Ups and downs continue for Nicollet Island proposal
The proposal to build a football stadium on Nicollet Island has been through some ups and downs during the past month. The final outcome is still unclear. Heres a quick summary of whats been happening and what is yet to come.
Current Status
Presently, the project has approval from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) to build the stadium on DeLaSalle land and public parkland, and to enter into a shared use agreement with MPRB for the new sports facility. A Certificate of Appropriateness (to build in the Saint Anthony Falls Historic District) for the project was denied twice by the Heritage Preservation Commission. The Minneapolis City Council overturned that decision twice.
The project also required several approvals from the City of Minneapolis Planning Commission, including a Conditional Use Permit for use of the land for an athletic facility and the vacation (removal) of Grove Street from East Island Avenue to Maple Street. The city planning staff recommended denial and the Planning Commission denied both requests. That decision was appealed to the City Council, who voted 10 to 3 on August 19 to overturn the Planning Commission's ruling.
From the Citys perspective, the project is approved and ready to go forward, although they still need to get building permits before they can break ground. Three times the commissions (whose members are appointed by the mayor and council for their expertise) denied the football stadium project, and three times the elected City Council members overturned the decisions of the commissions. Going forward, the project could still be stopped by the Met Council or the Court of Appeals.
Upcoming steps
Metropolitan Parks & Open Space Commission
Meanwhile, over in Saint Paul, the project has also come under scrutiny by the Metropolitan Council because there is a restrictive covenant on the land slated for the stadium, which is owned by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. That land was purchased in the mid-1990s for the regional park system with approximately a million dollars in state funds. In order to remove the restrictive covenant, which permits only passive recreation and open space, MPRB must provide a land exchange that is acceptable to the Met Council.
The current proposal from MPRB is to exchange 2.89 acres of land along the river north of downtown for the 1.48 acres on Nicollet Island. After listening to concerns from numerous organizations and citizens, the Metropolitan Parks & Open Space Commission voted down the land swap proposal. Several commissioners expressed concerns about the proposed land exchange, because the land being offered is already owned by MPRB, has a Met Council-approved plan and is using Met Council funds to develop a regional riverfront park at that location. Irene Jones, FMRs outreach director, expressed it bluntly in her testimony by saying, This is basically a shell game designed to dupe you into giving away an asset that clearly has significant value to the State of Minnesota. The commissions vote will go forward to the Met Council for a final decision on August 22.
Lawsuit moves through the Minnesota Court of Appeals
Local citizens group Friends of the Riverfront and co-plaintiffs the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota have filed a lawsuit to appeal the City Councils decision on the Certificate of Appropriateness. That case will be heard by the Minnesota Court of Appeals on September 19 and ruled upon within 90 days of the hearing.
Coverage in the media
- In a summer rerun, council to revisit decision on playing field StarTribune, 16 August 2007 (free registration required)
- City Council gives its OK; opponents undeterred StarTribune, 17 August 2007 (free registration required)
- August 17 letter to editor by Judith Martin, StarTribune (free registration requied. Scroll down to NICOLLET ISLAND FIELD)