First funding request in its 48-year history...
Why Central Minnesota’s amateur sports campus needs State investment
Upgrading this versatile athletics destination will serve Minneso Since 1971, families throughout Minnesota have fondly associated “the MAC” with major tournaments and family getaways, while others know it as the home of many high school, college and amateur teams. To ensure this versatile complex continues to serve future generations, the City of St. Cloud’s Municipal Athletic Complex needs State investment. The MAC campus today
This unique-in-Minnesota complex includes two baseball stadiums, two ice arenas, a nine-hole golf course and the Minnesota Veterans Plaza.
Aging infrastructure and modern realities mean the MAC is no longer competitive. Planned enhancements include:
2-level expansion of the ice arena facilities, including five locker rooms, space for dryland training, batting cages and meeting areas New refrigeration plant for both ice sheets New west lobby and ticketing area for the arena Replacement of Dick Putz Field, including seating for about 1,000 Installation of artificial turf on both Dick Putz and Joe Faber fields Completing ADA compliance throughout the campus Other improvements
Opportunities for new sports These additions will allow rugby, lacrosse, soccer, flag football and other sports to also be part of what the MAC offers. It’s our hope to have the expansion completed by 2021.
otans for generations
The MAC is in demand – Heavy statewide use in 2018 alone Ice Season
4,100 hours of ice time (averaging 11.2 hours/day over 365 days!): -31 days of boys’ and girls’ hockey tournaments, drawing teams from around Minnesota -Home hockey games for St. Cloud Tech, Apollo and Cathedral; plus the College of St. Benedict -Adult rec hockey leagues -Hockey camps for boys and girls -Annual figure skating competition drawing over 250 skaters from five states -Ice show and learn-to-skate activities -Open skating for all ages
Baseball
250+ baseball games:
-Minnesota State AA High School tournament, held annually at the MAC -Other high school, American Legion, VFW and National Junior College tournaments -High school home games for St. Cloud Tech, Apollo and Cathedral; plus Holdingford -St. Cloud State University and St. Cloud Technical & Community College home games -Home games for St. Cloud Rox of the Northwoods League
Golf
About 11,000 rounds were played in 2018
The City of St. Cloud and the local community will fund $8.1 million of the expansion. Since the MAC serves such a statewide purpose, we are asking the State to invest two-thirds of the project’s $24.3 million cost. Otherwise, these needed improvements simply cannot come to fruition.
Why our $16.2 million request makes economic sense for the State 1.
True statewide benefit – The MAC’s role in hosting statewide tournaments will only increase with modernized facilities.
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Regional benefit – Event participants, as well as their families and friends, fill up hotels, restaurants and shops all throughout the Greater St. Cloud area, annually bringing millions of dollars into the economy. The MAC has never requested State funding – In recent years the State has invested more than a quarter-billion-dollars in Twin Cities pro sports facilities. In the past 12 years alone, the State has also invested another $150 million in community facilities around Minnesota from Duluth to Moorhead, Bemidji to Marshall, and many cities in between. But the City of St. Cloud has never received, or even requested, any assistance from the State for the MAC during the facility’s 48-year existence. Tax dollars don’t have to fund 2 Minnesota State facilities – While many institutions of higher learning have facilities on campus, St. Cloud State University and the St. Cloud Technical & Community College play their home baseball games at the MAC. This saves tax dollars because these two Minnesota State institutions do not need State investment in on-campus fields. Longer seasons – Replacing the MAC’s two grass baseball fields with turf and waterremoval systems will allow many kinds of sports to be played earlier and later in the year, and also more frequently in the summer season, since there will no longer be concerns about drainage or wear and tear.
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6. Continued sustainability gains – Recent MAC improvements include partial conversion to LED lighting and a remarkable 94% reduction in arena gas consumption. With the State’s help, we’ll complete LED and other energy upgrades, including solar installation, resulting in significant energy production. Thank you We appreciate your consideration of this important and timely request for $16.2 million in bonding money during the 2019 Legislative session. The time is right for enhancements to allow the MAC to better meet modern needs and create new opportunities for Minnesotans for many years to come. Please contact us with any questions you have. Thank you. Dave Kleis Mayor 320-255-7201 dave.kleis@ci.stcloud.mn.us
ci.stcloud.mn.us
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