According to the Des Moines Register, more than half of Iowans 18 - 34 years old want the rainforest, and "[m]aybe it's time to listen to this fresher generation for some guidance about the future of the state. Because Iowa needs more big thinking. This rain forest is big thinking." It then goes on to point out that "Missouri has the Gateway Arch. South Dakota has Mount Rushmore. Wisconsin has the Dells."



I'd like to point out a few things:



1) Mount Rushmore is a mountain. People go to visit mountains. They like to climb on them and ski on them. They would go to the mountains even if they didn't have a really big presidents carved into them. And South Dakota didn't have to build the mountain from scratch.



2) The Dells are a nifty-looking set of lakes. People like lakes. They like to swim in them and ski in them. And Wisconsin didn't have to build them from scratch either. They did add on a bunch of theme hotels around them, which grew up gradually as more and more people visited. But these are usually privately owned.



3) The Gateway Arch was built from scratch by Missouri. And it sits in the center of St. Louis, a rather metropolitan area slightly larger than Coralville. People go there for many reasons. If the Arch was sitting in the middle of a cornfield, it really wouldn't have the same impact or visitation rate. It would just get sued by McDonald's for copyright violation.



4) The idea of a rainforest in Coralville is stupid. There, I've said it. I'm sorry, I'd like to make you feel better about it. I just can't.



I do think rainforests are cool. And I'd probably stop by to see it once or twice. But that's only because I'm a 30 minute drive from Coralville and I'm there every day anyway. I wouldn't go see a rainforest in Red Oak. I'd probably drive by it to laugh a little, if it were on my way anyway. Same goes for any small town in any neighboring state. If you think Coralville is not a small town, well, I hate to break it to you. . . visit Chicago or St. Louis and get some perspective already. I've lived in and around Iowa City for most of my life, and I really like the place. We have many of the perks of a metropolitan area via Hancher and the U of I. But we're not a big city. And Coralville's even smaller.



A real rainforest in South America would tempt me. But I wouldn't pay $90 million or even $180 million to visit it.



5) The first three years of your target demographic are people that you won't allow to have alcohol because you don't think they're mature enough to handle it. And you really don't think the remainder of the college-age students are mature enough to handle their liquor even if they can drink. Remember the college drinking problem? The City really has to step in to save these "kids." How about the twenty-something "kids" who are subject to "peer pressure" to drink beer bombs in the frats to the point of being comatose or dying? Why wasn't the school monitoring that party? We have to ban all alcohol on campus. But when it comes to large-scale economic planning? That freshman sure is an expert. Let's ignore the fact that every other demographic doesn't like the project, and go with them. They are the voice of the future. What do you think, "kids?" Can we spell "hypocricy?"



6) Even in your poll can only state "more than half" of the 18-36 demographic considered the project a good idea. Let me guess, 52%? 56%? Even in the only demographic out of the entire state that supports the project, there is just a bare majority who thinks it's a good idea. For $180 million? I don't think so.