Lost Island Theme Park Wins Zoning Approval

posted on Tuesday, August 6, 2019 in Economic Development

Three weeks ago the owners of Lost Island Water Park announced their plans to open up an Theme Park adjacent to the existing water park. The proposed Theme Park won zoning approval 6-0 by council members at last night's Waterloo City Council meeting. More than an attraction in the Cedar Valley, Grow Cedar Valley supports the development of this Theme Park for all the opportunities that the Theme Park will offer for future growth, which our CEO & President Cary Darrah spoke about last night's meeting (see below for quote). We cannot thank the Bertch family enough for their continued investment in the Cedar Valley, our excitement continues for 2020.

Read the full article from the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier

Waterloo City Council members voted 6-0 Monday to rezone 159 acres of farm land along East Shaulis Road for the proposed $100 million Lost Island Theme Park announced just weeks ago. Councilman Ray Feuss was absent.

Gary Bertch, whose family opened the adjacent Lost Island Waterpark two decades ago, said he hopes to begin grading the site this fall with plans to open the attraction in the summer of 2022.

“A little over 20 years ago (our family) decided that we wanted to make an investment in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley in a way to try to enhance family entertainment and make the area more appealing to people outside the area as well as those here,” Bertch said.

Cary Darrah, CEO of Grow Cedar Valley, said the economic development organization fully supported the theme park.

“The impact to both community and economic development will have an exponential multiplier effect with local goods, services, people, and taxes in Waterloo and the Cedar Valley,” Darrah said

Noel Anderson, Community Planning and Development Director, said the development agreement is expected to include a grant of city bond funding, tax rebates and will require some restructuring of the city’s tax-increment financing districts and hotel-motel tax program to help repay the city for its grant.