Diskobolos
Bogey Member
Now that it appears that the Minnesota Vikings will be building a new stadium on top of the dome instead of in Arden Hills, the question remains what will happen to this large tract of woods, hills, and lakes? I say why not world class disc golf?!
Here is a link to the city's site http://www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={26B31BC2-B633-4AC5-AD22-8D37B8711530}
I thought this was most interesting part of the link,
"Ramsey County Parks and Recreation is currently negotiating with the US Army to take ownership of approximately 93 acres of the excess area.
Ramsey County has a purchase agreement for the remaining 430 acres that expires in October 2012."
523 acres of woodlands sounds like a lot of space for some great new courses. Enough room for 2-5 world class designed courses.
Now obviously parts of compound are off limits. The far northwestern corner is the drivers ed training station, owned by Mndot. The far southern edge is the national guard armory along with city hall and the police station. The western edge is littered with old army munitions buildings. This section was almost turned into apartments a few years ago but it fell through because of the cleanup costs for that portion of the site. (Apparently munitions production can leave behind some unwanted chemicals) The old Vikings stadium plan proposed totally raising and paving over this area to help save on cleanup costs, then building parking garages, hotels, and restaurants. I think this same premise could be applied to a deluxe new disc golf complex.
The roadways at the southwest corner, 96 and hwy 10 are either in need of or already undergoing major construction. The county parks and rec board have the exclusive rights for bidding on the land but they expire in October. The cost of acquiring the full 523 acres and putting courses would be very high, but I think the city could work out some sort of joint financing with a real estate developer, (maybe even the Wilfs). This corner would be the entrance to the complex. There are some existing roads and infrastructure that connect with 96 & 10 that could be easily incorporated into the planned construction. The city could build a clubhouse and have the courses be pay to play. A hotel, parking garage, some restaurants, and even a movie theater or concert hall could then be privately developed right alongside.
I think the city might back this plan if it was pitched to them the right way. The pay to play model (specifically the Three Rivers family) has had a lot of success in Minnesota, it helps show the city that it can recoup some of the money it invests in the parks. The timing seems right to get things moving, the county needs to buy now or not at all, and the parcel is absolutely going to be developed sooner or later. Also there is road construction money available at the most desirable ingress point. (It's the one area the doesn't interfere with any of the already existing facilities: drivers school in the NW, town hall and the national guard base along the south, and the small gun/archery range on the eastern edge)
In my opinion a High Bridge like destination complex would be an enormous boon to the Twin Cities disc golf scene. We could have multiple world class courses that would be conveniently and centrally located with (relatively) easy access to BRP and both the east side and west side courses. Having exciting new courses in a central location along with ample food and lodging would help cement the MN Majestic as a permanent NT stop and help bring another worlds to the Minnesota. I think that the cities could host a gigantic two week pro and am worlds as there are already a huge number of courses in town that are prefect for the entire whole gamut of divisions. As a bonus it would help fight overcrowding because it would draw some people away from Acorn and Lakewood, and maybe even temp some st.cloud and central MN players to venture further south of BRP.
I'd like to hear from everybody (especially Minnesota golfers and specifically Chuck Kennedy, Steve West, or anybody else who has experience getting new courses installed) what they think of this plan. Is it just my own outlandish fever dream of transforming the Twin Cities into the worldwide disc golf mecca, or a reasonable plan that with time an patience can become a reality?
P.S. Apologies for making this so long and wordy, but it is my first new thread and I figured I'd make it a dozy.
Here is a link to the city's site http://www.ci.arden-hills.mn.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={26B31BC2-B633-4AC5-AD22-8D37B8711530}
I thought this was most interesting part of the link,
"Ramsey County Parks and Recreation is currently negotiating with the US Army to take ownership of approximately 93 acres of the excess area.
Ramsey County has a purchase agreement for the remaining 430 acres that expires in October 2012."
523 acres of woodlands sounds like a lot of space for some great new courses. Enough room for 2-5 world class designed courses.
Now obviously parts of compound are off limits. The far northwestern corner is the drivers ed training station, owned by Mndot. The far southern edge is the national guard armory along with city hall and the police station. The western edge is littered with old army munitions buildings. This section was almost turned into apartments a few years ago but it fell through because of the cleanup costs for that portion of the site. (Apparently munitions production can leave behind some unwanted chemicals) The old Vikings stadium plan proposed totally raising and paving over this area to help save on cleanup costs, then building parking garages, hotels, and restaurants. I think this same premise could be applied to a deluxe new disc golf complex.
The roadways at the southwest corner, 96 and hwy 10 are either in need of or already undergoing major construction. The county parks and rec board have the exclusive rights for bidding on the land but they expire in October. The cost of acquiring the full 523 acres and putting courses would be very high, but I think the city could work out some sort of joint financing with a real estate developer, (maybe even the Wilfs). This corner would be the entrance to the complex. There are some existing roads and infrastructure that connect with 96 & 10 that could be easily incorporated into the planned construction. The city could build a clubhouse and have the courses be pay to play. A hotel, parking garage, some restaurants, and even a movie theater or concert hall could then be privately developed right alongside.
I think the city might back this plan if it was pitched to them the right way. The pay to play model (specifically the Three Rivers family) has had a lot of success in Minnesota, it helps show the city that it can recoup some of the money it invests in the parks. The timing seems right to get things moving, the county needs to buy now or not at all, and the parcel is absolutely going to be developed sooner or later. Also there is road construction money available at the most desirable ingress point. (It's the one area the doesn't interfere with any of the already existing facilities: drivers school in the NW, town hall and the national guard base along the south, and the small gun/archery range on the eastern edge)
In my opinion a High Bridge like destination complex would be an enormous boon to the Twin Cities disc golf scene. We could have multiple world class courses that would be conveniently and centrally located with (relatively) easy access to BRP and both the east side and west side courses. Having exciting new courses in a central location along with ample food and lodging would help cement the MN Majestic as a permanent NT stop and help bring another worlds to the Minnesota. I think that the cities could host a gigantic two week pro and am worlds as there are already a huge number of courses in town that are prefect for the entire whole gamut of divisions. As a bonus it would help fight overcrowding because it would draw some people away from Acorn and Lakewood, and maybe even temp some st.cloud and central MN players to venture further south of BRP.
I'd like to hear from everybody (especially Minnesota golfers and specifically Chuck Kennedy, Steve West, or anybody else who has experience getting new courses installed) what they think of this plan. Is it just my own outlandish fever dream of transforming the Twin Cities into the worldwide disc golf mecca, or a reasonable plan that with time an patience can become a reality?
P.S. Apologies for making this so long and wordy, but it is my first new thread and I figured I'd make it a dozy.