The head of a panel reviewing requests for state money to finance major projects says there’s no guarantee Des Moines and Cedar Rapids are first in line. The “Vision Iowa” program will hand out millions to finance cultural and sports projects, and Vision Iowa board chairman Michael Gartner says a rain forest in Cedar Rapids and a sports arena in Des Moines will have to duke it out with the others.Gartner says the Governor’s only advice to him was to be fair and be bold. He says, “Nobody has told me and there’s nothing in the legislation, that says 75 million dollars is for the arena and another 75 million dollars is for the rain forest.” Gartner says he’s assuming backers of the arena and the rain forest will apply, but he says no project “is a lock.”About 200-million dollars will be available to Gartner’s committee for distribution. Gartner believes the legislature will decide to plow more money into community projects in future years.Gartner, who is a former newspaper editor and current owner of the Iowa Cubs baseball team in Des Moines, made his comments during taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press.”
