Rainforest To Move To Des Moines?

From Governor Yepsen's column today:

Vilsack needs to be consistent to win the presidency. So, he should:

• Give back some of Iowa's pork. Offer to give back to the federal government the $50 million Iowa got to build a rainforest in Coralville. No one else seems to be putting any money into the $150 million-plus project. It's become a source of naysaying and ridicule around the country. There's now talk of trying to bring it back to Des Moines or having the state help pay for part of it. So return the money.

This is news.

Where did Yepsen hear that the project may move to Des Moines?


Update: Nicholas Johnson has the article from Des Moines CityView where this is mentioned:

The rainforest people now are talking to folks in Des Moines about putting it in Des Moines once again -- even though Des Moines sort of booted it out of town a few years ago. "There's a new cast of characters in town now, and they don't know the history of it, so Bob Ray and Dave Oman and others are quietly making some pitches around town," one business leader told us. "I suspect that they'll fail, but it's kind of frightening to think that anyone is even listening. Once again, they are saying they are 'on the verge' of getting some big money -- but they've spent the past several years 'on the verge.' What they're really on is a precipice, not a verge."

Former Governor Ray is one of the filthiest frauds ever, what with backing this con-game and Clark McLeod's scam.