While some states are gearing up for a fight to keep their military bases from closing — Iowa is looking forward to some new military construction. Middletown, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo could all see new projects. Doug Waggoner, is the chief of staff for Cedar Rapids Mayor Paul Pate and says the new projects involve a couple of branches of the military. He says the military is talking about joint service areas where the National Guard works with the Army and Naval Reserve to create new more efficient training centers. In Cedar Rapids they’re proposing a 16-million dollar facility on a 30-acre site. Waggoner says city officials will meet with the guard and reserve in a few weeks and talk about potential sites. He says they have the option of expanding the current Cedar Rapids site or building a new facility. He says it sounds like they want a new facility with better access. Waggoner says the new site could also be a base for homeland security training.He says it has been made very clear that the state, federal and local officials need to partner in the homeland security training issues. Waggoner says they’re not sure what kind of economic impact the new facility would have on Cedar Rapids, but he says it would likely bring in more business for restaurants and hotels.
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