DRAKESVILLE — Despite various construction projects going on at Honey Creek State Park near Moravia, the grass will be green and the cabins and campgrounds will be ready for Memorial Day visitors.

That was the word during a meeting Thursday of the Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at Lake Wapello State Park in Drakesville.

Construction is just beginning this summer for the 160-acre site adjacent to Honey Creek, which will include developments for commercial retail, village style shops, a sports activity center, condominiums and rental cabins. The project, which was announced last month, will cost a total of $90 million to complete.

Don Burg, with Bentley Management Group, told the DNR the new developments near Honey Creek Resort will help the economy and bring more people to the area.

Burg doesn’t think the new developments will take money away from the resort but will help make Honey Creek Resort and the surrounding area a true resort destination.

“What we are trying to do is have something that is complimentary to the park. There’s always competition, but there’s also choices and that is a great thing,” he said. “By us being outside the resort, it makes it that true destination.”

“I’m very excited about this, [doing] what this project was meant to do, which is spread economic development,” said Commissioner Janelle Rettig.

Commissioner Kim Francisco said he had relatives visit recently and they took them to the resort.

“When we came over the hill and saw the lodge for first time, they were just amazed that it was in the middle of nowhere. They were really impressed,” Francisco said.

Michelle Wilson, project manager with Honey Creek Resort, said the resort is just about ready for summer visitors.

“The summer months are getting busier and busier,” she said. “It’s going to start turning green and it’s really going to be beautiful.”

The commission also approved various construction projects for state parks and recreation areas throughout Iowa. Included in that was a project to improve the roadways through Honey Creek State Park.

The project would involve reconstructing about 7 miles of roadway through the park and would add bike lanes on each side of the road.

“This is a big deal for this department; we don’t do this a lot, putting a bike lane in a state park,” said Rettig. “I’m all for this project; the roads are in terrible shape.”

Meanwhile, the commission also had a chance to tour Lake Wapello State Park this week to see the progress of the lake’s restoration project.