Muscatine

Nigel...there is no Cedar Street side to this property. It is all on the north end along the curve of the bypass from Mullberry westward and southward as the curve projects. Fridley theaters only bought the curved tract along the bypass at the north end. Public info from the county's Beacon site relates that Mike Vaupel sold 15.08 acres to them on 09-29-2011.

Now, go to the journal home page and use the search window by typing in Fridley Theaters. You will see a list of news references to them. Look for a Dec 11, 2011 article about the new theaters being on the council agenda for that date, for the city council in-depth meeting and references to the new theater complex coming to town.

Now...ask yourself....how does an organization buy any tract of land, a portion of which has yet to be annexed into the city, for exactly $500,000.00, in September.....and then appear before the city council to seek first-approval for the development on Dec 11th; when there are no guarantees the city would have approved such a thing?

You don't think there wasn't something in the works underhanded happening for these developments to occur? No one would spend half a million dollars on property merely on the speculation that the city MIGHT (in the future) approve the new complex!

Looks like the Journal needs to do some investigative reporting.

I looked up the Fridley Theater company and they have 21 theaters in Iowa and two in Neb., I wouldn't think they would spend this type of money if they thought it wouldn't go in our area, I am guessing they have done their research. Also on the Journal doing investigative reporting, give me a break C. S. couldn't find a good story if it was stuck to the bottom of his shoe.

I will check into the land more closely, but from your description I stand corrected.  I seemed to have gotten the idea from the articles that more land was still to be acquired, and thought that was the parcel to the west toward Cedar. 

Regardless of that, anyone who drives from Houser to the bypass on Mulberry will see the poor condition of that road (there was crack sealing done late summer) and the lack of any shoulder.  I also still believe that this town and surrounding communities cannot support a 10 screen theater and that a more wise option might be to downsize.  But that is in the hands of the company.  And just as Jacks, Fizollis and Econofoods learned in the past few years, planning can go astray.

I agree with the condition of the road and its status. Can't you just imagine the bottlenecks to occur as each theater lets out? Of course, that is if they get the size of crowds Fridley's expect.

Tinman....my comment about the Journal was placed with a tongue in cheek bit of sarcasm, as I totally agree with you.