Parade Stadium
A ton of dreams By Michael Metzger September 19th, 2007
If you want some fun, read the report on the big doings at the Parade Stadium by Judd Rietkerk, Director of Planning and Project Management for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
Here's the very opening of the report, under the heading "Facts and Fiction":
A Committee of the Whole will meet prior to the regular board meeting to discuss among other things the Parade Stadium site. The completed astroturf and possible upcoming road re-alignments and future plans will be on the agenda.
Submitted by Arlene Fried Co-founder of Park Watch
On Sunday, September 16, 2007, the Minneapolis Park Board will be closing its parkways and roadways to all motorized traffic for its Minneapolis Bike Tour. The Bike Tour is a Park Board sponsored event, but proceeds from the Bike Tour will not go to the Park Board. Instead, proceeds will go to the Foundation for Minneapolis Parks, a 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. And, in reviewing the brochure distributed by the Park Board and the Foundation which is promoting Superintendent Gurban's pet project--the Parade Revival--Park Watch discovered the following statement:
"The Foundation for Minneapolis Parks has embraced the vision of the new Parade facility and is facilitating the fund-raising effort."
So it would appear that the Park Board is sponsoring an event to raise funds for a charitable organization that is supporting the $50,000,000 Parade sports complex for which Superintendent Gurban has already spent at least $140,000 in taxpayers' monies for initial planning costs.
So how can this be? How can a government body use its tax dollars to raise money for a charitable organization? No wonder we continue to be perplexed by Superintendent Gurban's non-conforming management style.
This article is from the August 20, 2007 issue of the " target="new">Downtown Journal
By Mary O'Regan Park Board commissioners, neighbors of project have questions about future plans for the site
Several Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) commissioners are just as confused as residents about the status of Parade Stadium, an artificial turf field west of the Sculpture Garden.
By Bill Kell
On July 26, a group of concerned neighbors petitioned the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board (EQB), a state government agency, that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) be conducted to review the Parade Park Project's impact. The EQB has referred the petition to the MPRB for action.
Petition organizers are creating what they are calling the Parade Park Network, concerned residents who want to stay informed about developments and, when appropriate, come together to act.
Construction at Parade continues. Park Watch has learned through the Data Practices Act that Superintendent Gurban is planning additional construction at Parade. Park Board staff has submitted plans for review by the city for a new road which will bisect the Parade site just east of the new Parade Stadium. Because the road is on Park Board property, it is a Park Board project using Park Board funds, but Park Watch has seen no financial estimates for this project nor has it learned how it will be funded. Park Watch has heard that construction could begin as early as this summer.
Superintendent Gurban is again violating Park Board ordinances and process by circumventing the Park Board's own legal framework. With this project, he is circumventing the Park Board's committee process, the Park Board's approval process and citizen input/participation.
There are many questions to be answered before this project moves ahead. And with the Park Board's Comprehensive Plan still forthcoming, there should be a Park Board moratorium on this project, which is just one component of Superintendent Gurban's grandiose plans for a $50,000,000 sports complex at Parade. Because the Board has not reviewed or approved the concept of a $50,000,000 sports complex at Parade, there should also be a moratorium on the distribution of the brochure promoting the unapproved sports complex.
Arlene Fried Co-founder of Park Watch
From the Southwest Journal Parks Notebook by Mary O'Regan and Dylan Thomas
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Park Board superintendent reelectedOn May 16, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board voted to reelect Superintendent Jon Gurban, extending his term another three years. Park Board Commissioner Annie Young, who did not support Gurban's initial election in 2003, proposed that his new contract include an annual performance review and work plan.
The board compromised and will include her suggestions in the negotiations with Park Board President Jon Olson, but not in Gurban's contract. Young also asked that the board review his contract before its presentation to the superintendent, but her request was denied.
On April 26, the City issued a Stop Work Order for the Parade construction, but the Park Board's unpermitted construction at Parade continues in violation of the Minneapolis Zoning Code. City inspectors are monitoring the situation.
See attached Stop Work Order from the city.
In a Pulse of the Twin Cities commentary by Katie Simon-Dastych and Arlene Fried, subtitle "On Jan. 3, 2007, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) approved $1.24 million for an artificial turf field to be constructed on the site of the former Parade Stadium," the authors wrote:
Parade Stadium was torn down in 1990 because it had become economically unfeasible-operating costs were outstripping revenues.
Also approved on Jan. 3 were a $48,000 scoreboard, a $17,500 sound system, $51,000 worth of fencing, $62,000 for stadium chair seating and $390,000 for grandstands, ramp systems, concrete pads and press boxplatform, all of which are components for a stadium.
According to the agenda and the minutes from the Jan. 3 meeting, this $1,808,500 project is being funded with 2005 and 2006 CLIC allocations of $1,709,000 and a $200,000 grant from the NFL for a total of $1,909,000. Another $50,000 from Cirque Du Soleil proceeds has been added.
According to Park Board procedures, a redevelopment project like this one is supposed to go through the Park Board's Planning Committee; and, according to Park Board laws, it is also supposed to be reviewed by a Citizens Advisory Committee, which is supposed to be followed by a Public Hearing. All of these procedures are designed to allow public participation. And the public participation is intended to occur well in advance of the bulldozers.
But not in this instance. In early April, construction began. The Park Board administration, under Superintendent Jon Gurban's leadership, has circumvented the Park Board's Planning Committee process, the Park Board's Citizens Advisory Committee process and the Park Board's Public Hearing process. It also has attempted to circumvent the City and the City's planning process by commencing construction without applying for a "conditional use" permit.
On April 25, the City issued a stop-work order. Challenging the City's authority, the Park Board ordered Rehbein Excavating to continue construction. Subsequently, a second stop-work order was issued, but as of May 10, construction was continuing.
Read the entire commentary at the Pulse of the Twin Cities website.
Minneapolis officials say the Park Board has gotten ahead of itself in starting a construction project at old Parade Stadium. By Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune
It's not a turf battle in the traditional sense. But Minneapolis park staff and city zoning officials are in a skirmish over artificial turf.
Photo courtesy of Dorothy Childers. Construction for the new Parade Stadium started on Monday, April 2. There's a lot of heavy equipment at work moving mountains of dirt. I've been told that the lighting and installation of the artificial turf is scheduled to be completed by July 4. I assume that there is some urgency because, according to information Park Watch acquired through the Data Practices Act, June 30 is the date that the $200,000 NFL field grant expires. As of this posting, MPRB Superintendent Jon Gurban still has not convened a Citizens Advisory Committee as mandated by Park Board Ordinance 99-101. And now I am wondering if the Park Board has a building permit. When I was at the site, I did not see any permit postings. Did the Park Board forget to apply for a building permit?
At the March 21 Park Board meeting, General Manager Mike Schmidt announced that construction at Parade would begin in March and be completed by July. But as of this posting, MPRB Superintendent Jon Gurban has not convened a Citizens Advisory Committee as mandated by Park Board Ordinance 99-101.
The following is a condensed version of a letter dated March 8 that I sent to Superintendent Gurban regarding Parade Stadium. I have received no answer.
Eye on the Park Board
As a co-founder of Park Watch, an advocacy group founded three years ago to monitor the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), I have been attending Park Board meetings on a regular basis.
I am deeply concerned about Superintendent Gurban's plans for a new Parade Stadium. One of my many concerns with this new $1,808,500 Parade Stadium is that it is moving much too quickly. Construction is scheduled to begin this spring; yet it is not even known who will be using the new stadium.
The Minneapolis Park Board wants a first-class operation on the site of old Parade Stadium. By Pam Louwagie, Star Tribune
A new sports mecca is rising on the site of Minneapolis' old Parade Stadium, starting with a $1.2 million artificial turf face-lift this year, and with plans for an electronic scoreboard, grandstand, press box, 1,500 stadium seats and a stadium sound system to go with it. Star Tribune
By Dan Haugen, for the Downtown Journal
Parade Stadium on team's list for possible venues
«A high-tech artificial turf purchased by the Park Board earlier this month keeps the ball rolling forward in talks about possibly relocating the state's professional soccer team to Downtown.
Follow this link to the Friends of the Riverfront website where you can watch a YouTube video of the Superintendent unveiling his dream plan for Parade Stadium.
Here are some selected highlights from the January 3, 2007, Park Board meeting. Because Liz was absent, I am subbing for her.
Concept images of the "Crystal Palace" Event Center, likely to be privately operated if built, and the Soccer Stadium. So far, about $2 million has been funded for developing these plans and installation of artificial turf.
"Crystal Palace" Event Center 
5,000 to 7,000 seat Soccer Stadium One of the next major issues that will be coming before the Minneapolis Park Board--and bears watching--is the resolution of the $945,000 lien against the Park Board. This was one of two topics that were presented to the Park Board commissioners at a Park Board study session on August 2 prior to the regular board meeting. The other topic was the Parade Stadium. (This study session was not televised or recorded; so there is no official record of what transpired at this meeting. But Park Watch was there and taking notes.)
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) invites city residents and park visitors of all ages to attend one of six town meetings to be held throughout the city in September. The town meetings kick off the Park Board's efforts to gather information from the community as the MPRB develops its long-term comprehensive plan for the park system.
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