This rendering shows the amphitheater proposed for the west bank of the Cedar River, across from May's Island. (Credit: Sasaki Associates Inc.)

The state I-JOBS Board on Wednesday approved its Review Committee’s recommendations of two weeks ago that will provide the city of Cedar Rapids with $6.6 million in help to fund a new Central Fire Station on First Avenue East and a new west-side fire station and $1.075 million to help build an outdoor riverfront amphitheater.

Those were the only projects in Cedar Rapids and Linn County to win board approval.

The I-JOBS Board also approved a grant of $3.66 million for the city of Coralville for flood protection along Biscuit and Clear creeks.

Among $30 million in I-JOBS grants, the Eastern Iowa cities of Muscatine, Dubuque, Volga, Edgewood and Hudson also received funds.

The Cedar Rapids grant for fire stations was the largest of 23 grants.

City Council member Kris Gulick led a Cedar Rapids contingent to Sioux City, the site of the I-JOBS Board meeting on Wednesday morning, along with Fire Chief Stephen Reid and Julie Sina, director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“This is an important aspect of our flood recovery,” Gulick said via phone on Wednesday after the I-JOBS meeting. “We’re talking about nearly $8 million. It was good to have a city presence at the meeting. … We wanted to express our appreciation.”

With the I-JOBS money, the Cedar Rapids Fire Department will replace its flood-damaged, west-side Central Fire Station with a new structure at one of three locations near downtown on First Avenue East. The City Council is in the process of analyzing costs and other factors related to the sites. The department then plans to close the east-side district fire station near Coe College and build a new district fire station on the city’s west side.

The city’s riverfront amphitheater will be designed to flood and fit into the city’s flood-protection system. The city is conducting a study now to determine just how many seats an outdoor riverfront amphitheater, which is planned for the west side of the river in the downtown.

Mayor Ron Corbett has said the plan is to build a “regional community” facility that seats a few thousand people.

The city previously has secured other I-JOBS funds for a variety of flood-related projects, including the library, Event Center, Veterans Memorial Building and former federal courthouse.