CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — The Cone Zone Cash: Make it Better Bucks program aims to bring more business to the NewBo and Czech Village neighborhoods in Cedar Rapids.
It has garnered $13,000 – $15,000 over the weekend. The initiative has stirred an influx of questions and comments on social media, so Iowa’s News Now spoke with the district to get more clarity.
Cedar Rapids resident Kole said he’s going to check out the businesses in NewBo since he moved here just before the summer. He didn’t realize some of them are open because of the construction.
“It was actually a big deterrent. It made me go completely the other way. I didn’t notice that some of these businesses are actually up and running,” Kole said. “I think once that wraps up, the customers will see these nice, new, clean streets.”
Monica Vernon, NewBo and Czech Village Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) Administrator, said the incentive is to offer a specific, time-sensitive voucher to bring people into the area who normally don’t get to visit. From there, she hopes visitors will spend more money or visit other businesses.
“We need more people to discover this district—Czech Village and New Bohemia,” Vernon said. “Every day, we have people from Cedar Rapids or Linn County or the region say, ‘Wow, I never knew about this place.'”
She said the goal is to get 50,000 Cone Zone Cash purchased by businesses and locals outside of NewBo to spread to other neighborhoods. The gift-card style, dollar-for-dollar offering is only redeemable until the end of the year.
“We don’t want those to stick or sit in pockets. We want them to be spent down here,” Vernon said. “[If someone/a business still has vouchers after the end of the year], we’ll work with them on that. Our idea is never to do anything punitive or hurt anybody in any way. We will then print more vouchers.”
So far, Vernon said 64 businesses are enrolled to benefit in the program. That’s up from 50 businesses last Friday. She said businesses affected in the area were contacted by the SSMID to be a part of it. Businesses that are not a part of the program have either not responded or have chosen to opt out.
When a Cone Zone Cash voucher is redeemed at the affected business, Vernon said the shop or restaurant will contact the SSMID with the amount they have received. From there, she said a district representative will exchange the vouchers for real cash within 24 hours or on the same day.
Vernon said construction means progress for the growing area, as some of the sewer lines are more than 100 years old. Not only does the “Make It Better Bucks” tagline apply for the roads becoming better, but it also helps the shops and restaurants that have been losing business.
“We need to make it better by helping them out and getting more people down here to discover,” Vernon said.
“It’s a really pretty place. Just take your family out, go on a date, or even just go out and grab a drink with friends,” Kole said. “I think it’s a very important area.”
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