KEOKUK, IOWA -- Is Goodwill Industries coming to Keokuk or not?

That seems to be the question as a property development group has agreed in principle to purchase a tract of land from the city to possibly lease to Goodwill.

The only problem is that the Goodwill Industries regional office in Iowa City Iowa says there aren't any plans on the table to open a store in Keokuk.

"The next thing I know someone contacted the Goodwill Industries asking about this and they said they didn't know anything about it. Now I don't know if they're playing coy, what's happening, but my understanding again is that Peak buys the property and has entered into leases with Goodwill in the past," Keokuk Mayor Tom Marion said.

Dana Engelbert is the vice president for marketing for the Goodwill Industries of the Heartland in Iowa City. She said at this point there are no plans to open a store in Keokuk. She went onto say Goodwill must make community assessments as well as go through in depth financial studies before a final decision is made on opening another store.

And if for some reason, this deals falls apart even before it had a chance to get going, the city is protected.

"On the Peak side, this is all contingent on them procuring a lease with Goodwill Industries and from the city's standpoint, It's contingent on city council approval," Marion said.

The mayor added that the city would like to see the property developed by a private party so it can once again get back on the tax rolls. He says right now the city is in a holding pattern waiting to hear from the developer.

The city agreed to sell the three acre tract adjacent to the Hampton Inn on Main Street to Peak Investment for $260,000.