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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- The Ottumwa City Council is considering a controversial measure to sell Sycamore Park to a developer.

The Lynn Group out of Orlando, Florida is looking to buy and develop the land as a new entertainment complex. The company would privately fund the project, and they would need to purchase 30 of the 34 acres of Sycamore Park.

KTVO spoke with Wapello County residents at Hy-Vee South Gas Station in Ottumwa on Tuesday afternoon regarding this proposal.

"I mean it's been sitting there for a long, long time and it is not getting used at all."

"Well I think we need to know more about it before we make any decisions on selling that park; what their intentions are, totally, and anything else. We really don't know that much about it yet."

"It would bring in more business for Ottumwa as far as restaurants, and things like that. It would bring more people in town. I think it would help the economy here."

"I think we ought to keep it for a park. I just can't see letting that go."

"I think they should leave it as it is, seriously. I mean they just put a park down there for kids. And it's a nice area. It's always been that way. It's been that way since I was a kid. So, yeah, I think it should stay, in my honest opinion."

Wapello County Supervisor Jerry Parker said that since federal dollars were used to develop the park, the National Park Service would not allow this project to proceed.

Ottumwa residents also commented about this issue, stating that the city should purchase other ground to replace the park. 

 "I think that's right, I think because they have to replace the acreage, and I just don't think that's the place for it."

"Well I just say if they have legal issues, why don't they just go out and buy different land and make that for [the park] and the rest develop for [the entertainment complex]."

"The city has had that land for so many years...but I don't know if it's illegal to sell it to anybody or not. If somebody is in the process and wants to buy the land, I'd go ahead and sell it anyway. That's what I would do."

"I don't know. As long as they replace that land, I think if the city wants to do something, I think they can do it. But I may be wrong about that."