Coralville wins big development project

An eastern Iowa city has won the contest to become the home to what could be a major tourist attraction.The Board of Directors of the Iowa Child Institute has unanimously approved Coralville as the site for the Iowa Child Project. Planners say the 280-million dollar education project will include a five-acre rainforest, an aquarium, educational exhibits and related attractions. The project will also include a research complex and commercial development with hotels and education related businesses. It’s hoped the project will be a big tourist draw — attracting one-and-a-half to two million visitors a year. The project is not a sure thing, as it depends on organizers winning 75-million dollars from the state “Vision Iowa Fund” to move forward.