Mitchell council approves Corn Palace schematic design contract and orders new Hussey Fusion seats after extended debate

The Mitchell City Council voted to proceed with an $84,000 schematic-design contract for a proposed expansion of the Corn Palace and separately approved replacement of the venue's existing seating with Hussey Fusion chairs, actions councilors said will advance planning even as some residents urged a public vote.

Council approved the seating purchase under a Sourcewell contract and authorized staff to begin the procurement and related site work; council later approved a short-form agreement to fund schematic design work for the larger renovation project. Council members voted 5-2 to approve the schematic-design contract after an extended public-comment period and debate.

The schematic contract approved is a lump-sum agreement of $84,000 to produce two distinct concept designs, plans and probable construction-cost estimates for the Corn Palace interior renovation, architect Robin, of Schimer, told the council. Those deliverables, the contract says, include first-, second- and third-floor plans, exterior elevations, 3-D renderings, and an outline of probable construction timelines and costs. Robin said the two concepts will differ by construction footprint and timeline and that early estimates place a full-build option near the "$12 million" range, a figure Robin said would be refined once schematic work is complete.

The seating action preceded the schematic-design vote. Staff recommended and council approved replacing the Corn Palace's existing benches/bleachers with Hussey Fusion seats from Combined Building Specialties under a Sourcewell contract. City staff and the chair-selection committee said the Hussey model won unanimous committee approval. The contract as discussed includes removal of the old seating, grinding and epoxy resurfacing of concrete floors, handrails, and ADA-compliant seating locations. Council and staff discussed resale or surplus of the existing seats; the city expects to list surplus seats through an auction service.

Costs and capacity

City staff discussed the seating bid as part of a total project figure of roughly $567,500 that covers removal, floor grinding, epoxy surfacing, new seats, handrails and ADA work. Council added $20,000 for a more durable seat pad option. Under the Hussey configuration cited by staff, the new seating layout would include roughly 1,562 standard seats, plus approximately six wheelchair spots with companion seating and additional accessible locations; staff estimated the new layout would reduce overall fixed-seat count from about 1,712 today to roughly 1,575'a loss of about 150 seats, depending on final configuration and how many temporary floor seats are used for events.

Supporters and opponents

Public comment filled much of the meeting, with residents and stakeholders expressing sharply divided views.

Roger Musick, a longtime Mitchell resident and volunteer, urged a more limited approach. "I just think that's the only thing that will pass," Musick said, referring to a smaller project that fixes back-of-house and mechanical issues rather than a full expansion.

Johanna, representing the Chamber of Commerce, argued the Corn Palace remains a key tourism asset. "It gives us name recognition, which is free marketing," she told the council, asking that the city invest to keep the venue competitive and to enable larger events that draw visitor spending.

Council debate and next steps

Council members debated whether to proceed now with design work or first seek a public vote on a future bond issue. Councilman Mike Bathke urged a public vote on a funding plan before spending design dollars, saying, "Let's not pay him $84,000 to find out if we wanna do it. Let's do the vote first and find out if the people really want to make decisions themselves." Other council members said schematic design is necessary to give voters a concrete plan and accurate cost estimates if the council later seeks authorization to bond the work.

After a motion by Councilor (name used in the meeting) to approve the schematic-design agreement, and a lengthy public discussion, council voted 5-2 to authorize the $84,000 schematic-design contract and proceed with the seat purchase; several council members said schematic renderings and cost estimates from the consultant will be required before the city commits to construction or a bond package.

The design phase will include at least two concept options, probable construction costs and estimated timelines; the consultant said those elements should allow councilors and the public to compare options and decide whether to pursue funding through bonds, donor campaigns or other sources. Councilors also agreed to defer a final decision on seat color until a later meeting to allow more community input.

Actions recorded at the meeting

- Approved proceeding with replacement of Corn Palace seating with Hussey Fusion seats via Sourcewell contract; motion carried. Color selection deferred to a later meeting. - Approved a lump-sum schematic-design contract for Corn Palace renovation with Schimer in the amount of $84,000; motion carried 5-2.

Ending

Council members and the design consultant said the schematic documents will be used to refine cost estimates and to inform any future public outreach or ballot language. Several speakers urged the council to narrow the options to a smaller "back-of-house" maintenance package that some residents said would be more likely to pass in a public vote; others urged the council to press forward to expand the city's event capabilities to attract larger conventions and tournaments.

Pending items include final manufacturer shop drawings for the seats, surplus/disposal plans for the old seating and a community outreach plan around the schematic-design options that the consultant will present when the design work is complete.