(KNSI) – Waite Park Mayor Rick Miller believes the state shortchanged the city by not giving the full $7.9 million in bonding funds that were asked for.
“I’m not 100% disappointed because we did get something, like I say it came down to the last minute. But yeah…you know, and when we sold this to the legislature a couple years ago to get our first money from it, the $5 million they gave us to start with [for construction.] We told them you’re not giving us money, you’re borrowing this money.”
Miller says he expects The Ledge will generate enough in sales tax in its first decade to equal the initial bonding investment from the state.
Miller talked with KNSI’s Dan ‘The Ox’ Ochsner Wednesday about how the city plans to use the $2.5 million it will receive for Phase Two at the venue.
“Probably all will go out for parking. It will not finish the parking lot but it will allow us to buy the property for it. We were leasing it, an arrangement we had with Miller Companies. We had first right of refusal on it, so now we can buy that and we can feel comfortable that we’ll have parking.”
Waite Park still wants to add bathrooms and a new concession stand. It also would like to pave the lot rather than use gravel and put up permanent lighting.
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