New park near Vikings stadium could prove costly, Mpls. park officials say

The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board is bracing for the possibility of operating a new park scheduled to be built near the Vikings stadium.

The project, part of a major office building development, is the subject of a lawsuit arguing the Minneapolis City Council lacks the authority to acquire and manage park land. That has some members of the city's independent Park Board concerned they'll have to take over the project and find a way to fund its maintenance.

That could prove expensive, Park Board President Liz Wielinski said.

Operating the new park could cost as much as $3 million a year -- significantly more than many other city parks, she said. "Your typical neighborhood park, say something like Powderhorn, the budget there is between $350,000 and $400,000 a year."

Because the proposed park is just blocks from Minneapolis City Hall, it could prove attractive to protesters, which adds to security costs, Wielinski added. 

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