Arnolds Park board elects three, announces endowment
By Russ Oechslin, Journal correspondent | Posted: Monday, August 18, 2008
ARNOLDS PARK, Iowa -- About 30 members of Historic Arnolds Park Inc., the not-for-profit organization that oversees the operation of the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum, the Queen II excursion boat, the Queen Court mall and the Preservation Plaza concert space, re-elected one board member and elected two others to the board on Sunday.
Former chairwoman Becky Batcheller of Sioux Falls was re-elected to her board seat, while Rick Berry and Deb Ditsworth, both of Spirit Lake, Iowa, were elected to fill two vacancies created by treasurer Joe Conover's retirement and the death of Mike Zenor. Each is to serve a three-year term.
The entire board will to elect a new chair at the September meeting.
Current chairman Al Maser told the membership that Lee Seeman of Omaha and Okoboji has gifted $250,000 to HAPI as an endowment, the income of which is to be used for improvements to the park.
Maser also explained that HAPI is in negotiations to more than double the size of the Maritime Museum. Tentative plans call for the 6,000 square feet of space to be expanded by approximately 10,000 square feet to accommodate more exhibits, especially rotating more wooden boats through the facility.
The chairman said 2008 has been a good year for HAPI, with more than 200,000 admissions to the park -- about half of them paid. "And our weekend shows drew an average of 3,000 to 5,000 attendees, with the July 4th weekend drawing more than 12,000," Maser said.
Conover explained that an appreciable increase in August revenues more than made up for slight declines in June and July income, adding that HAPI is now well ahead of last year's numbers.
Former chairwoman Becky Batcheller of Sioux Falls was re-elected to her board seat, while Rick Berry and Deb Ditsworth, both of Spirit Lake, Iowa, were elected to fill two vacancies created by treasurer Joe Conover's retirement and the death of Mike Zenor. Each is to serve a three-year term.
The entire board will to elect a new chair at the September meeting.
Current chairman Al Maser told the membership that Lee Seeman of Omaha and Okoboji has gifted $250,000 to HAPI as an endowment, the income of which is to be used for improvements to the park.
Maser also explained that HAPI is in negotiations to more than double the size of the Maritime Museum. Tentative plans call for the 6,000 square feet of space to be expanded by approximately 10,000 square feet to accommodate more exhibits, especially rotating more wooden boats through the facility.
The chairman said 2008 has been a good year for HAPI, with more than 200,000 admissions to the park -- about half of them paid. "And our weekend shows drew an average of 3,000 to 5,000 attendees, with the July 4th weekend drawing more than 12,000," Maser said.
Conover explained that an appreciable increase in August revenues more than made up for slight declines in June and July income, adding that HAPI is now well ahead of last year's numbers.
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