Sioux City Journal, IA
06-14-07
State's largest water park to open in Storm Lake
$5.2 million park is part of $39 million Project Awaysis
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer
STORM LAKE, Iowa -- An Iowa governor visited Storm Lake in 1938 and
promised to dredge the lake and make the area a destination park.
Sixty-nine years later, the dream became reality as Gov. Chet Culver created a
wave at King's Pointe Waterpark, saying the community's $39 million effort
should serve as a model for all Iowans.
"This will cement Storm Lake's position as one of Iowa's top tourism attractions,"
said Culver, who promised to return to Des Moines to tell his own young children,
ages 4 and 6, about Iowa's biggest water park in the Buena Vista County seat.
"Our family will be back here before school begins," he said.
Crews worked as Culver spoke, putting the finishing touches on King's Pointe
Waterpark, the outdoor water park serving Project Awaysis, a massive endeavor
featuring an indoor water park, restaurant, 100-room lodge, golf course,
lighthouse and more, all on the northeast shore of the lake.
A dream for decades, it began taking shape during Gov. Tom Vilsack's
administration when Jeff Vonk, then the director of the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources, challenged Storm Lakers to show the state they meant
business by raising money for a dredging project. They did. The state and federal
government chipped in, and the dredge churned muck out of the lake
Wednesday as Culver toured the adjacent park.
Vonk told Storm Lakers years ago they had to be convinced the lake area could
be a destination before anyone else could do it. They did believe. Mobilized
initially by the Lake Improvement Association and a need to replace the 40-yearold municipal pool, 250 volunteers serving 23 committees dove into the effort. A
$9 million Vision Iowa grant and a $3.5 million bond approved by 74 percent of
Storm Lake voters were key financing factors along the way, as was a $2 million
private fund drive.
Culver said Storm Lakers have shown by example how a public-private
partnership should work. "I'm very impressed by what I've seen," he said.
But there's still a big question: Will the park sink or swim? Reaction around this
city of 10,076 residents remains lukewarm. Some have nicknamed Awaysis "The
Mistake by the Lake."
"We really don't know how it will do," said Christos Iordanou, a restaurant/bar
owner. "We're hoping. We're crossing our fingers."
The indoor water park will give Iordanou's children something to do during the
winter. It will also give parents a break, allowing them time to shop downtown
while their children swim and play.
"We hope they don't price out the families," said Marian McClure, sounding an
alarm that daily passes might be too expensive.
Buena Vista County children will pay $4 per day at the park, and adults will be
charged $6. Visitors from outside the county will pay $8 and $10, respectively.
Season passes also will be sold.
"I have a strange feeling it won't be affordable for people," said Sue Mercer of
nearby Galva.
"I think the $9 million (state grant) should have been spent on education," Chuck
Mercer added.
"It's going to be awesome," said Carol Lenhart as she watched a junior varsity
baseball game across Lakeshore Drive. "It will give kids something to do."
Seventy-five such "kids" were at work Wednesday, learning life-saving
procedures as staff members gave the facility a test run well ahead of the
planned June 21 grand opening. The indoor park should open in early August.
The entire complex will be run by the equivalent of 85 full-time workers.
An Iowa State University economist predicted the project could generate an
additional 690 jobs and some $28 million in new spending around Storm Lake.
"The construction alone has been a great economic boost for our community,"
said Ivan Droessler, an engineer and a resident here since 1991. "The dredging
has been good for our water quality. And now we'll see if we can really be a
tourist attraction. If we are, it will be great for Storm Lake and this part of Iowa."
For that to happen, though, Droessler said Storm Lakers will have to become
more inviting and willing to share their resources.
Miguel Lozano, like Droessler, has lived in Storm Lake for 16 years. A laborer in
a meat-packing plant, Lozano hailed Storm Lake as a great place to live and
raise children. King's Pointe Waterpark, he guessed, might make a great town
better.
"I hope it brings newcomers to Storm Lake," he said.
Twelve-year-old Jorge Mendez took a more practical approach to the new
destination park. He didn't talk about economic ripple effects or water quality. He
talked about eight giant slides and a lazy river.
"I'll get to cool off," he said.