High hopes by the shovelful at CR's Convention Complex

There's an old Czech proverb that warns, "Beware of the boastful bearing shovels."

OK, I totally made that up. But there should be. Get to work, proverbial Czechs. Because we really need something to pull out and quote at every ground-breaking ceremony from now on.

It might add just a tablespoon or two of restraint and humility to these grand affairs, such as today's ground-breaking downtown for the Cedar Rapids Convention Complex.

It was a swell event by most every measure. Choreographed with the sort of skill usually reserved for Disney on Ice. But in this case it was dignitaries on gravel. There they were, sitting under a tent in the midst of a great construction site, where large slabs of debris were being pulled out and hauled away as they gawked and milled about.

The crowd overflowed from the tent. Why were they all here? To see the tossing of ceremonial dirt? To see a real live (acting) U.S. secretary of commerce? To hear the Jefferson High School band play Europe's smash hit, "The Final Countdown?"

It had to be the free cookies and warm soda.

What they saw was a parade of government leaders in suits pile metric tons of big economic hopes on what will be, essentially, a large brick and glass building with many rooms for other people in suits to hold meetings and conventions. I hope its foundation is strong and adequately reinforced, because it will be bearing quite a load of expectations.

Mayor Ron Corbett said the complex's christening shows Cedar Rapids is "turning the corner."

"Cedar Rapids' best days are ahead," Corbett said. "In Cedar Rapids, we're not building any monuments. We're rebuilding our great city."

We who gathered heard that the complex will send big, positive economic "ripples" through the community. "What we call commerce," Corbett said.

The complex, we heard, is proof of our resiliency. It's proof that government can still do good. Acting U.S. Commerce Sec. Rebecca Blank said at a "critical moment," the facility would create jobs, more businesses and sustainable growth.  She said it would "catalyze" local development (Heck, I had to look that up. It means accelerate.) and expand the city's role as a regional hub.

"It's critical that downtown Cedar Rapids remain a hub for the century to come," Blank said.

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack pointed to the noisy, bustling traffic passing on First Avenue as a sign of economic vibrancy. Moments later, that bustle was interrupted by the screech and smash of a rear-end collision up the street. I'm sure it sent ripples through the local car insurance industry.

After the dirt had been broken, City Council Member Don Karr looked from the site down Third Street SE, through downtown and toward the New Bohemia neighborhood to the south. Planners hope the plex and New Bo will be bookends of a thriving cultural district.

"That street is our Beale Street," Karr said, referring to the famous Memphis entertainment district.

Corbett, talking to journos, repeated estimates by the Convention and Visitors Bureau that the complex will have a $35 million annual economic impact and draw 375,000 visitors yearly.

"It's not pie in the sky," Corbett insisted.

I know, I know. It's tough to be restrained when you're turning dirt on what amounts to a $100 million project, if you throw in the complex, arena makeover, hotel purchase and hotel remodel. It received the largest-ever federal Economic Development Administration grant, $35 million. The state's I-JOBS program is in for $15 million. The City's in for at least $23 million. The Hall-Perrine Foundation chipped in $2.5 million, allowing Corbett and others to dub this a public-private partnership.

But it is also possible to celebrate responsibly.

That would mean some small nod to the fact that construction is only the beginning of the hard work it will take to make a facility like this a success. It's no build-it-and-they-will-come proposition. Yes, some conventions and events have already committed. Super. But long-term success depends on aggressive, skillful marketing. The convention/events industry is highly competitive, so any economic impacts or critical ripples will be hard-won.

Real cities have quality places to hold big events. So we can celebrate that this will be one of those places, and cheer that after falling off the big convention map over the years, as its facilities aged, Cedar Rapids will be back in the conversation, back in the game. It doesn't solve all our problems. It doesn't cure the common cold or make straw into gold. But it does greatly increase the chances that the city's pitch for conventions and visitors will be much more successful. That will mean economic activity and jobs.

But let's resist the tempting over-promise, the flashy big sell, because they can come back to bite. Just ask Chet Culver about an I-Jobs program that did a lot of good things but was seen as a big failure because it didn't create the 30,000 jobs he promised it would. Sure, restraint is less flashy, but flashy is the No.1 source of folly and fiasco. You can look it up.

And we can't afford folly. This project really does need to be a success, both in terms of hard economics and in public perception. That's a lot of taxpayer money in the game, and as of now, there's no turning back. We're in neck deep.

I know there are some folks around here hoping hard that it fails so they can realize the greatest joy of their life, which is to shout "I told you so" over and over while dancing a jaunty jig. Some folks would rather stick it to this council than see a huge city project, that will long outlive the current regime, succeed. What's new?

But I think most of us are somewhere between the bold boosters and disaster dreamers. I'll dance a jig if the behmouth actually comes in on, or near, budget and, over time, has a positive impact well worth its price tag. Spawn a few new downtown restaurants, and keep some good ones in business, and I'll be downright impressed.

But as the Old Czech proverb says, "Beware of the dancing hack with lowered expectations."

And now, to take us out, here's Europe's smash hit, "The Final Countdown."