Aquatic center in Ames,

[theshadow]

Bond referendum among options to close funding gap for $27.5 million Ames aquatics center

The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded Ames $10 million in tax rebates in June. Ames originally requested $21 million in its proposal.

www.amestrib.com

 

[mj4cy]

People in Ames dont like change.

Part of the reason I won't move back there. Still close enough to see family and go to ISU games though!

They tried to put a mall out on 13th/I-35 20 years ago but couldn't get it done. I think of all the millions of shopping dollars that the Des Moines metro go that could have stayed in Ames.

 

[cyfan92]

Bond referendum among options to close funding gap for $27.5 million Ames aquatics center

The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded Ames $10 million in tax rebates in June. Ames originally requested $21 million in its proposal.

www.amestrib.com

How many times are they going to beat this dead horse before the city gives up on it? Residents have voted this down how many times now?

 

[CyCrazy]

That would largely be ISU faculty and staff who live in Ames -who fill lots of seats on Ames' boards, commissions, and city council - who seem to want to keep it small...

Maybe but I would bet a pretty penny alot of those people are the ones who want to taje down the school board, and who have a certain relationship with a church in town.

 

[CyCrazy]

Part of the reason I won't move back there. Still close enough to see family and go to ISU games though!

They tried to put a mall out on 13th/I-35 20 years ago but couldn't get it done. I think of all the millions of shopping dollars that the Des Moines metro go that could have stayed in Ames.

I love Ames but there is an odd demo in town. I wasnt keen on the new mall, but it would defintly have more visibilty.

 

[8bitnes]

Part of the reason I won't move back there. Still close enough to see family and go to ISU games though!

They tried to put a mall out on 13th/I-35 20 years ago but couldn't get it done. I think of all the millions of shopping dollars that the Des Moines metro go that could have stayed in Ames.

Not building the new mall proved to be the best decision. The developer went bankrupt and the old mall was revitalized. North grand would have been a wasteland had the new mall been built

 

[isubb79]

Not building the new mall proved to be the best decision. The developer went bankrupt and the old mall was revitalized. North grand would have been a wasteland had the new mall been built

the last time I was in North Grand mall it felt like a wasteland. Sure Kohls and TJ Max added stores to the south end but there are lots of empty stores inside the original mall. I guess malls in general and becoming out dated.

 

[8bitnes]

the last time I was in North Grand mall it felt like a wasteland. Sure Kohls and TJ Max added stores to the south end but there are lots of empty stores inside the original mall. I guess malls in general and becoming out dated.

The revitalization was 15 years ago and stood up really well for about the next 10 years. Now imagine two malls trying to survive in Ames.

 

[cycloner29]

The people in Ames that say “smart growth” are the ones that really mean, “no growth”. Come on, the people that were against the last aquatic center then turn around and ask, “What hotels have a place that allow you to swim or why doesn’t Ames have a recreation facility?”

Lived in Ames the 30 years and have been down this road a few times already.

 

[wxman1]

Maybe but I would bet a pretty penny alot of those people are the ones who want to taje down the school board, and who have a certain relationship with a church in town.

Would that Church be at 35 and 30?

 

[isufbcurt]

How many times are they going to beat this dead horse before the city gives up on it? Residents have voted this down how many times now?

Looks like we found one of those people in Ames who don't like change

 

[cyclone87]

Hopefully a $7.5 mil referendum (depending which option the city chooses) will be more palatable to folks than the $29 mil last time. As someone that has children (swim lessons) and uses the municipal pool some it’s going to be frustrating not having an indoor pool. I think most towns/cities Ames size or larger have an indoor facility.

 

[cyfan92]

Looks like we found one of those people in Ames who don't like change

You guessed completly wrong. Although I am no longer an Ames resident. I am a realist in that almost nothing gets done in Ames when you put it to a vote. The one exception being the library project

 

[cyfan92]

I am worried that if this bond referendum does pass. How that may negatively affect the Arts & Entertainment District that Pollard wishes to build

@isufbcurt

 

[JP4CY]

Sounds like we should have put a pool in at the mall during renovations.

 

[JP4CY]

I am worried that if this bond referendum does pass. How that may negatively affect the Arts & Entertainment District that Pollard wishes to build

@isufbcurt

How would a pool affect that?

 

[isufbcurt]

I am worried that if this bond referendum does pass. How that may negatively affect the Arts & Entertainment District that Pollard wishes to build

@isufbcurt

I don't think a pool affects that at all

 

[cyfan92]

How would a pool affect that?

Bond referendum among options to close funding gap for $27.5 million Ames aquatics center

The Iowa Economic Development Authority awarded Ames $10 million in tax rebates in June. Ames originally requested $21 million in its proposal.

www.amestrib.com

It was my understanding that the pool funding is apart of a broader community initiative to redevelop Grand Ave along the railraod tracks. I may be wrong @isufbcurt

 

[cycloner29]

Hopefully a $7.5 mil referendum (depending which option the city chooses) will be more palatable to folks than the $29 mil last time. As someone that has children (swim lessons) and uses the municipal pool some it’s going to be frustrating not having an indoor pool. I think most towns/cities Ames size or larger have an indoor facility.

Shame on the Ames for allowing this to go as far as it has. For a city of its size, it's an embarrassment for what it offers its citizens. My rural hometown of 6,000 has a wellness center with indoor pool and the town has an pool. Ames can't figure out what it wants to do. Funny how Ames High has an elite swimming program and yet the city can't even get a decent pool to help promote the sport more.

 

[cyclone87]

I am worried that if this bond referendum does pass. How that may negatively affect the Arts & Entertainment District that Pollard wishes to build

@isufbcurt

The pool itself doesn’t have anything to do with the private development other than it could potentially use $10 mil of the sales and hotel tax generated by it. The referendum would only be for the aquatic center funding. I don’t think whether the pool gets built has much bearing on the private development.

I’m not sure the hotel/conference space would be on the same scale envisioned for the Entertainment District. If pollard was concerned about it my guess is we would hear about it. He had been pretty vocal in the past on Ames inability to get things done.