BETTENDORF - Tonight the city of Bettendorf approved a development agreement for a $57 million sports and entertainment complex near the Interstate 80 and Middle Road interchange.
The city bought the 115 acres of land 19 years ago and has been working ever since to bring development to that area.
The city says this complex will not only draw visitors from the area but from miles away. The site will also include at least one hotel with a retail strip of stores and restaurants.
All but one alderman approved the agreement, the alderman who voted no says he worries about the city's debt obligations, but there was plenty of public support heard at the meeting.
"We have spent thousands of dollars and we have accumulated literally traveled thousands of miles for our three kids to compete in the sports that they wanted to compete in. We've been in Wisconsin Dells, Milwaukee, Chicago, Des Moines, and Kansas City and I truly believe, to steal a line from one of my favorite movies, 'if you build it they will come'. We have seen the parents as they travel from city to city, from state to state," said Mike Mickle, who lives in Bettendorf.
The city also voted to give the developer almost $2 million in tax incentives, which is to be paid off over the next 20 years. Bettendorf expects to cash in on the development, saying it could see a $33 million impact from the project.
The sports complex is expecting to be open by August 1st, 2018.