Des Moines developer Bill Knapp and businessman Bill Krause are considering a range of possible projects 40 miles to the south in Osceola, according to people involved in the planning.

Osceola city officials and Clarke County Development Corp. have lots of items on their wish list, including renovation of the train station, mixed-use development around the town square and possibly a new hotel near Interstate 80. A Wal-Mart Supercenter is already in the works.

Knapp and Krause could play a role in some of those projects, or they might get involved in development on a larger scale; the two men own a large parcel of land stretching along the east side of the interstate.

Architect Bill Ludwig has drawn up some plans for the downtown area, and discussed that project with people at Knapp Properties Inc. “We’ve worked with Bill Ludwig for more than 30 years, and he was seeking our input,” said Gerry Neugent, president of Knapp Properties. “He wondered if we might be a potential developer and what our vision for the project would be.”

Neugent has since met two or three times with project backers in Osceola.

Also, he said, the company was asked about developing the land along the interstate, with all kinds of options on the table. “They asked if we were interested in developing it for recreational use or mixed use,” Neugent said. “There was some discussion of a golf course, with housing and mixed-use development along with it.”

However, he said, the company hasn’t taken anything to the Osceola City Council yet. “We’re just brainstorming with planners,” he said.

Bill Trickey, executive director of Clarke County Development Corp., said, “One thing we’re looking at real hard is the development of a new hotel. It would probably be a joint venture involving (Terrible’s Lakeside Casino) and somebody else.”