Agenda Packets - 1996/09/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ca:. REQUEST FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION Agenda Section ��.(/J//�//r STAFF REPORT Report Number: •iI • Report Date: 9/5/96 0 1 CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE —. Special Order of Bus. . '," 'k September 9. 1996 P Consent Agenda 'v est•Partnees°s Public Hearings Council Business Item Description: Quad Ice Rink Project at National Sports Center Administrator's Review/Recommendation: -No Comments to supplement this report -Comments attached. Explanation/Summaty(attach supplement sheets as necessary) Summary: After last week's meeting with council members from New Brighton, Arden Hills and Shoreview, the message to proceed with pursuing the County's interest in financing a rink at the National Sports Center was clear. This past Tuesday, as I reported at the work session, I sat in on the County Board meeting for their discussion. Some confusion muddled the issue when Paul Erickson of the NSC suggested Ramsey County consider putting $1 million towards two rinks at the Blaine facility instead of building one additional rink in the suburbs for even more money. It appears the commissioners and county staff were expecting a request of $500,000 for one sheet in Blaine and referred the whole matter back to staff for clarification. Since no decision was going to be made by the board last Tuesday anyway, nothing other than an indication of their ()approval or disapproval was expected. Unfortunately, the impression I had was that the confusion may have dampened their interest. It would still seem however that if the County wishes for a new sheet of ice in the suburbs to offset their decision to help with the Highland rink, that at least one rink in Blaine will be the way to go. Unfortunately, as of this writing, I do not know the status of any of this, and may not know until Monday. As it is, I have had Paul Erickson and Gordie Voss scheduled to attend on Monday evening and make a presentation on the project. Originally, this meeting was intended to bring the project to the community for their reaction, and the Council could decide whether to join in at the September 23 meeting. While I think this still needs to be done, I sense concern from our neighboring communities which are in our group on this rink, that if the County doesn't participate, they may not either. If that is the case, I don't think there will be enough time to regroup and go back to the previous option of having the hockey associations fund the escrow and front the $500,000 for the single sheet. To further complicate this, another rink, the fourth rink is still needed to make this thing go. Brooklyn Park is the community debating whether to commit to that rink. I think Erickson's appeal to the County for two•rinks was a hedge against Brooklyn Park's decision. If the rinks cannot have commitments made to them by the end of the month, the Mighty Ducks funding for the Quad Rink project expires and the whole project may have to wait another year. I will be sure to find out what the County and Paul Erickson come up with by meeting time Monday. ORECOMMENDATION: