MN HF4423

Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission shall develop statewide or regional public skate parks and provide matching grants to local governments for public skate parks, with individual grants capped at $250,000.

Grant proposals must include matching contributions such as land, access roadways, utility services, landscaping, and parking, with location priority given to areas of high demonstrated interest near arterial highways, transit, and pedestrian or bike paths.

At least 50 percent of grants must be awarded to communities in greater Minnesota, and priority is given to multi-jurisdictional proposals that encourage equitable geographic dispersal and diverse population use.

$250,000 is appropriated from the general fund in fiscal year 2019 to contract with a nonprofit organization for evaluating proposals and providing technical assistance; $3,000,000 from bond proceeds is appropriated for grants, with an additional $2,000,000 available for a single statewide skate park project.

Up to $5,000,000 in state general obligation bonds may be issued to finance skate park construction, with debt service payable from sports and health club sales tax revenue.