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| 11/24/2009 2:19:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | What does the future hold for Hobo Park?
By Chad Koenen
Proponents of the 25-year Starbuck Revitalization Project will get a chance to make their case for developing the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park at a special city council meeting on Monday evening.
Since being unveiled to the public during an informational meeting on October 16, 2008, the estimated $75-$100 million revitalization plan has been dubbed as a way to bring new businesses to town and generate some much needed tax revenue. While the plan calls for more retail shopping, a water park, water front hotel, and condos; proponents of the plan have said the development of the city-owned Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park is at the heart of the entire Starbuck Revitalization Project.
Before any of the work on the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park can begin, Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce Director Lori Vaadeland told the city council at its October 12 city council meeting that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet would have to be completed on the area surrounding the marina and Hobo Park. While the study would give an indication of whether a marina expansion and lake front hotel at the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park was feasible, Vaadeland told the council there would be no reason to move forward with the study unless the city would eventually be willing to sell the land.
As city-owned and operated, the council told Vaadeland on October 12 that Starbuck residents should have a right to voice their opinion concerning any potential sale of the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park.. In order to gauge the interest of the entire revitalization project and the public's interest with potentially selling the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park to a private investor, the council scheduled an informational meeting which is scheduled for November 30 at the Starbuck Community Center. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
Starbuck Revitalization
Project history
Estimated at a cost of $75-$100 million, the Starbuck Revitalization Project has been called a 25-year plan for Starbuck. The original plan was paid for by the Steve Klick Foundation, and would rely on individual investors to build such things as condominiums, a water park, waterfront hotel/convention center, golf courses, an expanded marina, and more housing and development around the Starbuck area.
Much of the development would take place on the south edge of Starbuck, including the city-owned Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park. The project would rely on individual investors to construct the various parts of the project, not taxpayers dollars.
According to the plan, if the waterfront hotel/convention center is built on the site of Hobo Park, a new 200 unit RV Park would be built across the highway near the outlet creek from Lake Minnewaska. The new RV Park would feature new restrooms, playground equipment, showering facilities, shelter areas, and electrical hookups.
In addition to the move of Hobo Park, the Starbuck Marina would be expanded to the north, according to the plan, and could feature several seasonal buildings such as a gas/bait store, restaurant, and boat rental.
Other highlights of the 25-year plan include: expanded commercial and industrial businesses, condominiums and more single family homes, a lake front boardwalk, development of the airport and lake front area on the south part of town, and a water park.
The original plan was presented to the public during an informational meeting at the Starbuck Community Center on October 16, 2008. Another public meeting with officials from the Minnesota DNR was held at the Starbuck Community Center on January 7. Over the course of the past few months, the project has been brought to the table of the city council as Vaadeland and Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Minor have asked the council if it would be willing to pay for a portion of the EAW study, or a more inexpensive pre-EAW study on the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park.
The city said it would not be willing to pay for a portion of the study or sell the two parks without first getting input from the public.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
Article comment by:
Joe Hammer
Starbuck is a shrinking town and pouring money into a lake front property for a hotel and water park is not money well spent. I would love to move back but there is nothing for me to do for a job that will make me more then 15 dollars an hour. I now live in denver and make around 70 grand a year. I think Starbuck should be looking at the towns youth and how to keep them there having families and keeping the town alive instead of how to pad there back pocket with water front hotels, water parks? and expanding on a marina that is not full now. It is sad to see the older pillars of the community get old and pass. There is no one to replace these people think of that for a change. When my father Ted Hammer died in 2001 it was a start of a snow ball. sense then we have lost the hospital, clinic, lawyers office, one grocery store, body shop, ford dealer, one car wash, two auto parts stores, gas station, cenex coop in town, ect... now starbuck is left with empty buildings and seems to have an empty feeling to it when you drive threw and stare at the big nursing home. That is all that is there anymore! It really saddens me to see my home town in such termoil
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