MILFORD, Iowa -- Tim Kinnetz’ purchase of the former Boji Bay complex, along with the addition of a third floor to the main building and other improvements, has already cost him more than $10 million.
As GrapeTree’s landlord, Kinnetz said they are also considering investing in solar and/or wind energy for the medical staffing company. He said they have already been tracking electrical use and costs, for the sake of comparison.
The GrapeTree founder-turned-landlord, who continues to serve on the company’s board of directors, owns the adjoining strip mall, including GrapeTree’s former offices, and a considerable amount of ag land surrounding the complex.
Kinnetz says considerable interest has been expressed in converting some of the property on both sides of Iowa Highway 86 to commercial-industrial use, along with more retail space and affordable housing, adding that he is also considering the potential benefits of annexing some of the property to Milford or West Okoboji.
While Kinnetz has returned many of Arnolds Park’s museum pieces -- the Sugar Bowl, Barrel, and a giraffe statue, among other items that were originally part of Arnolds Park, to the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum in the amusement park complex -- he said plans call for the bandstand at Boji Bay to remain in place, with the thought that the right promoter might want to bring it back to life again as a music venue.
Kinnetz said he is also working with the Imagine Iowa Great Lakes Project that is creating a strategic vision to guide beautification and enhancement efforts in the Okoboji area -- specifically along the Highway 71 corridor. --Â
Kinnetz
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