Comments of Nicholas Johnson and others regarding the proposed . . .
 
 

So far as is known, this site contains the most complete collection anywhere on the Web of links to the full text of news stories and other reports, data and opinions regarding the proposed Iowa indoor rain forest -- with emphasis on material since January 2004. (Printed, it would more than 100 single-spaced pages -- plus the items to which it links.)

It represents the work of one, unpaid volunteer: Nicholas Johnson. Johnson, and this Web site, are in no way affiliated with either the rain forest or any group opposed to the project. Characterizing himself as "neither booster nor basher," Johnson believes that public officials, journalists, and citizens/taxpayers need access to as much solid information about this project -- pro and con -- as possible. While the price tag has fluctuated over the years between $300 and $155 million, whatever the construction, overruns, start up and operating costs might finally total, the magnitude of the potential risks and rewards are enormous, the unanswered questions seemingly unending.

Given that this is not a commercial Web site, and given the sheer volume of material, Johnson acknowledges that the site has "grown like Topsy" into a resource that is not always optimally user friendly. Moreover, the organization of material changed around December 2005, following which the entries have been made in the form of weekly, Monday morning updates, chronologically arranged. But with time, patience, and use of internal links and a Web browser's "Find" or "Search" feature (usually in the drop-down "Edit" menu) almost anything you may be looking for can be found.

Where are we? Like a dessert that's "all frosting and no cake" the public relations glitz and glamour have been well done, but the underlying problems, and unanswered questions, remain very much as they have been during the ten years since the idea was born.

The problems and questions are dealt with in Johnson's many published and other commentaries about the project, and throughout his commentary on, and material linked from, this Web site. (As but one of many examples, see Nicholas Johnson, "Time to Learn From What Works," for an explanation of what has been successful in Iowa (and elsewhere) and why the rain forest project comes up short by those standards.) The issues are sufficiently numerous and detailed that they can only be illustrated and hinted at in this executive summary, rather than adquately summarized. Here are three:

1. "There's no 'there' there"/Lack of Focus/Absence of Basic Business Plans/Shifting Generalizations and No Details. The project promoters' May 17, 2006, announced changes in name, architectural design, and Web site are only the most current example.

2. Inability to raise capital. Ten years later (at least prior to August 2006, and possibly thereafter) the project has banked no more than the $10 million promised by the project's creator, Ted Townsend. The $50 million federal grant is now contingent upon a $50 million match. Not a dime of local money was ever offered by individuals in the previous possible locations that ultimately rejected the project: Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Coralville -- more recently joined by Dubuque, Grinnell and Tiffin. (The only two remaining sites as of August 2006 are Pella and Riverside, Iowa.)

3. Revenue streams. Even more serious than the lack of construction funds would be the risks of inadequate operating revenue if the thing ever was built -- with the subsequent need for public bailouts and subsidies. Without focus there can't be details, without details there can't be business plans, and without business plans it's impossible to evaluate projected revenue streams. (a) Many independent economists believe promoters' projections of 1.3 million annual visitors to the project as a tourist attraction (and certainly numbers like that after the first year or two) to be wildly optimistic. (Most Iowa quasi-educational attractions pull in the 30,000-to-100,000 range. Dubuque's National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium attracts 250,000.) (b) If it is to be, instead, a teacher-training facility, or school -- as promoters have indicated from time to time -- it would need financial support from federal, state or local education budgets, all of which are now stretched thin. And (c) as a research center it would need a stable, continuous flow of grants from federal agencies, corporations or foundations -- also now nowhere in sight.

The dramatic announcement October 9, 2005, that the $50 million of federal taxpayers' money would someday come to an end has created such a flood of news and commentary that a new sub-section has been created below for it: "From "$50 million will not disappear" to "It's Gone!" -- in less than two weeks." So (as of November 28) the project that refuses to die -- notwithstanding turndowns over the years from Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and soon to be Coralville -- is returning to its old strategy of playing off one city against another. It's borrowing a line from Willie Nelson; it's "on the road again."

Since then this site has been continuing the sub-section, reporting the news week by week through the first quarter of 2006, by which time the project's promoters promise to have made their ultimate site selection:

December 5, 2005, December 12, December 19, December 26,
January 2, 2006, January 9, January 16, January 23, January 30,
February 6, February 13, February 20, February 27,
March 6, March 13, March 20, March 27,
April 3, April 10, April 17, April 24,
May 1, May 8, May 15, May 22, May 29,
June 5, June 12, June 19, June 26,
July 3, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31,
August 7, August 14, August 21, August 28,
September 4, September 18, September 25,
October 2, October 9, October 16, October 23, October 30,
November 6 and November 13/16 (with notice of continued maintenance of this Web site, but temporary suspension of additional "weekly" updates, so long as there continues to be no progress on, or news of, the rain forest project).

The background of the rain forest's project's Executive Director, David Oman, was very positively described by the Iowa City Press-Citizen in announcing his appointment. Brian Sharp, "Iowa Child Ushers in New Leader: Oman to be Named Group's CEO Today, Press-Citizen, April 10, 2001 (apparently no longer available online as of July 2005). The Iowa Child Web site describes him as "Former telecommunications executive and Iowa gubernatorial candidate, Oman is the only Iowan to have served as Chief of Staff for two governors. Committed to improving the environment, Oman served as chairman of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation." And see discussion of the board chair, former Governor Robert Ray, and Ted Stilwill, below. Sharp has also written a piece about the project's Iowa City representative, and IEEP Vice President, Nancy Quellhorst. Brian Sharp, "Rain Forest Starts Staffing Local Office," Iowa City Press Citizen, April 6, 2004. (In the May 2005 revision of the Iowa Child Web site Ms. Quellhorst is identified as the project's "Chief Operating Officer.")

The Web site you are now looking at was created, and is maintained, by Nicholas Johnson and has no connection with the Iowa Child Foundation.

During the period from February 2004 to July 2005 (and beyond) this site has expanded somewhat beyond its original narrow focus on the Coralville project. A full and fair evaluation of a proposed indoor rain forest in Iowa requires that it be seen in perspective. What are the qualities of comparable attractions that cause them to close -- or to prosper? "What works?" And so you will now find descriptions and discussions on this page, and in linked material, of Colonial Williamsburg, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, and Dubuque's Mississippi River Museum -- among a great many other references. Central to this analysis is the look at the accuracy of early forecasts of attendance at such facilities. (It turns out that the enthusiastic promoters, and their hired professional forecasters, are often grossly overly optimistic.)

This Web site is also both an archive, and an evolving, real-time case study of the efforts of a small group of promoters to sell both their community and their potential backers a vision on the grand scale. As such, whatever may happen to this particular project, hopefully the story told by this site will continue to be a useful body of material for communities elsewhere as well as educators who wish to explore how one community, at one time, went through this evaluative process.

But the central purpose and theme running throughout the site, and the linked material, is the effort to fairly evaluate the Coralville rain forest proposal. Neither booster nor basher, this site is offered in the belief the public, their elected officials, and media have an enormous stake in, and responsibility for, the project however it may come out. It is essential for all to have access to as much factual information as possible, along with the range of opinion the project has generated.

As a result, this site is not so much a narrative text as it is an annotated bibliography. While its nearly 100 pages (if printed) can be "read" as it is, most of the data and opinion of relevance to any citizen's evaluation of this project is to be found in the material to which this site links, rather than in the text on this site as such. Moreover, users should be aware that the linked material is copyright. It is made available here as a non-commercial "fair use" for educational purposes only. Other uses may require the permission of the copyright owner.
 

Web Site Revised:

20040223, 20040307, 20040308, 20040310, 20040311, 20040320, 20040322, 20040324, 20040325, 20040326, 20040327, 20040330, 20040331, 20040402, 20040403, 20040405, 20040407, 20040409, 20040412, 20040418, 20040419, 20040429, 20040501, 20040504, 20040507, 20040513, 20040521, 20040604, 20040607, 20040710, 20040717, 20040728, 20040730, 20040801, 20040824, 20040901, 20040905, 20040918, 20040920, 20041002, 20041003, 20041005, 20041011, 20041019, 20041026, 20041030, 20041101, 20041111, 20041113, 20041125, 20041202, 20041203, 20041220, 20041222, 20041223, 20041226, 20041227, 20041231,

20050101, 20050106, 20050110, 20050114, 20050118, 20050201, 20050214, 20050218, 20050226, 20050308, 20050314, 20050317, 20050319, 20050328, 20050411, 20050418, 20050420, 20050421, 20050425, 20050426, 20050502, 20050523, 20050605, 20050620, 20050624, 20050701, 20050705, 20050711, 20050720, 20050727, 20050809, 20050815, 20050822, 20050829, 20050906, 20050912, 20050926, 20051011, 20051101, 20051110, 20051112, 20051114, 20051116, 20051121, 20051128, 20051205, 20051212, 20051219, 20051226,

20060102, 20060109, 20060116, 20060123, 20060130, 20060206, 20060213, 20060220, 20060227, 20060306, 20060313, 20060320, 20060327, 20060403, 20060410, 20060417, 20060424, 20060501, 20060508, 20060515, 20060522, 20060529, 20060605, 20060612, 20060619, 20060626, 20060703, 20060710, 20060717, 20060724, 20060731, 20060807, 20060814, 20060821, 20060828, 20060904, 20060918, 20060925, 20061002, 20061009, 20061016, 20061023, 20061030, 20061106, 20061113 

Nicholas Johnson's 14 most recent published comments (as of August 2006) are:

• "Caution: Rain Forest Ahead," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 9, 2006.

• "Time to Learn From 'What Works,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, January 20, 2006.

• "Rain Forest Lessons," Des Moines Cityview, December 29, 2005.

• "Rainforest Project Needs Focus," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, December 15, 2005.

• "Unfocused and Unfunded, Rain Forest Inspires Mostly Questions," Des Moines Register [Letters], June 5, 2005.

• "Time to Build or Get Off the Lot," Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 11, 2005.

• "Rain Forest Dreams and Deficits," The Gazette, January 9, 2005.

• "Can't See the Forest Or the Trees," Corridor Business Journal, October 4, 2004.

• "Coralville Project Can't Match Up to Omaha's Zoo," Des Moines Register, July 17, 2004.

• "Looking for Insights on Blogs," Iowa City Press-Citizen, June 3, 2004.

• "Will Rain Forest be a Boon or Boondoggle?" Des Moines Register, April 29, 2004.

• "The Elephant in the Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 25, 2004.

• "Rain Forest Questions Remain," Iowa City Press-Citizen, February 16, 2004.

• "We've Got Trouble With a Capital 'P,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, November 18, 2003.

Nicholas Johnson, "Earthpark Business Plan: A Review," August 12, 2006.

 Nicholas Johnson, "Can't See the Forest: Lessons from a $180 Million Terrarium," Environmental Law Society, January 27, 2006.

"KUD-Rain Forest 'Understanding' Retains, Creates Questions," July 8, 2005 (on July 7the Gazette and Iowa City Press-Citizen reported that a $5.5 million memorandum of understanding had been signed by the rain forest promoters and KUD. Nicholas Johnson reviews the terms of the understanding, and notes that most-to-all of the previously unanswered questions regarding the project remain).

"What Works: Colonial Williamsburg and Coralville's Rain Forest," June 29, 2005 (like "Coralville Project Can't Match Up to Omaha's Zoo," above, this piece describes, compares and evaluates the strengths, actual and promised attendance of Colonial Williamsburg and the Coralville rain forest project).

"Rain Forest Hires Rain Man; A Commentary on Rain Forest Project's Negotiation with KUD," June 23, 2005 (the Gazette and the Iowa City Press-Citizen reported on June 23 that the rain forest project was negotiating with John Best of KUD to take over consulting responsibilities for fund raising, design and construction of the project. This is Nicholas Johnson's commentary regarding that development with the provision of links to the articles, Iowa Pork Forest blog site entry, and the consulting firms' Web sites).

"Public Finance and the Coralville Rain Forest," June 22, 2005 (Nicholas Johnson was the guest of host Gayane Torosyan on WSUI-AM, Iowa City, Talk of Iowa, June 22, 2005. This is a transcript of Part 1 of 2 from that guest appearance. The subject was the process and propriety of public financing of for-profit and non-profit projects. Part 1 used the proposed Coralville rain forest as a case study. (Part 2 dealt with the public funding of public broadcasting.) Recorded June 22, transcribed June 23, and uploaded June 24, 2005.

"What's New? Evaluating Iowa Child's $20 Million Application," April 20/21, 2005 (Johnson's blogged comments about the project's proposed $20 million grant application and "education plan").

"Boosterism and the Fog of Rain Forests," advance text of talk to Iowa City Sunrise Optimist Club, October 5, 2004, and see Julie Zare, "Johnson: Rainforest project lacks focus, money," Daily Iowan, October 6, 2004, and op ed drawing from speech text, above, "Can't See the Forest Or the Trees," Corridor Business Journal, October 4, 2004.

One of Nicholas Johnson's most detailed early reviews of the rain forest project's remaining range of issues, with supporting endnotes, is "The Coralville Rain Forest: A Brief Overview of Remaining Issues," added to this site April 9, 2004 (and most recently revised April 24, 2004).

His personal notes to himself prior to the Iowa City Press-Citizen's public forum March 22, 2004, are titled "Rain Forest Issues and Concerns."

"Iowa Child: Question About Questions," WSUI-AM "Talk of Iowa," January 26, 2004 (an exchange with the project's chief administrator, David Oman).

"A Great Return on Investment," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 12, 2003. (And see, for supporting data regarding tie between campaign contributions and $50 million federal grant, Rob Bignell, "Your Congressman's Price Tag," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 10, 2003.)

"More Needed on Iowa Child," Iowa City Press-Citizen, February 13, 2001.

"Whose Child is This?" January 22, 2001 (remarks at an Iowa City forum about the project).

One of his first efforts at exploring the range of issues (some of which have since been modified by the promoters' revision of plans) is "Iowa Child' Concerns," January 22, 2001.

Descriptive and supporting links

The deletion of "education" from the name is somewhat bewildering, given the near-simultaneous hiring of Ted Stilwill, the former director of the Iowa Department of Education. His, and others', statements at the time were that "education" remains a central focus of the project: "It is that focus on learning and education that makes Stilwill's advent essential to the success of what many think will become one of the greatest research and instruction facilities in the world, according to project officials."

Whatever the project may be called, however, the place to start in reading about it is whatever is the current content of the Web page maintained by the Iowa Child Institute of the Iowa Child Foundation at http://www.iowachild.org. After near-year-long promises that the Web site would "soon" be updated, a newly formatted Web site appeared sometime around May 2005. While it is of a very professional design, the content is still devoid of focus, operating details, budgets, business plan, sources of revenue, and so forth.

A major source of commentary is the "Iowa Pork Forest" blog, See also the descriptive site created and maintained by Kevin Kelly, http://www.iowarainforest.org. Even his ads are instructive; for example, one from the Rain Seed Company offers readers the opportunity to "grow your own rain forest at home" with a $3.00 pack of seeds -- an option that would seem to offer a substantial savings over the $180 million plan for Coralville.

Most of the material linked from, and commented upon on, this page was published sometime after January 2004. However, these earlier items from January 2000 and January 2001 provide a perspective on the project's earlier promises, practices -- and $300, then $280 million cost: "Report (Lehman): Attended ICAD Meeting," Excerpt from Minutes Johnson County [Iowa] Board of Supervisors, Informal Meeting, Part 4, January 18, 2000 and Jack Lyne, Selection Executive Editor, "$280 Million, 2,200-Job Complex: Is It Heaven, Iowa or a Rainforest?" The Site Selection Online Insider, Blockbuster Deal of the Week, January 8, 2001.

One of the most thorough and balanced journalistic jobs (and one of the most recent, as of September 2004) is Perry Beeman and Erin Jordan, "Amazon Meets Iowa" (and related stories), Des Moines Register, September 19, 2004, p. 1A. As the authors note, "Consultants say the project can attract up to 1.5 million visitors annually. But other experts are skeptical of those projections." One of the central questions has always been potential future public liability. The authors note that "[Project chief administrator David Oman] avoided answering questions about what would be done with the facility -- and whether taxpayers would pay the deficits -- should the rain forest fail to draw the 1.1 million annual visitors needed to break even." Thus, the article is not mere hype for all the project's potential benefits. It presents both the promoters' hopes and dreams, and the skeptics concerns -- without engaging in ridicule.

Nor has the journalistic interest been limited to Iowa newspapers. Equally balanced is the Boston Globe's take on what is for Bostonians this Coralville curiosity, Alan Scher Zagier, "If They Build It, Who Will Come? Iowa Builders Tout $180M Indoor Rain Forest, But Critics Unconvinced," Boston Globe, January 8, 2005, and Rene Sanchez' piece in the June 5, 2005, Minneapolis Star Tribune that gives full play to promoters' dreams and claims; it's headlined, "If They Build It Maybe They'll Come; Will Rainforest 'Sizzle' --  or 'Fizzle'?".

Both the Iowa City Press-Citizen and the [Eastern Iowa] Gazette have also provided extensive coverage of developments in the story of this project since its 1996 beginnings. Some of these stories are linked from here (primarily those since the February 16, 2004, launching of this Web site). But both papers have search features for their archives. (Note that, when entering terms in search engines, there are two spellings of "rainforest"; "rain forest" (two words) and "rainforest" (one word). The more common (which therefore produces the most hits) is "rain forest." However the "Iowa Child" page, and some others, use "rainforest." Both are used on this page.)

To search the Gazette for other "rain forest" stories, or video clips from the KCRG-TV Eden series click here and enter "rain forest" or "rainforest" or "Eden" or other relevant words or phrases to obtain those links.

The Press-Citizen"archives" page offers immediate access to stories in the the last seven days' issues, but also a "Press-Citizen Article Search" box that searches much further back. For example, put "rain forest" into the box as search terms and it returns 72 articles (as of March 31, 2004). It also offers an annotated list of Press-Citizen rain forest stories as of July 24, 2002.

The project made some revised, summary budget projections available to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, which provided them as a downloadable MSWord "doc" file on March 23, 2004.

No sooner was news of the $50 million in federal taxpayers' money announced than the Iowa City Press-Citizen was on board editorially, Editorial, "Let's Move Forward on Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, January 31, 2004. It subsequently devoted a number of articles over three issues of the paper to the Iowa Child/Iowa Environmental/Education Project onMarch 20, March 21, and March 22, 2004. On March 23 it published its coverage of the public forum it sponsored the evening of March 22.

The Des Moines Register printed a favorable editorial March 13, 2004. It is instructive, however, to contrast its essentially unquestioning support for the rainforest with its probing and insightful analysis, questioning and proposals for evaluation of a new arena for Des Moines, "Back to Arena Basics: Get a Strategy," March 22, 2004.

A little over one year later it did so again, "Fund the Unexpected, the Iowa Rain Forest," Des Moines Register, April 25, 2005. This endorsement brought an outpouring of ridicule and criticism from the bloggers on the Iowa Pork Forest blog and elsewhere, "Register Endorses Rain Forest, Bloggers Not Impressed," April 25, 2005, and a comment from Nicholas Johnson, "The Register's Rain Forest Endorsement: A Summary Response," April 26, 2005. A shorter version of that analysis was published as a letter to the editor in the Register: Nicholas Johnson, "Unfocused and Unfunded, Rain Forest Inspires Mostly Questions," Des Moines Register, June 5, 2005 (and see, as a response to that piece, Cindy Hildebrand, "Clean Water is Basic 'Iowa Environmental Project,'" June 6, 2005).

The Register's March 13, 2004, editorial was followed by a couple of articles on April 11 ("Coralville Rain Forest Project Builds Up Steam" and "Industry, Homes Make Way for Project") that, while noting the shortage of funds also report proponents' enthusiasm. An earlier editorial, "For A Secret to Growth, Look Outdoors," April 4, while urging public funding of projects emphasized the desirability of putting money into genuine outdoor, native facilities (while not mentioning the rainforest project). All three may be found at www.nicholasjohnson.org/politics/IaChild/dmr40411.html.

On March 13, 2004, the Iowa City Press-Citizen published a guest op ed by S. Richard Fedrizzi, "'Rain Forest' Can Improve World,"  March 13, 2004. (Brad Mowrey responded to this column with a letter to the editor published March 18, "'Rain Forest' Still Just a Building.")

The Eden Project, in Cornwall, England, is said by the Iowa Child promoters to be their inspiration and model. There are, however, considerable differences between the two, as pointed out in  Eileen M. Robb, "It's Time to Plow the Rain Forest Under," Des Moines Register, November 23, 2005.

The Gazette (of Eastern Iowa) published a three-part series about the project February 15, 16 and 17, 2004. The parent company, Gazette Communications, also owns KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, which ran features on Eden, and the Coralville project, the same days as the newspaper. (The president of the Gazette Company is listed as a board member of the Iowa Child Foundation, although so far as is known this fact was not revealed in either the newspaper's or television station's coverage.)

"Not All is Paradise for Eden," February 15, 2004

"The WOW factor: Coralville rain forest can look to England for inspiration," February 15, 2004

"Heligan Project Set Stage for Eden Founder," February 15, 2004

Most letters to the editor about the rainforest have been negative, but not all. Quentin Adams, "Facility Offers Economic Benefits," Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 1, 2004, argues that the project "will put us on the map of tourist attractions" and create a "couple of thousand of jobs" in Coralville (though it provides no reference to sources or supporting data for these assertions).

Project Vice President Nancy Quellhorst has announced a 26-member "advisory committee" to address "education, research, arts, communications, and tourism and business." Zack Kucharski, "Indoor Rain Forest Committee Formed," The Gazette, May 21, 2004, p. 3B. And see, Gigi Wood, "Planners Name Advisory Panel," Iowa City Press-Citizen, May 21, 2004 (which includes a list of the 26 members).

A comparison of the names on that "advisory committee" with the names of those writing favorable letters to the editor reveals a substantial overlap. Many of the positive letters and op eds (linked below) have come from those in some way directly involved, or who stand to benefit personally, from the project. It is not only acceptable, it is commendable, that the project's promoters have brought as many people as they have into the project's many advisory bodies. And it is to be expected that those individuals would both (a) write about the project, and (b) do so in laudatory ways. Not all writers, however, have identified their relation to the project. And many-to-most speak only to the benefits (which others might question) of the project without dealing with its inherent costs and risks. Moreover, they use a language of certainty ("the rain forest will have this feature" or "will give children this benefit") rather than acknowledging the ongoing lack of focus to the project's many possible missions and the distinctions that must be drawn between dreams and realities.

At least one acknowledged her relationship to Ted Townsend ("As someone who has worked with Ted Townsend on the Great Ape Trust project"), but charged "skeptics therefore conclude that the 'real agenda' of the project must be something that is not evident. This is sad for Iowa, as such skeptics might needlessly serve to prevent Iowans being able to benefit greatly from an educational experience not available elsewhere in the world." Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, "Tell Importance of Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 14, 2005. Response: (1) I am unfamiliar with either skepticism or criticism of the "Great Ape Trust project." The questions (for the most part unanswered by the Coralville rain forest promoters) have involved the rain forest project. Thus, her experience with Townsend may not be applicable. (2) I am equally unaware of any charges of a "hidden agenda" of rain forest promoters. I haven't memorized everything on, and linked from, this page, so such a charge may be here, but I don't think so. (3) As for the rain forest being "an experience not available elsewhere in the world," in addition to the Eden Project, often referred to by the Coralville rain forest promoters, there are varieties of rain forests available to Iowans in (at least) Omaha, Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Louis. (4) That those asking the fundamental questions necessary to make the rain forest a success ("skeptics") are serving "to prevent Iowans being able to benefit greatly from an educational experience," while preposterous, does demonstrate the promoters' continued refusal to address reality and presages their probable attack/explanation if the project is ever abandoned.

Even The Gazette has fallen into this trap, as illustrated with its December 23, 2004, editorial,"Reversing Iowa Stagnation." The editorial says "the research facility would have potential to attract national and international acclaim," and "having a world-class education facility would do much to promote the state," and concludes "For our money, we like the risk and potential reward of The Environmental Project." Given the fact that the Gazette has no money in the project, it's easy for the editorial writers to find the risk-reward ratio acceptable "for our money." Once again, the issue is not whether "world-class" education and research facilities would be beneficial to an area (for a variety of reasons), the issue is whether, nine years into this project, (a) the promoters are ever going to be able to cover their $90 million shortfall in this $180 million project,  (b) produce an attraction that will pay for itself over time, and (c) come up with sufficient focus, followed by (d) detailed plans for construction, and the operation of whatever they end up focusing upon as their mission.

Nicholas Johnson has responded to the editorial in "Rain Forest Dreams and Deficits," The Gazette, January 9, 2005.

Once again, the paper fails to mention that its publisher, Joe Hladky, is a member of the Iowa Child board of directors. Not only is there no problem with his serving on the board, he is to be commended for his many associations with efforts to improve the local community, both by way of the paper and local boards and organizations, including this one. But given this potential conflict of interest, it might be better practice to reveal the association.

The project's promoters emphasize many potential purposes or uses for the rainforest: tourist attraction, teacher training center and school, and demonstration of energy conservation projects among them. (This has led some to suggest the project "lacks focus.") To these purposes has been added the ability of the project to attract world class scientists, and federally-funded research dollars, to the rain forest as a national research center. The most detailed presentation of this vision is contained in Scott J. Carpenter, "Advancing Science," Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 18, 2004.

It is referred to in the letter to the Press-Citizen from John and Sandra Hudson of July 28, 2004. ("The Iowa Environmental Project will cast a positive light on science and bring the scientific paradigm to life for students and laymen alike.") Sandra Hudson expanded this theme (and dream) into an op ed column eight months later: Sandra L. Hudson, "'Rain Forest' Serves Environment," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 23, 2005. To no one's surprise, the "Iowa Pork Forest" blog site was not impressed; see "Pork Forest Baloney," March 25, 2005, http://iaporkforest.blogspot.com (on its main page or, if no longer there, its Archives for March 2005). But one letter writer was: Leslie Crockett, "'Rain Forest' Will Benefit Area," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 28, 2005. I had a response as well, Nicholas Johnson, "Time to Build or Get Off the Lot," Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 11, 2005.

The letter from Dean Hemesath, "Rain Forest: World Class Project," Des Moines Register, October 11, 2004, also refers to the "exciting . . . scientific and research opportunities."

Sheila Samuelson offers a consistent "hope for the project" in her July 30 letter to the editor of the Press-Citizen, "Finding My Niche: How Rain Forest Project is Relevant."

Gerald Holton, "Scientists need it; so do laypersons," Des Moines Register, April 29, 2004, takes a comparable view to that of Scott Carpenter, "Advancing Science," above. The Holton column was run by the Register in parallel with Nicholas Johnson's column, above, "Will Rain Forest be a Boon or Boondoggle," April 29.

Chris Rohret, an outstanding teacher in the ICCSD (who happens to be a member of the project's Community Advisory Board, though not identified as such in her letter to the editor), has published a letter headlined, "IEEP Will Help Child Learning," Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 15, 2004. [Comment: Her analysis of science education is sound. But it is illustrative of the promoters' use of the "will" language ("IEEP will continue the mission of public education to make science available to all citizens . . .." emphasis supplied) without acknowledging or discussing the $90 million shortfall (as of the time of her letter), the continuing lack of (and periodically shifting) focus of any kind for the project, the recent removal of "education" from the IEEP (Iowa Education/Environmental Project is now the Iowa Environmental Project), and the near total lack of detail as to what will, in fact, be done educationally to enable her to carry out these sound proposals. It is, in this respect, similar to many of the statements from the project's supporters -- emphasizing the dreams and possible benefits under one scenario or another, while ignoring the costs and risks, always a necessary component of any "benefit-cost" or risk analysis.]

Another of the Iowa City schools' distinguished K-12 teachers, Beth Jorgensen, has written an eloquent op ed regarding the "opportunity" represented by the project, "Opportunity Knocks for Iowa with IEEP," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 13, 2004.

Of course, board members can also be expected to support the project when they write about it. One, who at least exercised the responsibility to let his readers know of his relationship with the project, is Daryl Smith, "Rain Forest a Unique Learnng Opportunity," Des Moines Register, August 25, 2005 ("Visitors initially attracted by the tropical rain forest will learn about other unique ecosystems like tallgrass prairie, oak savanna and fossil tropical rain forests of Iowa's geological past.").

Although there has been an effort to link to all the positive letters to the editor extolling the project's virtues, an occasional one may have been missed. In any event, here are some more: Chris Koeppel, "Rain forest right for Iowa," Letters, The Daily Iowan, September 24, 2004.

On July 10, 2004, the Des Moines Register editorialized, under the headline "It's Nice to be Noticed" regarding the movement from East and West coasts to the midwest, especially Iowa. The editorial includes the line,

"When the rain forest project in Coralville is built, imagine the publicity it will bring."

Most rain forest supporters speak only of how wonderful it will be -- without even acknowledging, let alone addressing, the numerous cash flow uncertainties, risks, lack of focus, and other issues raised by numerous commentators linked from this page. Freedom Security Bank CEO, Thomas A. Jepson, is one of the few rain forest supporters who at least addresses those issues. While he does not indicate if he would put his own money, or that of his bank, into such a risky project, he does say he thinks the risks are worth it. This is, of course, a judgment call, but one that carries some weight coming from a bank CEO. He writes,

"Are there risks involved? Most certainly, but there are also risks involved if we continue to stay the same course . . .. [O]ur state must continue to grow or we will wither away.

Those who envisioned this project brought in the highest quality consultants, with experience in similar projects. Endless hours of researching have been spent to ensure a viable project.

Does that mean that the risks have been eliminated? No."

Mehmet Serdaroglu, "Indoor Rain Forest Will be Boon for Region," Daily Iowan, September 13, 2004, p. 10A, with a comparable letter in the Gazette, "Rain Forest Project Will Make Remarkable Contributions," [Eastern Iowa] Gazette, September 16, 2004, p. 4A, in addition to identifying the author as a member of the project's Community Advisory Board, believes the project "will have the same huge effect on the region [as the Eden project], making remarkable contributions to science and education."

The project has been impressively successful in signing on distinguished names. (News stories describing the qualifications of principals David Oman and Nancy Quellhorst are linked from the top of this page.) The chair of the board is former Iowa governor Bob Ray. (As the Des Moines Register's Ian Binnie has written, "Former Gov. Bob Ray's status comes as close to sainthood as one can get in secular society. As a result he is much in demand as a front man for various projects that need all the help they can get. Recently, he has concentrated on the long-awaited rain forest. Now that this looks less of a long shot with the infusion of 50 million taxpayer dollars (taxpayer debt, actually) courtesy of former fiscal conservative Chuck Grassley, Ray has agreed to take the time to front the Des Moines-Polk County merger proposal." "Merger is Decision of the Decade," September 18, 2004.)

In August 2004 David Oman announced that the highly regarded former director of the Iowa Department of Education, Ted Stilwill, had joined the program as "director of learning" at a salary of $140,000. See, Brian Sharp, "Rain Forest Adds Schools Chief," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 19, 2004, and Vanessa Miller, "Stilwill Excited About Rain Forest Challenge," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 20, 2004.

By August of 2005 the Des Moines Register headlined, "Rainforest Project in Coralville Adds Cousteau to Board." Putting aside those who may have believed the rainforest was now being supported by Jacques-Yves Cousteau (who died in 1997), was this anything more than another example of the project's typical response to bad news: add another big name to the board? (The previous day the papers were full of the Coralville City Council's impatience and insistence that the project agree to at least some conditions in exchange for its receipt from the City of $22 million worth of land for $1.00.)

The Cousteau in question -- who may very well be a bright, well-intentioned individual -- is Phillippe Cousteau, the 25-year-old grandson of the famous Cousteau. Indeed Phillipe's "Earth Echo International," which launched its Web site March 2, 2004, is required to carry a disclaimer that  "The work and product of EarthEcho is not affiliated with or related to The Cousteau Society or its founder Jacques-Yves Cousteau or of his work." Nonetheless, it was enough to put the rainforest back in the news in a positive light. Perry Beeman, "Rainforest Project in Coralville Adds Cousteau to Board,"Des Moines Register, August 11, 2005. The Gazette heralded the news in its "Homers -- What's Going Right" column: "The Environmental Project . . . has always had a host of big-name Iowans . . . serving on its board. Now it's added a substantial national name -- albeit two generations removed from the reason for its fame." Editorial, "Homers: Namesake," Gazette, August 15, 2005.

Comment: Putting famous people on boards, whether Nobel Prize winning scientists or Hollywood celebrities, often fails to add anything substantive to a project (and may actually increase the board's conflict of egos). But celebrating as a substantive "Homer" putting on someone whose last name is "two generations removed from the reason for its fame" demonstrates either an ignorant, almost primative tribe's worship of the name over the thing, or a knowing, deliberate, cynical effort to present oneself as something other than what one is. Speaking of which, this is yet one more instance in which the Gazette has chosen to fail to acknowledge that its owner is one of those "big-name Iowans" serving on the rainforest board.

It has never been explained -- whether in rainforest project public relations releases or investigative media reports -- what any of the project's board members have contributed, specifically and substantively, to the project. It remains to be seen what Phillipe Cousteau's contribution will be.

In June of 2005, the rain forest promoters realized they needed a professional project manager. The Press-Citizen's Bob Patton, creator of the "Patton's Pad" editorial cartoons, chose to picture the hiring process under the title, "We understand the Iowa Rainforest folks had a little trouble finding a project manager . . .."

If your browser doesn't reproduce the frames adequately, they depict 8 applicants for the position, each standing behind a podium labeled "IEP" (for Iowa Environmental Project"). The interview process involves their having to read a script about the project that causes the interviewees to respond with something other than serious enthusiasm for it. They respond (1) "'which is why you should sup-p-p-port' . . . HE HE HEE  . . . 'Suppor' -HE HE -'Support this Projec . . .' HE HE HO HA HA HO HA HA" From off-screen the voice of what is presumably the interviewer shouts, "NEXT." (2) "'. . . should support this far-viewing proj . . .' of all the ridiculous load of pig doots." "NEXT" (3) ". . . You guys wanna build WHAT in Iowa?" "NEXT" (4) "'. . . should support this project for the future of IO . . .' WA HA HA HA HA HA HA" "NEXT" (5) ". . . You guys on crack or something?" "NEXT!" (6) " . . . I got 2 kids in college and a mother in a home, and you clowns think THIS is $50 million well spent?!!" "NEXT!" (7) "HA HA HE HO HO HA . . . No, wait, wait -- I got it this time -- 'should support this proj . . .' AH HA HA HA HAW" (as he collapses in uncontrollable laughter on the podium) "NEXT" (8) " . . . and that's why we need your support for the Iowa Environmental Project" -- which provokes from the interviewer, "Beautiful! You're hired!!!"

This editorial cartoon appeared on the Opinion page, Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 2, 2005, p. 13A. It is copyright by Bob Patton and the Press-Citizen and reproduced here as a non-commercial "fair use" for educational purposes only. Any other reproduction may require the advance permission of the copyright holders.

On July 7, 2005, local papers announced that a memorandum of understanding had been signed. Adam Pracht, "Rain Forest Deadline: May 1, 2009," Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 6, 2005; Adam Pracht, "Rain Forest, Group Set Deadlines," Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 7, 2005; Zack Kucharski, "Deal Sets Rain Forest Opening," The Gazette, July 7, 2005. Nicholas Johnson responded with "KUD-Rain Forest 'Understanding' Retains, Creates Questions," July 8, 2005 (setting forth the details of the understanding, and noting that it fails to address many of the questions that have dogged the proposal from its inception -- while acknowledging KUD's apparent reputation as an accomplished contractor). The Press-Citizen's endorsement of the agreement, while more positive, was also balanced with some concerns, Editorial, "Developments Bode Well for Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, July 10, 2005.

The Iowa Pork Forest blog reprinted the Press-Citizen's July 7 story and commented, "This is a good sign, but I still think it's unlikely that the project will come up with at least $90 million in private financing in 16 months. Iowa taxpayers should consider getting a free sample of this. Even if KUD can come up with the money, it'll be amazing to see how the project will be able to cover the daily operating expenses with an average of over 4000 people needed per day in order to just break even." To see what "free sample" is recommended go to http://iaporkforest.blogspot.com/, July 7, 2005, for the link.

These developments prompted Iowa City resident Candida Maurer to submit a letter to the editor of the Press-Citizen. Its reproduction here is neither a representation that its facts are right nor that its sentiments represent the views of this site's webmaster.

But one of the realities of the rain forest project, which it simply must confront, is that the overwhelming majority of the local population has -- for whatever reasons ((a) short-sighted lack of creative thinking, (b) conservatism, (c) uncontrollable cynicism, or perhaps (d) the intellectual and analytical brilliance to see through a phony idea) -- simply not bought into the rain forest proposal. One of the consequences of that reality is that there are no known local financial contributors to the project. (Compare, in this connection, Omaha residents' financial support of the Henry Doorly Zoo, Nicholas Johnson, "Coralville Project Can't Match Up to Omaha's Zoo" Des Moines Register, July 17, 2004.)

Thus, Ms. Maurer's letter is reproduced here simply because of the clever way it reflects the tone one picks up in conversations with many local residents regarding their reactions to the project in general and the recent publicity in particular. Under a headline, "Rain Forest Still a Foolish Idea," it reads in its entirety:

From the July 2 Patton's Pad [see above], it's obvious that many Iowans see the foolishness of constructing a rain forest in Iowa, costing taxpayers more than $70 million dollars.

As Iowa Child (its first name) didn't really have much to do with children, the new name isn't much better. IEP -- for Iowa Environmental Project -- could more believably stand for Iowa Extracts Pork from more deserving causes. How many realize that the $50 million given to us by our pork king, Sen. Charles Grassley, is already being spent by the high-priced administrators hired to make this pork more palatable? This, in spite of the fact that there are better than even odds this boondoggle never will scar the Iowa landscape.

IEP -- It's Endless Propaganda.

Most available indications are that KUD's and Kajima's consultant-contractor-managers (including their John Best who's working with the rain forest) are a no-nonsense, can-do crew capable of designing and bringing in major construction projects on time and under budget. Nonetheless, (a) the inability to find a contractor capable of building the structure has never been an articulated concern of project skeptics (thus, however good KUD may be its association with the project resolves none of the numerous pre-existing problems), and (b) KUD does not advertise itself as a "fundraiser" in the usual sense. Therefore, to aid their efforts a possible fundraising project (utilizing one of the rain forest's potential future residents) was proposed by the Press-Citizen's guest editorial cartoonist, Robert Richardson, http://rytoonz.blogspot.com/:

This editorial cartoon appeared on the Opinion page, Iowa City Press-Citizen, June 29, 2005, p. 11A. It is copyright by Robert Richardson and the Press-Citizen and reproduced here as a non-commercial "fair use" for educational purposes only. Any other reproduction may require the advance permission of the copyright holders.

"Oman said the board was reviewing proposals from three architectural firms and would decide which one to work with 'fairly soon.'

"He declined to provide a more specific timeline, but he said because the project was in its early stages, the architect switch won't put it off schedule or off budget."

It's not clear whether the Coralville City Council understands the significance of Oman's statement and action. One of the more concerned of the council members, Tom Gill, is quoted in the paper as saying, "a contract the council discussed at a work session last week will be enforced. The contract stipulates that the Iowa Environmental Project board has six months to fund the project and have construction contracts in place after the contract with the city is signed." True enough, but apparently the six months does not begin to run until "the contract with the city is signed."

Comments: (1) Nine years into this the project is still "in its early stages"? (2) Fire the architect? There have been a good many concerns raised about this project, many of which are reported somewhere on this Web site. Virtually all have dealt with the proposals for what would go inside the structure. Virtually none have criticized the architect, the creative design that has graced the rain forest's Web site and literature for years, or questioned the technical feasibility of actually building the structure. One might even say that the architectural firm, and its product, is the only thing that has not produced controversy. If the project is exploring "down-sizing" that seems a rather bizarre place to start. (3) The story reports that the current architect says it "hadn't been paid for the work it already did" and that it was "seeking the assistance of attorneys." The only conceivable advantage to the project of long, drawn out litigation at this point would seem to be the delay it would make possible in its signing the contract with Coralville. As Oman is quoted as saying, "We want to get this [architect] issue resolved first, and then you'll see us move to that [the Coralville City Council's "contract" (actually, until signed, more accurately an "offer")]. (4) There also seems to be a major component of inter-firm conflict going on here. Peter Sollogub -- the individual who has done, or supervised, most of the architectural work -- worked for "Cambridge Seven Associates," at which time he says he began working on the rain forest project. He subsequently went to work for Chermayeff, Sollogub and Poole. In June 2005 Sollogub left that firm and returned to Cambridge Seven, at which time Oman says he terminated the contract with Chermayeff, Sollogub and Poole. Thus, it's possible this is not just a delaying action. It may be simply the Oman-Sollogub effort to keep the latter as architect while firing the firm he's left (notwithstanding Oman's insistence that he's "reviewing proposals from three architectural firms"). In this connection, see Jim O'Neal, "Rain Forest Drops Design Firm," The Gazette, August 21, 2005.

The following week saw a growing number of Coralville City Council members expressing concern about the delay, the lack of funds, Oman's firing of the architect (whom, it turned out, was still working on other aspects of the Coralville area development and was desired by the Council for the rain forest project for this and other reasons), and the project's failure to respond to the City's proposed "contract." The conflicts produced almost daily stories.See Editorial, "Rain Forest Deadlines Needed," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 27, 2005; Zack Kucarski, "Why Rain Forest is on Thin Ice; Lack of Progress Fuels Coralville's Demands," The Gazette, August 26, 2005; Zack Kucharski, "Rain Forest Given Ultimatum; Coralville Council to Pull Crucial Support if it Doesn't See Binding Agreement Soon," The Gazette, August 25, 2005; Adam Pracht, "City Sets Deadline for Rain Forest; Leaders Must Respond to Draft Land Transfer Agreement by September 20," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 25, 2005; Anne Scheetz, "Don't Lose Faith in Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 25, 2005; Madelaine Jerousek and Philip Brasher, "Clouds of Doubt Hang Over Rain Forest; Frustrated by Slow Progress, Some City Leaders are Considering Alternatives to the $180 Million Project," Des Moines Register, August 24, 2005; Adam Pracht, "Council Wants Rain Forest Input; City Prefers Original Architect for Project," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 24, 2005; WHO-TV13, "Iowa Rainforest Problems," August 24, 2005; Heather McElvain, "Rain Forest Losing Its Magic," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 23, 2005. The Council ultimately set September 20, 2005, as the deadline for the rain forest project to provide some response to the City's contract.

It was, in short, not exactly what Garrison Keillor would call "a quiet week in Lake Wobegon."

McElvain's piece, Heather McElvain, "Rain Forest Losing Its Magic," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 23, 2005, reports that Coralville City Councillor Henry Herwig "likened the project to the St. Louis Arch." Needless to say, the Iowa Pork Forest folks weren't buying the analogy. See Kris, "And the Kitchen Sink," Iowa Pork Forest [blog], August 23, 2005, for text and links to sources for comparing the two projects. Other reasons for preferring St. Louis were offered earlier by a Gazette letter writer, Dave Sjullie, "St. Louis Festival Beats Freedom Festival," The Gazette, July 14, 2005.

"Kris" also had some fun with Anne Scheetz' plea that we not "lose faith in rain forest"  Anne Scheetz, "Don't Lose Faith in Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 25, 2005. Kris, "And So the Fun Begins," Iowa Pork Forest, August 25, 2005 (Example: "So, the fact that most people don't like it and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere is a reason to keep going? Huh. Are you also the type of person who gets 'just one more' roll of quarters for a losing slot machine because it's "due"?), available as an addendum to the Scheetz' piece and on the Iowa Pork Forest  blog for August 25.

See also on the Iowa Pork Forest site for August 2005: "Strings Attached," August 10, 2005; "Welcome Ned Zissou," August 11, 2005; "Design Firm Switcheroo," August 20, 2005; "Coralville Ready to Throw in the Towel?" August 23, 2005; "You've Got Four Weeks, Oman" and "Coralville Starting to Play Hardball," August 24, 2005; "September 20th Deadline," August 25, 2005; and "Good" [a reference to Editorial, "Rain Forest Deadlines Needed," Iowa City Press-Citizen, August 27, 2005], August 27, 2005.

Meanwhile, like the Iowa Pork Forest's "Kris," the Press-Citizen's Bob Patton, creator of the editorial cartoons, "Patton's Pad," has offered his own editorial comparison between the Arch and the rain forest. If the image doesn't show up for you, the headline reads, "News Item: Coralville City Councilor Likens Rainforest Project to St. Louis Arch." The left panel shows the St. Louis Arch with the sign "Gateway to the West." The right panel shows people looking down holes in the ground (the inverse of the St. Louis Arch) with a sign, arrow pointing down, that reads, "$90 MIL." The cartoon is copyright by Bob Patton and the Iowa City Press-Citizen and is reproduced here for non-commercial, educational "fair use" purposes only. Other uses will require the permission of the copyright holders. It appeared in the August 27, 2005, Iowa City Press-Citizen, p. 7A.

Another noisy week, and things don't look any better for the rain forest. Oman continues his by-now-predictable strategy: Bad news? Tough times? Meet with every editorial board that will still talk with you and announce that yet another prestigeous individual or organization is now a part of your team. Whatever happened to Ted Stillwell and his forthcoming proposals for educational programs? Whatever was produced by the Chicago fundraising firm of Gonser, Gerber, Tinker & Stuhr? Do we have plans yet from the world's fourth largest contractor, KUD? Has Cousteau demonstrated any fundraising results? Not that the press has reported. So, what to do? Get another architect -- notwithstanding that the former one will continue to work on other aspects of the Coralville site for the City, and that its dismissal by Oman has now raised to three (out of five) the number of Coralville City Council members who have had it with the rain forest project. Here are some of the results of Oman's public relations efforts regarding the hiring of the Cornwall, England, Eden Project's Andrew Whalley, a partner in the London-based firm Grimshaw Architects:

Zack Kucharski, "Rain Forest Architect Brings World Vision; Work on Previous Project May Influence Design," The Gazette, September 4, 2005;
Editorial Board, "Leave Rain Forests to the Tropics," Daily Iowan, September 2, 2005;
Perry Beeman and Madelaine Jerousek, "Rain Forest Backers Hire Firm as Project's Future Stays Unclear," Des Moines Register, September 1, 2005;
Zack Kucharski, "Rain Forest Ouster Urged; Coralville Council’s Key Vote Hinges on Leadership Change," The Gazette , September 1, 2005;
J.D. Mendenhall, "Can't See Rain Forest for Trees," Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 1, 2005;
Adam Pracht, "Rain Forest Project in Danger; Environmental Project Leaders Hire New Architect," Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 1, 2005;
Editorial, "Can Project Leaders Save Rain Forest?" Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 1, 2005;
Perry Beeman, "Rainforest Project Hires Architects from England," Des Moines Register, August 31, 2005

Cityview quotes its inside, unnamed source as saying, "No one want to be the person who kills it. So they're just letting it starve to death." Civic Skinny, "Coralville Project Headed for Scrap Heap," Cityview, September 1, 2005.

A more graphic view of just how the project will get to the scrap heap was captured in an editorial cartoon by Rytoonz, "Lazin' on a sunny afternoon," Iowa City Press-Citizen, September 8, 2005 (copyright by Robert Richardson,  http://rytoonz.blogspot.com/, and the Press-Citizen and reproduced here for non-commercial, educational "fair use" only). It depicts someone floating down the river on a rubber raft, totally oblivious to the fact that they are headed toward a substantial water fall. The raft is named "S.S. Rainforest."

Needless to say, these events, media news and commentary, brought forth a hefty response from the Iowa Pork Forest bloggers. "New Architect, Debt and Timelines," Iowa Pork Forest, August 31-September 2, 2005.

Note: To remove any possible ambiguity, given the quantity and force of the opposition to the rain forest represented by some of the commentary linked below, it bears repeating that while Johnson has personally raised a great number of questions about the project he believes their answers as essential to the project's success as to the public's stake in this venture. As noted in the introduction, above, he is "neither booster nor basher." He has no stake in either the success, or the defeat, of this proposal -- financially, professionally, politically, socially or otherwise personally -- nor is he in any way affiliated with any individual or organization that has such a stake.

"Grassroots" support for public projects can be manufactured; when that is done it is sometimes called "astroturf lobbying." Given the number of those associated with the project who have written letters to the editor praising its potential benefits, that may, in fact, be going on.

But to the best of his knowledge there has been during 2004 (since this Web site was begun) no organization or otherwise organized opposition to the rain forest. (And he assumes, given this Web site, he would be aware of it if it did exist.) He has attended no group meetings of individuals in opposition. To the best of his memory (not perfect, but serviceable!) he knows virtually none of those who have written in opposition, and has met, or otherwise communicated, with none of them prior to their writing.

There is, however, widespread public skepticism and criticism of the rain forest, some of which has found its way into print, and a portion of which is linked below. It comes across, for the most part, as genuine and heart-felt, if not always fully factually informed; the sentiments of Iowans for whom this proposal just doesn't seem to make sense for a variety of reasons. Examples include Jim Walters, "Examining Rain Forest 'Facts,'" Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 3, 2003, and  Lee Rempe, "Better Reasons Needed to Justify Rain Forest Project," The Gazette, April 27, 2005, Paul G. Jagnow, "Rain Forest Not Worth Tax Money," Iowa City Press-Citizen, October 3, 2005, and Michael Sellz, "Rain Forest is a "Boondoggle," Iowa City Press-Citizen, October 1, 2005.

A letter to the editor that succinctly notes a number of objections raised by Johnson and others (including the promoters' stonewalling and secrecy) is Richard A. Patterson, "Rain Forest Board Does Too Much in Secrecy," The Gazette, January 1, 2005 ("It concerns me that the board of directors of the rain forest project [1] meets in secrecy and [2] is considering construction before all the funding is in hand. [And [3]] The greatest financial challenge in operating an attraction of this sort isn’t locating up-front money. It’s finding income to run the organization five to 10 years after the dedication ceremony.") (bracketed numbering added)

The project board's secrecy was a continuing concern with regard to its February 2005 meeting: "'The Environmental Project's (Coralville rain forest) board of directors will hold a closed meeting . . . to update members on fund-raising as well as educational and research ideas for the center' (Feb. 19). With $50 million coming from the taxpayers, an open meeting would seem more appropriate." Ian Binnie [Des Moines], "Open Dome," Des Moines Register, February 27, 2005.

Finally, by April 24, 2005, even The Gazette -- that had run many major positive pieces about the project in its paper and on its TV station, that in December 24, 2004, concluded its positive editorial, "For our money, we like the risk and potential reward of The Environmental Project," "Reversing Iowa Stagnation," December 23, 2004, and whose president and publisher, Joe Hladky, sits on the Iowa Child Board of Directors -- decided it had had enough of the project's stonewalling. Editorial, "Clearing Air on Environmental Project," The Gazette, April 24, 2005 ("Coralville leaders . . . must protect the public’s interest. . . . [T]heir demands for information and transparency in project decisions are more than reasonable. . . . [T]hey have been denied too much information . . . [and should] not have to settle simply for words of reassurance from project planners. Their worries are understandable. The application for state funding as yet does not contain essential information such as a five-year financial projection, fundraising or marketing plans or a budget.") This theme is one that has run throughout much of Johnson's questioning of project planners since January 2001.

Political "Pork" for Campaign Contributions. Some of the opposition, while noting the improbability of financial success, primarily focuses on what the opponents argue is a wasteful, inappropriate use of taxpayers' money -- and its ties to campaign contributions.

The "Iowa Pork Forest" blog is a site entirely devoted to a very readable discussion regarding Iowa Child, virtually all of it extremely critical. It's available at http://iaporkforest.blogspot.com.

David Hogberg, of the Public Interest Institute in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, picked up the "pork forest" characterization in a three-part series he did as Institute Briefs (some of which were edited and published as newspaper columns) during July 2004, "Iowa Pork Forest, Parts I, II and III." And see David Hogberg, "Political Hay: Leave No Iowa Pork Child Behind," The American Spectator, February 12, 2004, and Andrew Grossman, "Profiles in Pork: A Rainforest on the Prairie," townhall.com, December 23, 2003.

Similar in spirit are these comments by a blogger named "Steve":

"But if you thought that bribing companies to stay or relocate in the state of Iowa and calling it economic development was ridiculous, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Try to see if you can comprehend the following $200 million example of wretched excess funded by the taxpayers of Iowa in part via the Grow Iowa Values Fund. And while you try to get your mind around this one, consider that you have a part in it as well because our Republican senator, Chuck Grassley, slid $50 million in funding for it into last year’s federal budget. So thanks, all you U.S. taxpayers, for helping Iowa fund a gigantic domed rainforest in the middle of a temperate zone. One Eastern Iowa resident has likened it to building a raging blizzard in a dome for the children of Brazil. What’s the point?

"A liberal rich guy who is rich enough to not to have to worry about how much his little boondoggle is going to cost everyone else dreamed up this $200+ million white elephant. And the original name of this project is enough to make any rational thinking person gag – the Iowa CHILD project. What is CHILD an acronym for, you might ask? Try Center for Health in a Loving Democracy if you can even believe (or stomach) that. Finally, someone decided that this name was just TOO much of an embarrassment and the name was changed to the Iowa Environmental Project. And don’t think that your financial obligation to this tropical example of wretched excess in a temperate zone ends with taxpayer rape at the hands of our Republican senator. If you actually want to GO to it after it’s built, it’s estimated that admission is going to be between $14 and $20. At any rate, if Ted Townsend, the aforementioned liberal rich guy who can afford to request the rape of taxpayers to fund his eccentricities, wants to build his rainforest great, but bankrupt state and federal governments shouldn’t be helping to fund it. This topic is such a joke in this state that someone has put up a very enlightening blog dedicated to opposing it. It’s called the Iowa Pork Forest blog."

Rob Bignell, "Your Congressman's Price Tag," Iowa City Press-Citizen, December 10, 2003, is an early, and effective, analysis of the relationship between the quantities of money given to Senator Grassley and others by the Townsend family and David Oman and the rain forest project's ultimate receipt of $50 million in federal tax dollars. Although Iowa's Senator Grassley has taken the most criticism (and received the most credit) for this federal largesse, local Republican Congressman Jim Leach (whose district includes the proposed location for the rain forest) also received contributions from the promoters, and has both supported and opposed the project. See Gary Grommon (letter), "Deliberate Deception Hurts Leach's Claims of Integrity," The Gazette, December 3, 2004.

The following exchange is illustrative of Congressman Leach's position:

Borg: IT'S INTERESTING YOUR COMMENT "YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOME DISCIPLINE" IN BUDGETARY MATTERS. THE REPORT TODAY IN THE "CEDAR RAPIDS GAZETTE" QUOTED YOU AND HOUSE SPEAKER HASTERT ON THE IOWA CHILD APPROPRIATION FOR THE RAIN FOREST IN THE IOWA CITY-CORALVILLE AREA, AND HE CALLED IT PURE PORK AND AS HOLDING IT UP IN THE OMNIBUS ENERGY BILL. HOW DO YOU DEFEND THAT WHEN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE NATION ARE BEING ASKED TO -- PEOPLE ARE BEING -- AMERICANS THINK THEY'RE SACRIFICING. HOW DO YOU DEFEND THAT WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE?

Leach: THAT'S A PARTICULAR PROJECT. IT'S A NONPROFIT, VERY IMAGINATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT THAT SENATOR GRASSLEY HAS PUT IN THE SENATE SIDE. FRANKLY, IT'S CONTRASTED WITH -- A GROUP OF HOUSE MEMBERS WANTED FOUR SPECIFIC PROJECTS THAT ARE SO-CALLED GREEN BONDS, AND CHUCK SAID, "WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE PROJECTS, WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THIS PARTICULAR NONPROFIT." THE OTHERS ARE CORPORATE KINDS OF PROJECTS. THIS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL, NONPROFIT, ENERGY EDUCATION ORIENTED CIRCUMSTANCE THAT WOULD BE THE BIGGEST, POSSIBLY, PUBLIC WORKS PROJECT IN THE LAST DECADE IN IOWA. IT WOULD BE A VERY EXCITING PROJECT. AS YOU KNOW, BOB RAY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF IT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN IDEA THAT'S BEEN DEVELOPING FOR FOUR OR FIVE YEARS. CHUCK IS ADVANCING THE APPROACH THAT I THINK IS DEFENSIBLE. I CANNOT TELL YOU THAT IT IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. I'VE NEVER MADE THAT ARGUMENT. IF YOU TALK ABOUT BALANCE IN FEDERAL SPENDING, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IF SOME STATES GET SOMETHING, IT'S FAIR THAT IOWA GETS SOMETHING. SO IT'S ONE OF THESE KIND OF BALANCING CIRCUMSTANCES.

"Infamous" is the word nationally syndicated columnist and television personality Robert Novak uses to describe the $50 million federal grant for the forest. "Reform the Budget?," May 6, 2004. ("Ryan's bill . . . would allow money saved by pork-elimination to come out of the federal budget altogether -- a change from the current practice under which killing $50 million for the infamous indoor rain forest in Coralville, Iowa, for example, would merely transfer that money to other accounts for appropriators to spend.") The full text of the column is available at http://www.townhall.com/columnists/robertnovak/rn20040506.shtml (last visited May 13, 2004). And see, Robert Novak, "The General and the Flag," November 15, 2003 ("GRASSLEY'S PORK. The 'pork' sponsored by Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa that House Speaker Dennis Hastert claimed has been holding up passage of an energy bill is a proposed indoor rainforest near Coralville, Iowa. . . . The Iowa rainforest, called the Iowa Child Project, was proposed by Ted Townsend, a Des Moines businessman who has contributed mostly to Republicans (including Grassley).")

And here's an account of what conservative Congressman John Culbertson is reported as having said, "This weekend, I attended a townhall meeting with my Congressional representative, John Culberson. Culberson is a conservative Republican and a DeLay protégé. . . . Culberson said that cutting off notorious pork barrel projects, such as the rainforest in Iowa, was a good idea on its own merits . . .." Ted, "Letter From a Town Hall," www.crookedtimber.org blog (posted 4/11/2005 11:53 AM in US Politics).

Published responses to the Iowa City Press-Citizen-sponsored Rain Forest Forum, March 22, tended to be critical of the then-current status and presentation of the rainforest project. They included an op eds by Nicholas Johnson and Norman Luxenburg, three letters to the editor in the Press-Citizen, and an editorial in that paper:

Nicholas Johnson, "The Elephant in the Rain Forest," March 25, 2004

Tim Shriver, "Priorities Ring Wrong for State," March 26, 2004

Mike Jenn, "Details Need to be Finalized," March 26, 2004

Clara Oleson, "Opponents Should Have Been Invited", March 26, 2004

Editorial, "IEEP Openness Generating Public Support," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 27, 2004 (This editorial response to the paper's March 22 Forum is listed here, notwithstanding its headline, because the body of the piece (as distinguished from that headline), rather than dealing with "openness" or "public support," primarily reinforces and endorses serious questions about the project's viability similar to those raised in "The Elephant in the Rain Forest," above.)

Norman Luxenburg's Press-Citizen op ed of March 31, "Rain Forest Organizers Mist Over Issues at Town Meeting," is one of the first to discuss, and seriously question, proponents' suggestion at the Forum that the rainforest will attract top scientists, and $5 million or more in annual grants for their research.

Norman Luxenburg, "Answers Needed on Rain Forest," Iowa City Press-Citizen, March 10, 2004, adds a good number of examples and well-written exposition to Nicholas Johnson's earlier "Rain Forest Questions Remain," above. Luxenburg's analysis is applauded by Edith Brysch, in her March 30 letter to the Press-Citizen, "Column Properly Judged Rain Forest."

Jonathan Roos, "Most Iowans Boo Rain Forest Plan," Des Moines Register, February 23, 2004 (a story and chart reporting on a Register poll revealing, among other things, that of those Iowans over 65 years old 66% think the rainforest "a waste of money"). Even Iowa's Republican Congressman Jim Nussle "concedes he cannot stop it now, but he says lots of folks in Iowa complained about the $50 million earmark already approved for the rain forest project in Coralville." Ed Tibbetts, "Nussle Budget," Quad City Times, March 5, 2004.

An Iowa City Press-Citizen poll, while not scientific, was producing similar results as of March 7, 2004.

Sonia Ettinger, Consider Zoo Costs, Revenues, Letters, Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 1, 2004, characterizes the project as "a boondoggle of gigantic proportions," using the Brookfield Zoo's costs and revenues for comparison, while posing more questions.

There have been a number of commentaries dealing with the cost, and this use of federal money.

On April 7 Citizens Against Government Waste made national news with its Pig Book for 2004, a report of pork projects that highlighted the $50 million Coralville rainforest project and gave Senator Chuck Grassley its "Soaking the Taxpayer Award" for his role in obtaining the federal grant. An example is this ABC News report:  Greg Hunter, "Politics and Pork: Are Your Taxes Headed to the Pork Barrel?" abcnews.com, April 7, 2004.

There was also local coverage. Here are a couple of examples: the Press-Citizen's story:Mike Madden, "Group Singles Out Rain Forest: Coralville Project Tops 'Pig Book,'"  Iowa City Press-Citizen, April 8, 2004, and the KCRG-TV9 news item, Mike Wagner, "Rainforest Funding Criticized," filed April 7, 2004. (This is the piece that quotes Iowa City's Jean Lloyd-Jones as saying, "The idea of putting a rainforest here is so exotic and so alien really to our eco-systems here that I just think it's laughable. . . . I think it would be easier in a lot of other places where it would seem a little more logical for a rainforest. I think the idea of putting a rainforest in the middle of cornfields strikes most people as absurd.")

Eileen Robb, "Too Pricey," Letter, Des Moines Register, August 22, 2004, notes the relationship of the project's $69,500 lobbying expenditures "to leverage the $50 million in a federal grant. . . . I don't know how I'm going to be able to afford to keep Senator Grassley in my employ. His vote is just too expensive." Even Republican senatorial candidate from Colorado, Pete Coors -- who, once elected, would like to sit on Chairman Chuck Grassley's Finance Committee -- has attacked Grassley's $50 million rain forest appropriation. See also Eugene Spaziani's letter to the editor, Des Moines Register, "Grassley Works, But Not Always in Iowans' Best Interests," October 24, 2004, making similar points about Senator Grassley and the rain forest appropriation.

Some of this criticism goes to the public funding of corporate for-profit projects as well: the possibilities for corruption, and what is often the modest, to negative, public benefit from this "corporate welfare." See Joe Van Ginkel, "Corporate Welfare Rarely Produces Jobs," Des Moines Register, March 1, 2005.

Although there has been repeated reference to the "$50 million" there has been very little reporting or analysis of the details. Where does this money come from? Does it even exist; that is, is this merely a promise to pay, or is there actually money in a bank somewhere? Are there conditions to its expenditure; that is, does it only become available once the project is actually going ahead, or can it be spent on salaries and promotional efforts immediately? Who is in charge of this fund? Who is monitoring the legality and ethics of any withdrawals? Adam Pracht's article, "Government Monitors Use of $50 Million Grant," Press-Citizen, March 12, 2005, begins the process of looking into some of these issues.

What Works? Financial Analysis

When evaluating proposals for an indoor, 4.5-acre rain forest in Coralville, Iowa, it's useful to examine the features that bring success to other educational attractions around the country.

The Coralville project is criticized for its lack of funding, focus, operational plans, budgets, business plan and realistic projections of cash flow. The constructive questions posed by skeptics, and unaddressed by promoters, deserve answers.

It's a little reminiscent of the 1837 Hans Christian Andersen tale, "The Emperor's New Clothes." [http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type1620.html#andersen] The material from which the emperor's clothes were made, promoted as so fine as to be invisible to the stupid, was in fact non-existent, leaving the emperor to parade through the streets naked until identified as such by a young boy with the courage to speak out.

But the mere fact that the rain forest currently stands as naked as a hardwood tree in an Iowa winter does not mean that visible covering could not be found.

First, looking to projects that do work financially is a little more upbeat than always focusing on the rain forest's failings. Second, even if we never have a rain forest the lessons may be applicable to other community promotional efforts. Finally, it may offer enough suggestions we could copy to make a rain forest workable -- or, make it abundantly obvious there's no way to get there from here.

There are three comparative studies offered here, two via links and one within this text.

    The Omaha Zoo. The first was published as an op ed column in the Des Moines Register, "Coralville Project Can't Match Up to Omaha's Zoo," Des Moines Register, July 17, 2004. It represents an effort to tease out, organize and present what seem to be the qualities of the Henry Doorly Zoo that make it work. Unfortunately, many of its features are not contained in the rain forest proposal.

    Colonial Williamsburg. Another is the result of a return visit to Colonial Williamsburg and an examination of its Web site (that may be the basis for a forthcoming column, but has not yet been published), "What Works: Colonial Williamsburg and Coralville's Rain Forest," June 29, 2005. Notwithstanding all the positive features of Williamsburg, the rain forest's promoters are promising attendance in Coralville will immediately be double what this internationally renowned facility attracts.

    The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa. A third is described on this page, immediately below: Dubuque, Iowa's, river development.

One of the most dramatically successful efforts along this line in Iowa, one with many lessons for Coralville, would have to be the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque (finally visited by the author February 26, 2005).

Here is some brief historical background taken from its Web site:

The Dubuque County Historical Society has its roots in the Richard Herrmann Museum of Natural History, established in the 1870s. The Society was organized in 1950 as a private, non-profit organization with a focus on oral and archival history, and opened its first museum, the Mathias Ham House, in 1964. Over the past 25 years, the museum has successfully raised $54 million to establish and expand its Mississippi River Museum into the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. The Museum & Aquarium is accredited by the American Association of Museums - a distinction held by only nine percent of American Museums - and was named an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution in August 2002.

The new river campus houses the William Woodward Discovery Center, the National Rivers Hall of Fame, the Fred W. Woodward Riverboat Museum, a boatyard, a wetland, and a refurbished train depot.

And here are some of the lessons one might draw, or at least explore as possibilities, from the Omaha, Williamsburg and Dubuque experience.

1. Both Colonial Williamsburg and the Dubuque attraction/s draw upon their natural setting. Colonial Williamsburg is its natural setting; the whole point of it is the experience of being amidst the re-creation of what was there before. In Dubuque, the Mississippi River, the subject of the facility, is no more than a few feet walk from the Museum. See Emily Kittle, "Rainforest 'Has No Context;' Dubuque Museum Officials Show Some Interest in the Educational Aspects of the Project," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, January 8, 2006. Every visitor will have recently crossed, or at least seen, the River. An artificial, indoor rain forest, by contrast, has little to do with Coralville, Iowa City, or the surrounding rural countryside. Ironically, the excitement of the natural setting for the proposed rain forest is found in a thousands-of-years-old settlement that is the subject of an archeological dig -- a site that will, of course, be destroyed if the rain forest project goes ahead. For numerous comments by Iowans encouraging this approach see "Focus on Iowa," below.

2. How might Coalville-Iowa City make more of its own river? The Iowa River is the source of the regional Lake McBride and the Coralville Reservoir. It can be seen from the Iowa River Power Company (restaurant and bar) windows, and borders the Iowa City Public Park. Aside from that (and possibly other exceptions) the River is mostly lined with the backs of University buildings, parking lots, and industrial facilities of one kind or another. The contrast between what the two cities (Dubuque and Coralville-Iowa City) have done with their rivers is stark.

3. Local support. The author does not yet know where the Dubuque Museum's $54 million (over the past 25 years) has come from. Undoubtedly some of this represents public money. But it is interesting that both the Museum, and the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo, discussed above, can trace their origins, and local support, back to the 19th Century. Colonial Williamsburg is on track to meet its 2005 goal of an additional $500 million in contributions along with its $600 million endowment. Neither Williamsburg or Omaha take state or federal money. So far as is known (as of February 2005) there is not a single dollar contributed by local citizens in the Coralville rain forest treasury. Of course, local support is not limited to money. It also takes the form of energy, volunteers, ideas, and the support of related enterprises. More explanation for Dubuque's community support may well be found in the process described in Rob Kundert, "Visioning Has History in Dubuque; Envision 2010 Not the First Time Community Input is Taken to Shape Action by the City," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, December 29, 2005. And see the follow up to this story in   Rob Kundert, "Building a Better Dubuque; Committee Announces Top 10 Ideas," and "Envisioners See Ideas Crystalize; The Process Generated Plenty of Interest Throughout the City," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, January 6, 2006.

4. Mutually reinforcing attractions. Like the amusement attractions in the center of the Mall of America, the Dubuque Museum both benefits from, and adds to, the attractions of which it is a part. The short walk to the Mississippi River has already been mentioned. Fishing and boating on the River (a part of the subject matter in the Museum) are major attractions to the area. An only slightly longer walk, across a free parking lot (not incidentally reducing parking lot expenses for all the facilities that share it), is one of the region's major gambling casinos, the "