I congratulate the (apparently) local winners of the $241 million Powerball jackpot.
I enjoy the show “Shark Tank.” I like where an average person can present a new invention or business concept to a billionaire like Mark Cuban; to seek a shark’s funding to advance their business.
To the winners of the Powerball, I present this idea — invest in Cedar Rapids. Some will scoff, but start with Westdale Mall.
How many of us from Cedar Rapids go to Jordan Creek Mall in West Des Moines to eat at the Cheesecake Factory or Joe’s Crab Shack? How many of us from Cedar Rapids end up going to Coral Ridge Mall to go to Scheels? Why can’t these be at Westdale Mall?
Cedar Rapids needs businesses that continually draw people to come to them. My wife and I go to West Des Moines to eat at the Cheesecake Factory. We go early to beat the crowd. It’s always busy. And, that’s not only in West Des Moines. That’s in Kansas City, Minneapolis and Chicago.
I challenge the winners of this Powerball to pool a small portion of their winnings together to bring businesses like the Cheesecake Factory to Cedar Rapids. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. You have the two things we all desire — time and money.
The best thing to happen if you all decide to take up this challenge is that more people in the area will have a job.
Chuck Graham
Hiawatha
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