Park board directs staff to negotiate soccer agreement and adopts $150 tournament-per-park rate

The Brainerd City Park Board voted to have staff prepare a formal partnership agreement with the Lakes Area Youth Soccer Association and set a flat $150-per-tournament-per-park fee for athletic tournaments.

During discussion, the soccer group's president said the association wants to spread practices and games across JC's, Memorial and other fields to ease wear and support program growth; the group offered to supply goals, lining and routine maintenance. Board members raised scheduling concerns (conflicts with baseball and disc golf), irrigation during dry summers, and parking capacity for tournaments.

To reduce administrative friction and encourage local tournaments, the board adopted a single-rate model: $150 per tournament per park, with that fee intended to cover field usage and routine maintenance during tournament play. The board specifically declined to add an additional flat fee for field staff or chalking during tournaments at this time. "If you need additional staff help, you can arrange and pay for city staff hours," a board member said, but the primary tournament fee is intended to simplify permitting for local organizers.

Why it matters: The new approach gives volunteer associations a predictable cost and a pathway to use city fields while prompting the city to codify scheduling and asset-protection terms in a binding agreement.

What comes next: Staff will work with the youth soccer association to draft a partnership agreement for consideration next year, including scheduling rules, expectations for irrigation or mitigation during dry periods, and protections for equipment left on site.