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[Note: This material is copyright by the Washington Evening Journal and Golden Triangle Newspapers, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of Golden Triangle Newspapers.]

      Riverside washed out of the rain forest Thursday when Earthpark officials announced they had chosen Pella as the site for the $155 million project. The announcement came early today after the Earthpark board met in Grinnell, ending some nine months of speculation about where the nearly decade-old project would finally be built.

      The fact that last week Riverside's five-member council expressed "uncertainty" about the project may have affected the board's decision. Unlike Riverside, no Pella group made public announcements about how the $25 million community match would be done. However, a group of Des Moines developers, known to have plans for a 260-acre commercial and residential development near Lake Red Rock, were said to be involved.

      Earthpark, which was previously linked to Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Coralville, will have a four-acre rain forest at its center, a 500,000-gallon aquarium and other exterior prairie and wetlands.

       Had it come to Riverside, the site would have been on Highway 22, directly across from the new Riverside Casino and Golf Resort.

      Acquisition of the site, a quarry owned by River Products, by Dan Kehl, the casino's CEO, and his partners was announced last week. Kehl previously announced plans to add a hotel and water theme park near the casino area, and he and the casino earlier pledged $12 million to aid with the needed $25 million community match. Last week, Kehl said even if Earthpark went to Pella, the approximately 400 acres would still be developed for other commercial/entertainment projects.

      According to an Earthpark announcement made this week, construction will start early next year with a targeted opening in 2010.

      The site selection, which started out with 16 possible communities after plans to build what was then the Environmental Project in Coralville fell through, had been expected in April, then later in May or June. It was down to Riverside and Pella.

      Riverside officials, who said the city would not put money into the project, asked Earthpark for "hard copy" in the form of written answers to specific questions. The request came at the August 3 meeting, the first official one between the two groups, and the replies arrived last week. The "hard copy" made it clear that strong on-going community support was needed.