It was announced on April 4 that the Enhance Iowa Board awarded more than $3 million in Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grants to 10 Iowa communities. The City of Clear Lake and the North Iowa Cultural Center and Museum was given $400,000 that will allow for an upgrade of the plans for the new Music Enrichment and Immersive Center (MEIC) that is part of the city’s Surf District Destination Iowa project.
Project leaders wanted to add immersive technology enhancements to the MEIC to keep it relevant throughout the 21st Century in an effort to promote the Surf Ballroom’s musical legacy. These CAT grant funds will help offset the cost of constructing the dedicated 1,800 square-feet of audio visual, immersive, and virtual reality technology that will showcase Clear Lake’s place in music history – then and now.
This latest grant is an addition to the $4,370,000 Destination Iowa Grant awarded in December 2022, which was aimed at enhancing the city’s cultural and recreational offerings. This funding will support the expansion and relocation of Clear Lake’s current Music Enrichment Center, enabling improved performances and educational experiences.
Other communities that received a portion of the $3,024,047 Community Attraction and Tourism grants are: $400,000 to Fort Dodge and Webster County Conservation Board for park improvements; $102,047 to Atlantic and $340,000 to Mt. Ayr for water-based venue upgrades; $210,000 to the Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers Association in Mt. Pleasant for campsites and railway restoration; $400,000 to the Des Moines Community Playhouse for modernization of their children’s theater; $400,000 to Kalona for outdoor play stations; $220,000 to Clayton County Conservation; $1,019,000 to Carroll and $350,000 to Rock Valley for park renovations; and a $350,000 Sports Tourism grant to Newton Community Events, Inc. for marketing the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series races on June 14-16.
