Release: Mayor Coleman applauds Council action adopting budget for Lowertown ballpark

Mayor Coleman applauds Council action adopting budget for Lowertown ballpark

 

Ballpark would bring 400,000 visitors to Downtown yearly, create hundreds of jobs

 

SAINT PAUL – The City Council today unanimously adopted a formal budget for a Lowertown Regional Ballpark. Last week, Saint Paul applied for $27 million from the fund allocated to DEED in the 2012 bonding bill, the same amount Governor Dayton recommended in his original bonding bill proposal.

 

“With today’s council action, we are nearing the final step in building what will become a centerpiece in our community,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “This ballpark will bring thousands of visitors to downtown yearly, will add millions of dollars to our local economy, will create hundreds of jobs, and will support youth sporting leagues from across Minnesota. Rarely do we come across a project that combines economy, community and jobs so seamlessly.”

 

The new regional ballpark is expected to host about 180 events yearly. The ballpark would serve not only as a home for the Saint Paul Saints, but would play host to statewide youth and amateur sporting events.

 

“This ballpark is extremely important to the vitality, economy and culture of Saint Paul,” Council President Kathy Lantry said. “I am grateful for my colleagues’ support for this project, and look forward to seeing how Lowertown will continue to evolve.”

 

 

“We have workers who are ready to start working, and this project will provide that. The investment the Council made today in the ballpark is an investment in good-paying jobs for local workers,” said Harry Melander, President of the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council.

 

The Lowertown Regional Ballpark is expected to bring 400,000 people per year to downtown Saint Paul and will have a yearly economic impact of $10 million. The project is expected to create 500 full- and part-time jobs.

 

The project’s total cost is estimated at $54 million, with the Saint Paul Saints contributing $10 million and the City of Saint Paul contributing $17 million. Today’s budget is contingent on receiving $27 million from DEED.

 

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