If you believe these numbers, we’ve got a major national sporting event in Minnesota to sell you. … The Star Tribune’s Rochelle Olson reports: “The super cold Super Bowl LII brought big bucks, hotel bookings and lots of attention to the Twin Cities, according to an economic impact report by event planners released Tuesday by Gov. Mark Dayton. … The 10-day event brought $370 million in net new spending from Jan. 26-Feb. 4, said the final report by Pennsylvania-based Rockport Analytics. … The results, sure to be disputed by detractors, came in $50 million over pre-event projections by Rockport years in advance. Much of that larger-than-anticipated number was attributed to $179 million in costs, the highest for a Super Bowl, for broadcast and event planners. Hosting a Super Bowl in a cold climate, apparently, costs more.”
An iconic building. City Pages’ Sheila Regan reports: “A fire consumed the old Roberts Shoes building on Sunday night. Dozens of artists had studios in the space; some even lived in the building. … According to the Minneapolis Fire Department’s Twitter page, no victims or injuries were reported, and they are still investigating the cause. Battalion Chief Bryan Tyner, the public information officer for the department, believes the fire most likely started in the boiler room.”
Muskie supporters are a bunch of pikers anyway. MPR’s Kirsti Marohn writes: “The long-running controversy over the stocking of Minnesota’s lakes with muskies — a fish with plenty of fans and foes — was left unresolved at the end of this year’s legislative session. … Muskie opponents pushed an unsuccessful effort this year to halt the progression of stocking in Minnesota lakes, and to give counties more input in the decision. … Still, the debate over whether muskies pose a threat to other fish — or humans — is likely to continue, with anti-stocking legislation expected to return again next year.”
You better believe the Met Council figures into this dispute. The Star Tribune’s Hannah Covington reports: “From their sunny kitchen in Nowthen, Kent and Muriel Roessler can spy a line of pine trees standing like sentinels just beyond their barn. … The trees mark the western edge of Oak Grove, a city the Roessler family has long admired and is now fighting to join. … ‘It’s about what Oak Grove is doing,’ Kent Roessler said. ‘We want in on that.’ … But Nowthen isn’t ready to see its boundary shift and the Roesslers’ address change. The same goes for the land stretching to the south. And the farm just down the road. … A growing annexation campaign on Nowthen’s eastern border has left landowners squaring off against City Hall in this city of 4,600. It’s also making office life uneasy for the two neighboring mayors, who work together in their day jobs at a nearby plant.”
In other news…
Bummer — always a fun event to watch: “Uptown Minneapolis construction screws over pro-bike tournament North Star Grand Prix” [City Pages]
Couldn’t happen here: “5 years, $93 million to clean up massive North Dakota spill” [KFYR]
Tip of the iceberg? “A St. Paul mainstay, Fabulous Fern’s restaurant going out of business” [Pioneer Press]
Also closing: “Patrick’s Cabaret to bring down the curtain for good” [MPR]
Truly a once in a lifetime event: “Watch: David Byrne breaks out Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’ at Portland karaoke bar” [Slicing Up Eyeballs]
Get yours: “U.S. Mint prepares for release of Voyageurs National Park quarter” [MPR]
What?!
I was wondering if you would pick up the piece in yesterday’s NY Times that profiled the editor of the Time Literary Supplement. That gentleman is the son of an engineer for 3M, has visited Minnesota (once), and follows the Twins, Vikings, and Timberwolves.
Much more interesting than David Byrne singing Prince.
Not many blocks …
apart but the economics are another thing…the irony of Roberts Shoes building burning and the Super Bowl expense income appearing in the same report was overbearing….I was not too far from the fire site enjoying a small theater presentation. The theater was excited about having doors that kept out the elements. Where is the wealth sharing discussion ? Suffering a concussion and fighting for compensation?