1) Meadowbrook Golf Course is owned by the Park and Recreation Board, not
the City of Minneapolis, purchased in the 1930's.
2) When looked at several years ago, the land value was about $20 million.
This is valuing it for development, not for sale as a golf course.
3) Taxpayers do not subsizide the golf courses, but neither do they derive
any appreciable benefits from the ownership of the asset. This was the
point of my original post.
4) This was an issue Don Fraser pursued during his tenure.
Carol Becker
Longfellow
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 01, 2000 3:28 PM
Subject: Meadowbrook- was Re: City Budget, Nov. 2000
> A list member writes me regarding my suggestion that the City sell
> Meadowbrook Golfcourse:
>
> << who do we sell meadowbrook to? in one piece or in
> parcels? would it remain a public golf course? do we
> care? do you golf? got any friends who golf? at
> meadowbrook?
> >>
>
> I'm not even certain the City of Mpls. owns Meadowbrook Golf Course... it
was
> referenced awhile back on mpls-issues. Assuming the City of Mpls. does
own
> the Course, my point is all that real estate (a significant real asset) is
> being held by the City (Mpls. taxpayers) and there is little-to-no return
> being realized on it. The course isn't even located within the City, and
I
> don't think Mpls. taxpayers should be subsidizing golfers on a course in
St.
> Louis Park; while Mpls.' elected officials are responsible for growing
> deficits and reduced public services; all while city residents' are
> experiencing rising property taxes. Why should taxpayers subsidize
golfers
> any more than stadium owners?
>
> I don't care who it is sold to. It is located in St. Louis Park and
borders
> Hopkins and possibly Edina. I doubt any municipality receives any tax
> revenue from the property and I'd be surprised if it is even
self-sustaining
> (let alone profitable) from operations. Seems that public parkland, a
> parkway along Minnehaha Creek, and some mixed-use affordable/market-rate
> housing would be an attractive, revenue-producing alternative for St.
Louis
> Park? And, I'm sure the reduced fertilizer runnoff into the Creek will
> result in a lower BOD and improved water quality. Such potential projects
> would offer a nice balance to all the development on the east side of Hwy
100
> along Excelsior Blvd., while adding to St. Louis Parks tax base! What is
the
> market value of the Meadowbrook acreage? You don't know until you put it
on
> the market-- and that doesn't mean making a nice sweet-heart arrangement
to
> transfer the property to St. Louis Park at sub-standard value, at a loss
to
> Mpls. taxpayers.
>
> M. Hohmann
> 13th Ward
>
