Mason City still in the running for $9.8 million from state for downtown projects

West row of parking at the public lot where a Marriott may be built.

DES MOINES – State economic development officials released scores for the Reinvestment Districts that eight cities have applied for, and Mason City’s score was just above the cut, to keep it in the running for the $9.8 million it has requested.

Mason City wants $9.8 million from the state for its project which consists of: 1) a 5,000 seat hockey arena to be built inside the former JC Penney store; 2) jump-start a downtown Marriott hotel project; 3) a new pavilion at the north entrance to Southbridge Mall; 4) a downtown parking ramp next to the proposed hotel; and 5) a mixed-use retail-shopping structure at the corner of Federal Avenue and 2nd Street NE.

Below is a chart listing the scores. You can see that five projects received scores above 70 and will move on to the next stage of review. The Due Diligence committee will meet on May 21 at 1 PM at the World Food Prize building to hear presentations from the five remaining projects.

Assuming the final amount awarded to Des Moines will be the same as their provisional award, there would be $41,512,600 remaining to award in this year, a state official told NIT.