Tagged: Main Street Keokuk

Keokuk is looking for some help as it gets ready for "company."

The city will host the 26th annual Iowa Downtown Summit on August 21 and 22.  The event is expected to bring more than 350 individuals from across the state and the country to Keokuk.

They will hear presentations on a variety of topics: development, preservation, retail and social media.

Mayor Tom Marion says organizers want to put a "bright, shiny face" on the city for the event., so a special downtown clean-up event is scheduled for Saturday morning.

Keokuk is putting more money into tourism efforts as the city council has agreed to boost funding for the Convention and Tourism Bureau by $7,000.

The increase would bring the total for the current fiscal year to $140,000.

Tourism Director Kirk Brandenberger requested the increase based on Keokuk’s last fiscal year being its best ever when it comes to hotel-motel tax revenue.

He says the tax generated $276,000, which is up from the projected total of $260,000.

The Keokuk City Council has agreed to sell roughly 4,000 square feet of space behind City Hall to a group affiliated with Main Street Keokuk for $750.

The land will allow for the construction of private garages for the high-end apartments proposed for the former Eagles building.

Mayor Tom Marion says the city will maintain control of a small portion of the land.

“We are still keeping, basically it says trading, but we are keeping three spaces,” says Marion, “at the end near 4th Street.  We want to maintain what they do not need for city parking spaces.”