Storm Lake residents will be asked to chip in three-and-a-half million dollars for part of the 29-million dollar “Awaysis” project. City administrator John Call says a special election will be held for the outdoor pool early next year. February 8th is the special election date for the pool. It’ll need to get at least 60-percent of the vote to pass. Call says property tax payers won’t have to come up with any more than the three-point-five million. The total cost for the pool complex is four-point-two million and Call says it won’t be any old ordinary swimming hole.The pool will have a zero depth entry, several slides and an outdoor “lazy river” that runs around it — a higher scale pool compared to most in the region. The Awaysis project also includes a new public beach, an 80-room hotel/lodge, a lighthouse, a renovated golf course and condos. The Vision Iowa board put eight-million into the program. The city council will hold a public hearing January 3rd on the issuance of six-million dollars in urban renewal bonds which would be paid back by future revenue from the hotel.
