Stupid Rain Forest

The project that continues to make Coralville, Iowa the laughingstock of the nation is finally getting criticism from someone that might have an effect. One of the Coralville City Council members, Tom Gill, has said if the project doesn't announce private investors in 60 days, the council should look at other ways to use the land slated for the Iowa Environmental Project. Go Tom Gill! Unfortunately, the other council members (Henry Herwig, John Lundell, Jean Schnake and John Weihe) don't agree with Gill. What's worse is the way the project people are trying to make it sound like Gill doesn't know what he's talking about.

The fact is this project is a waste of taxpayer money. And the worst thing is they're still 90 million short. They've had years to get investors on board and it hasn't happened. The reason is pretty simple - the project is flawed. They need 1.3 million people to visit the rain forest annually just to break even. 1.3 million people are going to come to Iowa every year to see a rain forest? That's about how many people go to the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, which has a smaller rain forest, an IMAX theater, an aquarium and a "Desert Dome" in a traditional zoo setting, and is in a much larger metropolitan area. It's just not going to work.

Give 'em 60 days and then pull the plug on this waste of money.