Title
RESOLUTION APPROVING A GREATER MINNESOTA LEGACY GRANT APPLICATION TO THE GREATER MINNESOTA REGIONAL PARKS AND TRAILS COMMISSION AND MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOR THE SPIRIT MOUNTAIN NORDIC CENTER
Body
CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, Duluth City Council resolution 23-0745R accepted the special law extending the one-half-of-one-percent increment in the City of Duluth food and
beverage tax and the City of Duluth lodging tax, and authorized the revenues
to be spent on capital improvements to parks-based public athletic facilities;
and
WHEREAS, Duluth City Council resolution 23-0748R supported moving
forward with a preliminary slate of projects for the parks-based athletic facilities
capital improvements, including contribution of $1,200,000 for the Spirit
Mountain Nordic Center; and
WHEREAS, the $1,200,000 project funds for the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center
has supported trail construction and infrastructure installation and there are
$350,000 funds remaining for Nordic Center development; and
WHEREAS, the development of the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center is a shared
vision between the City of Duluth, Spirit Mountain Recreation Authority, and
Duluth Cross Country Ski Club with all three entities contributing towards its
realization; and
WHEREAS, the Duluth Cross Country Ski Club intends to raise $350,000 in
community contributions to support the completion of the Spirit Mountain
Nordic Center, and
WHEREAS, the City of Duluth has the right and authority to sponsor a grant
funding request to the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails
Commission (GMRPTC); and
WHEREAS, the City of Duluth has a right and authority to act as Legal
Sponsor for the State Grant Application (“Application”) and will work with the
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (“DNR”), in developing a Grant
Agreement relating to the funding which may be awarded by the GMRPTC;
and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth authorizes a
Greater Minnesota Legacy Grant application with a total project cost not to
exceed $2,700,000 and requesting up to $2,025,000 in grant funding for
completion of the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center.
FURTHER RESOLVED, the City of Duluth commits matching funds payable from
452-030-5530-HANDHTAX-1506 (tourism & recreational projects, Finance,
improvements other than buildings, half & half tax projects, Nordic - lower
Spirit).
FURHTER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth certifies it has read and
understands the Office of Grants Management Conflict of Interest Policy
08-01, will maintain an adequate Conflict of Interest Policy and monitor and
report any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest to the GMRPTC
and DNR.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth confirms all of the information
in its Application and further confirms that it has no expectation of, or
entitlement to, reimbursement of costs incurred prior to grant agreement
execution date.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Applicant has or will acquire a fee interest
ownership or permanent easement over the land described in the Application
for regional parks and regional special feature parks as applicable, as
applicable and approved, before the project proceeds.
FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Duluth agrees that it will comply with
all applicable laws, regulations and requirements as stated in the Grant
Agreement with the DNR, including dedicating the park property for uses
consistent with the grant agreement into perpetuity or for trails, committing to
maintain the trails for a period of not less than twenty-five (25) years, and
dedicating all land acquired under the project for uses consistent with the grant
agreement into perpetuity.
FURTHER UNDERSTOOD, that the GMRPTC will confirm at such time that it
has made the award of funds authorizing a Grant Agreement to be developed
between the DNR and the City of Duluth.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution authorizes a Greater Minnesota
Legacy Grant Application requesting up to $2,025,000 in grant funds from the
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) and
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the Spirit Mountain
Nordic Center, formerly known as the Grand Avenue Nordic Center. The
anticipated total project cost is not to exceed $2,700,000. If the grant is
awarded, the City will return to City Council with a resolution authorizing the
grant agreement.
This grant application will support the final phase of development at the Nordic
Center to expand snowmaking and lighting on remaining portions of trail and
increase snowmaking capacity for the Nordic Center with the purchase and
installation of two pumps and one valve station. If awarded, the grant would
support the substantial completion of the Nordic Center as originally
envisioned in the 2015 Grand Avenue Nordic Center Mini-Master Plan
(approved via 15-0358R) and reiterated in the 2017 Spirit Mountain Recreation
Area Master Plan Update (approved via 18-0033R). When complete, the Spirit
Mountain Nordic Center will provide high-quality, dependable snowmaking and
lighting over a 3.3 km Nordic ski venue to support public recreational skiing,
youth activities, and regional high school and college sports. The venue
includes a stadium and accommodates 3 competition loops between 0.5-1.5
km, with access to the 20 km Nordic Center ski trails on top of Spirit Mountain
via a dedicated 1.9 km Nordic Connector trail.
The City and the Duluth Cross Country Ski Club will provide a total $625,000 local matching contribution in association with this grant. The Duluth Cross
Country Ski Club intends to raise $350,000 in community contributions to
support the completion of the project. This will be in addition to the $1 million
the Club has raised for previous phases of work. The remaining $325,000
portion of the local match will be sourced from the unspent remainder of $1.2
million of City of Duluth Athletic Venue Reinvestment Initiative funds that were
put aside for this specific purpose with the passage of City Council resolution
23-0748R. Athletic Venue Reinvestment Initiative funds are sourced from
one-half-of-one-percent increments in Duluth’s tourism taxes that, per state
law, may only be spent on public facilities that support sports tourism. Though
not yet complete, the Spirit Mountain Nordic Center has already attracted
multiple regional and national competitions, some of which have drawn large
crowds and national media coverage.