Whether you enjoy fine wine with your dinner, the opera, the symphony or a ballet pas de deux or like to dust off your brow at a rodeo and watch a cowboy wrestle a hefty steer or two, Council Bluffs - Iowa's Leading Edge - has it waiting just for you.

Recreation and culture are vital elements to Council Bluffs residents who enjoy all the amenities of a major metropolitan area, such as our new, $9.5 million Performing Arts Center, $12.5 million library, historical attractions, fine arts, dining, night life, the College World Series, riverboat cruises - and an even world-class zoo.

For the outdoor enthusiasts, there are pristine parks, nature preserves, the National Loess Hills Scenic Byway, Lake Manawa State Park, the Missouri River and Council Bluffs Recreation Complex, a state-of-the-art outdoor sports venue, skate board and ATV parks - just to name a few.

One of 40 Bicycle Friendly Communities in the nation, Council Bluffs, a Tree City USA, also has more than 20 miles of trails, including the Wabash Trace - Iowa's longest inter-modal trail - whether you go by bike, hoof, as in horses, or shoe.

The city and its surrounding ethnic communities also host numerous concerts, festivals and local theater. The Renaissance Faire of the Midlands transports more than 15,000 people annually back to a 16th century English village, and thousands are drawn to our annual Pride Week, its feted parade, and Winterfest's $25,000 Ice-Fishing Derby, complete with downhill ski races and ice-sculpting competitions, too.

And, with shopping fast becoming a national pastime, there are numerous malls, shops, speciality boutiques, antique stores and an outlet center for all to peruse.

As for our latest coup, ground has been broken for the $150 million Mid-America Recreation & Convention Complex, which will include a 9,200-seat arena, home to the USHA 2001 National Champion Lancers hockey team, 100,000 square foot exhibit hall, proposed water park, hotels, restaurants, cinema complex and other entertainment venues.

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