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Committee approves 2025 Open Streets grants: $50,000 each for four events and $50,000 reserve for hard costs
Summary
The committee approved contracts supporting four Open Streets Minneapolis events in 2025, providing $50,000 reimbursements per event organizer plus a $50,000 reserve for hard costs; staff reported last year’s three events drew about 75,000 attendees and that per-event city cost (cash + in-kind) is about $100,000–$125,000.
The Administration and Enterprise Oversight Committee on April 7 approved contracts and funding support for Open Streets Minneapolis 2025, allocating $50,000 in cash reimbursements to each of four event organizers and a $50,000 reserve for hard expenses.
Andrew Ballard, enterprise events manager in the Office of Public Service, said last year was the first year the office led procurement and planning for Open Streets; organizers reported roughly 75,000 attendees across three 2024 events. For 2025 the city selected four event locations and organizers: Central Avenue on Aug. 2 (Audubon Neighborhood Association); Cedar Avenue/Riverside on Aug. 17 (West Bank Business Association); West Broadway on Sept. 6 (West Broadway Business Coalition); and Hennepin Avenue in Uptown (Uptown Association).
Ballard said each organizer will be reimbursed up to $50,000 after invoicing allowable expenses; the city also provides in-kind services (public safety, public works, sanitation and other department support) and waives permit fees. Staff estimated the value of in-kind services at roughly $65,000–$75,000 per event, making the city’s combined cash plus in-kind contribution approximately $100,000–$125,000 per event. Event organizers also raise private sponsorships; Ballard said organizers brought in an additional $35,000–$50,000 per event in 2024.
Ballard estimated total event budgets (including city in-kind, cash grants and organizer-raised funds) were in the range of $150,000 to $175,000 per event. He said the city will reimburse organizers after they reconcile expenses with invoices and receipts.
Council members praised placing an Open Streets event on Hennepin Avenue to highlight recent streetscape work and support Uptown businesses. Council Member Cashman asked about retail vacancy data downtown; staff said a downtown retail inventory dashboard and vacancy tool has been developed and is publicly available, and Council Member Cashman requested a staff memo follow-up with vacancy counts and the number of spaces the city hopes to fill through this initiative.
Council Member Palmisano moved approval; Council Member Allison seconded. The committee approved the contracts by voice vote.
