recommendations of the Theodore Wirth Citizens Advisory Committee and
the recommendation of its own Planning Committee and shift $1.5
million in State bond funds from environmental projects at Wirth Park
to building a new Welcome Center in the vicinity of the Wirth Par 3
Clubhouse.
The Welcome Center was heavily promoted by the City of Lakes Nordic
Ski Foundation (dba The Loppet Foundation). The Loppet pledged to
raise $3 million in private donations for Center construction and MPRB
staff was directed to develop an agreement with The Loppet "to raise
not less than a 2 for 1 matching amount of $3.0 million privately by
December 1, 2014." The Board also directed staff to prepare a
detailed park development and operations pro forma "the identifies the
ability to construct the [Welcome Center] without negative MPRB budget
impact."
http://tinyurl.com/ck7gvxt
The Loppet is back with a fundraising agreement and it's a doozy.
In return for raising $3,000,000, The Loppet wants a 25 year lease on
the new Welcome Center and 22.5 surrounding acres. The Loppet would
serve as "Developer" subletting the building to tenants like a
restaurant, a bike shop, a winter sports store, offices, etc. It
appears The Loppet would keep all building revenue. The Loppet would
also have naming rights to the building and all interior areas.
Finally, the MPRB would "credit" the Loppet's annual rent payments for
20 years, total value $3 million.
Loppet fundraising deadlines could be pushed out to mid-2015.
The Loppet would take over all MPRB winter recreation activities and
related work (snow making, trail grooming, equipment rentals) at
Wirth, Columbia, Gross and Hiawatha. Experienced MPRB union employees
would be replaced by The Loppet. The Loppet would collect funds for
event permits, x-country/tubing/snowboarding passes, equipment
rentals, etc. and apparently keep these. Plus The Loppet would
organize bicycle races and events similar to its x-country
fundraisers. The MPRB would give the Loppet its snowmaking and trail
grooming equipment and winter sports equipment inventory, a donation
estimated at $200,000 or so.
It's not clear if the MPRB will provide a separate contract to pay the
Loppet for maintenance work. Net losses in the winter recreation
program have surpassed $200,000+ in recent years. Increased
snowmaking at Wirth also has a hidden cost: it takes so long for the
snow to melt that golf course openings are delayed, costing these
courses $35,000-$100,000 a year. Since no financial projections have
been included, it's tough to see if the privatization is a solution.
The MPRB would continue to provide outdoor utilities - primarily
electricity for trail lights and snowmaking.
The agreement calls for MPRB demolition of the Wirth Par 3 Clubhouse
and parking. The MPRB would build a new and larger parking lot across
the Parkway (southside) and possibly a new pedestrian/biking bridge.
Replacement of the Clubhouse, fully paid for out of golf revenues, is
not in the plan. The Loppet would collect golf and cart rental fees
at its concierge station with 95% of golf revenue paid to MPRB. The
golfers are hoppin' mad!
In a related simultaneous project, the MPRB would demolish and
relocate holes 17 and 18 of the historic Wirth Golf course. MN SHPO
has almost completed the paperwork for a new Grand Rounds historic
district and the Wirth Golf Course is listed as a contributing
historic site. Relocating the golf holes would allow for new trails
from the Welcome Center to the Bassett Creek area for mountain biking
(bmx?) race events. (Not the same as the single track off-road trails
in the Wirth woods, built by MORCA volunteers, so as not to harm the
environment.)
There's more - the paperwork is over 20 pages.
(http://tinyurl.com/d8aa6fl). No market studies, no business plan.
No frank discussion of how many Minneapolis residents use or want
winter recreation services and how to provide these, equitably,
throughout the City. Not a word about access for low-income people,
no mention of programs for disadvantaged youth. The Loppet is an
organization with no experience in property management, commercial
leasing, parkkeeping, or bicycle events - yet the MPRB is seriously
considering issuing a 25 year no-bid lease and contract to this group.
This is listed as a study item before Admin and Finance Committee.
Expect it will be moved, referred to full Board, and a done deal by
tomorrow night.
Shawne FitzGerald
a member of Minneapolis Park Watch