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Council reviews survey showing support for community center that can host regional sports
Summary
City Planner Lassonde told the North Mankato City Council that 775 respondents — including 522 confirmed residents — participated in a virtual open house and survey indicating majority support for a community center that can also host regional sports tournaments; staff presented two funding scenarios and the council asked staff to prepare a referendum timeline.
City Planner Lassonde reviewed results of a virtual open house and online survey held Feb. 4–Mar. 20, 2025, saying a total of 775 responses were received, including 522 confirmed North Mankato residents, 185 non-residents and 68 unconfirmed submissions. She told the council that respondents answered a series of questions intended to test whether the proposed facility aligns with voter expectations from 2016 and to identify preferred amenities.
Lassonde reported Question 1 — “How did you vote on the Sales Tax Extension question in 2016?” — showed 51.2% responded yes, 26.4% did not vote, 13.8% said other and 8.6% said no. For Question 2, asking whether the proposed facility meets the 2016 criteria, Lassonde said 59% answered yes, 31% no and 10% other. She summarized the survey’s top preference: 56.1% chose building a Community Center that offers community uses and can host regional sports tournaments through partnerships, while 15.3% favored a Regional Sports Facility prioritized for tournaments and 13.4% favored a community-only center.
City Administrator McCann and Lassonde presented two staff scenarios: one to build a phased community center using existing funds for initial work and add phases later, and a second to use existing funds for other items from the 2016 ballot language while pursuing a referendum for full, unphased funding. McCann said a referendum could determine final voter interest and allow staff to present a full cost estimate to extend the sales and use tax.
