MASON CITY, Iowa- Mason City City leaders were in Des Moines Friday for the monthly Iowa Economic Development board meeting to update them on the River City Renaissance Project. That project would include a hotel, skywalk, convention center, museum and multi-purpose arena.

Those with the city said one of the biggest updates is that the project and its partners will remain the same.

City Administrator Aaron Burnett explained that they are looking for a new developer for the project but will not be opening the project up to bids like it had been in the past. He said that process takes too long and they are on a deadline. That would mean city leaders would pick the best developer for the project and the council would vote on it. Burnett has confirmed that they have been talking to the former developers, Gatehouse Capital, and that they have showed interest in doing the project once more. Burnett said he would not tell us how many developers he had spoken with.

Burnett said he does want to have a developer in place by the end of December at the latest.

Those with the IEDA Board said they still support the project and want to help the city succeed.