If you ask residents of Eastern Iowa which type of attraction they would like to see built in their community, one answer is at, or near the top of the list. Waterpark. And why not? They're fun for people of all ages! Residents of Linn County have been begging for one for several years. Another community in the Midwest is about to add a huge new complex and trust me, it will be worth the drive!

The city of Bellevue, Nebraska is about to make a splash. A $60 million splash. KETV reports that on Tuesday, the city council approved a bond that will finance three hotels and a 100,000-square-foot indoor waterpark. The huge new facility will be built northwest of the corner of Highway 34 and Highway 75 interchange, around 4 hours away for folks in the Cedar Rapids area. Bellevue mayor Rusty Hike told KETV that the new waterpark will be modeled after a park in Dallas, Texas, the 4th largest waterpark in the nation.

YouTube via KETV Newswatch 7
YouTube via KETV Newswatch 7
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Mayor Hike told KETV that they expect the new waterpark to be among the top 10 in the country. The $60 million bond will pay for the waterpark while the Good Life Transformational Act will divert taxes to the city that would normally go to the state. Residents will see no tax hikes to pay for the project. The bond will take 15 to 20 years to pay.

KETV reports that the indoor, heated waterpark will be open year-round, with more than 2,000 people expected to attend daily. Mayor Hike says that the project will help take the city of Bellevue "into the future." The waterpark hopes to open by the summer of 2026.

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