Casey’s General Stores Inc. has made a $1 million gift to ICON Water Trails, an initiative in Iowa aiming to connect water trails across the region. The gift grants the convenience-store company the naming rights for the future overlook at ICON’s Center Street site.
Casey’s General Stores Inc. is No. 3 on CSP’s 2023 Top 202 ranking of convenience-store chains by store count.
When complete, ICON—Iowa Confluence—Water Trails will connect more than 50 access points across 150 miles of rivers and creeks in central Iowa. It is a “regionally inclusive recreational confluence connecting culture, conservation and adventure by empowering our waterways,” the group’s board said. “This transformational initiative represents a new commitment to water safety and conservation as well as a concerted effort to drive economic development, visitor attraction and workforce retention.”
Casey’s joins dozens of others from the greater Des Moines business community who have backed the initiative. To date, ICON has secured more than $99 million in funding including $31.5 million from the private sector alone.
ICON’s footprint includes 12 jurisdictions and has developed 15 sites to date, with several more slated to come online in the next year. More than 250,000 visits to ICON’s 15 access points occurred during a six-month recreational season timeframe.
ICON’s access points yielded nearly $20 million in total economic output, it said.
“At Casey’s, we are here to help make our communities great places to live, work, play and explore. Central Iowa is full of unexpected outdoor recreation benefits, and we are proud to be part of ICON Water Trails through our support of the Center Street site,” said Darren Rebelez, president and CEO of Ankeny, Iowa-based Casey’s.
Darren Rebelez is CSP’s 2024 Retail Leader of the Year.
“We are incredibly grateful to Casey’s and its dedication to our community, its employees, and customers, who all benefit from ICON and its amenities,” ICON Water Trails Executive Director Stephanie Oppel said. “The private sector in our region is truly exceptional, and it’s because of partners like Casey’s that we’re able to bring this project to fruition.”
4-H Pizza
In other Casey’s charitable news, through Nov. 5, Casey’s is inviting customers to support its partnership with youth development organization 4-H and to celebrate National Pizza Month by adding a donation to their online orders to benefit local 4-H programs in their community. Also, with the purchase of every large pizza, Casey’s will donate $1 to 4-H programs in Casey’s Country up to $100,000.
Also, 4-H youth will visit Casey’s locations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Bowling Green, Kentucky, Kansas City, Missouri and Knoxville, Tennessee, to learn more about what it means to work in retail and how to make Casey’s pizza. This builds on Casey’s commitment to support education initiatives and provide young people with mentorship, hands-on learning and insight into retail career opportunities.
Casey’s General Stores operates more than 2,600 convenience stores in the greater Midwest under the Casey’s and GoodStop brands and in Texas under the Lone Star Food Stores brand. The company is the third-largest convenience-store retailer, the fourth-largest holder of liquor licenses and the fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States.
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