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City Council Study Session — O1/12/04 <br />DRAFT Minutes - Page 18 <br />proposal for seeking capital monies to assist with operating <br />costs at the John Rose Minnesota OVAL. <br />Discussion included financing options for recouping <br />maintenance costs; future community center and status of <br />the OVAL as the City's community center; and the OVAL's <br />status as a regional facility and potential operation under the <br />auspices of the Minnesota Sports Commission, similar to <br />that of the National Sports Center in Blaine. <br />Parks and Recreation Director Lonnie Brokke provided <br />historical data related to the original partial funding by the <br />state for construction costs and applicable phases, with the <br />intent for the state to provide funding assistance for <br />construction and the city providing for <br />management/operational costs. Mr. Brokke noted that <br />initial projections anticipated more revenues generated by <br />the facility than those being realized. Mr. Brokke defined <br />specific areas of the budget: operations, and capital ongoing, <br />as well as capital one-time expenditures. Mr. Brokke built <br />on Mr. Beets' suggestion to seek funding assistance for an <br />experimental fuel cell to reduce energy costs, which would <br />further lessen the city subsidy on the entire facility and help <br />achieve one of the goals of the facility. <br />Mr. Brokke brought out additional discussion items for <br />future goal-setting dialogue regarding recognition of the <br />facility as the City's community center and its future. <br />Further discussion included the potential for legislative <br />funding given current budget constraints; redirecting those <br />funds lost through reduced Local Government Aid (LGA) <br />into specific accountability by the state for ramifications of <br />their decisions; potential support of a one-time capital <br />expense for fuel cell related to a study climate and the <br />intriguing aspects of this new technology; anticipated <br />substantial rate increases by Xcel Energy and ramifications <br />to the OVAL; projected staff time to pursue special <br />legislation; research on additional and/or alternative <br />eff'iciencies available for operational costs; and additional <br />revenue sources and cost savings. <br />