arrested for fraud.
The GANG that went to Des Moines are the front men for Mason City’s buffoon group. The sad truth is, these folks do not have the moxie to build and manage a project of this size and scope.
Stupid is stupid does!
By the below list there appears to be a naughty list. And what you going to do. lol
skipper had it right in his first paragraph in the paper the other day. ‘IT WILL NEVER BE BUILT”
someone needs to investigate what these people gain from this project obvious henkel gets millions no wonder they are along for the ride what about the idiot banker with big mouth who look like a caveman what he get out of this how about the architects they got that building renovation next door
What a parade to grab cash! It IS a soup line for the rich! They get rich building the thing then it will be dead for years not long after it built wait and see.
Did Solberg take a detour through Wright county to see if her sniffer works yet?
Maybe, just maybe the State of Iowa could save Mason City taxpayers and give the project a thumbs down. Wouldn’t that be a great Christmas present!
would be worse off you would then have the new mayor and council in charge of a new project and that crew will be a site to behold if you thought the outgoing crew is bad
never will there be a scope of dirt piled up from a shovel!!!!
scoop, but we get your point!
someone wants paid, like pretty much that entire list