3 Amazing Centers Under 1 Roof! Community Center / Fitness / Tournament
Blaine’s community center and so much more! Fitness, community engagement and tournaments all at the MNTWC! don‘t miss it
Did someone say AWESOME?!
Why Choose Minnesota Tournament & Wellness Center
Endless possibilities with these amenities! What will you do first! Imagine a 42,000 square foot aquatic center with family fun zone!
No matter your skill, age or passion the Minnesota Tournament and wellness Center has what you’ve been waiting for. Don‘t forget about our splash zone, lap lanes and dive well. The aquatic center is family fun all year long with lap pools and dive well!
Let's Get to YES! Bringing the MNTWC to Blaine. Transparency
3 Centers under 1 Roof: Community / Fitness / Tournament
At Minnesota Tournament & Wellness Center (MNTWC), we bring three amazing centers together under one ~335,000 square foot roof! Thats over 5 acres of options for all of our citizens to enjoy! The MNTWC is a much needed and desired community center with programs for youth, seniors, veterans etc., a high-quality fitness center without high membership dues, and a national amateur indoor 13 court sports tournament center for local schools to utilize while drawing teams from across the nation to come to Blaine providing over 23 million dollars in direct economic impact to our residents and businesses. This transformative venue is the anchor to attract supporting business while delivering customers to those already established in Blaine year-round.
Road map to referendum
In order to have a referendum allowing residents of Blaine to vote on approving the MNTWC, the Blaine city council must pass a resolution authorizing the project be placed on the ballot for the next general election (NOV of 2026.) Currently the MN state legislature is revising the process for cities to implement Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) as a funding mechanism for projects with regional significance that additionally show economic benefit, which our project is and does! (see below at FAQs for more on LOST). The MN legislature placed a hold on LOST for cities until May 31, 2025, therefore the earliest the Blaine City Council could vote on a resolution to put the MNTWC project on the ballot is June of 2025.
TIMELINE:
- May 2025 (TBD) - Open in person information sessions hosted by MNTWC group
- May 31st 2025 - LOST moratorium (hold) ends
- June City Council Meeting - Council can vote for resolution to put MNTWC project on the ballot in Nov 2026
- If passed in June 2025- ongoing community outreach to solicit input to ensure best in class facilities meeting community needs
- Nov 2026 - General election for Blaine voters to decide on bringing the MNTWC to Blaine
Letting your Vote Count
Bottom line: Contact your council members and let them know the citizens of Blaine want the opportunity to vote and be heard on this amazing community good project! Tell them to vote yes on a resolution to hold a referendum sending the project to Blaine voters for approval!
- Blaine Council members emails: Let them here you! tsanders@blainemn.gov, leslielarson@blainemn.gov, cford@blainemn.gov, jrobertson@blainemn.gov, cmassoglia@blainemn.gov, tfleming@blainemn.gov, tnewland@blainemn.gov
Dollars and Sense
Total Cost in 2025 to build the MNTWC: $150 Million Dollars. Funded through a Public, Private, Partnership (P3).
- Aquatics option added an additional investment of 38 million to the initial $112 million project.
- additional cost provided by LOST under P3
- MNTWC funds all operation, repairs and maintenance without future public investment
2. Land and Land development provided by LOST
3. MNTWC funds all operations, future repairs and maintenance expenses (no subsidies)
* (look below at FAQs for more on LOST).
Let's compare. Public only funded Community center proposal vs, P3 MNTWC
Coming soon
Public Private Partnerships (P3) Defined
Funding Model for the MNTWC is P3 (Public / Private / Partnership)
Overriding principle: Ensure revenues generated by the MNTWC cover all operating expenses and provide a fund for future repairs and maintenance. The success of the MNTWC provides a massive benefit to everyone.
- Public side (LOST) and Private side (private financing) each pay 50% of the cost to build the MNTWC. (Aquatics construction funded by LOST)
- Blaine currently owns the possible location. The city covers the cost of land development. (LOST)
- Public side will pay for its’ portion with 1/2 of a penny (.005) local option sales tax.
- Based on the University of MN Extension tax study ~50% of local option sales taxes will be generated by visitors to Blaine meaning only 33% of total cost is provided by residents of Blaine through LOST. A truly remarkable opportunity to have a $150 million dollar facility here in Blaine with private investment and tourism paying $100 million of the cost!
Where does my City Council stand?
Mayor Tim Sanders
Be sure to let the mayor know you want the opportunity to vote in a referendum for the MNTWC coming to Blaine!
Councilmember Chris Massoglia
This is our summary of a conversation with Chris Massoglia. He supports letting Blaine citizens decide through a referendum as long as they are informed on all ongoing city initiatives impacting residents and associated funding.
A quote from Chris:
“I strongly oppose a city wide sales tax. Why should residents pay more for goods they buy in the city of Blaine? I also have concerns regarding the impact of a sales tax on Blaine businesses and community development. Our neighboring community of Coon Rapids doesn’t have a sales tax. Consumers will just shift their spending to Coon Rapids. Blaine is already looking to capture tourist and visitor sales tax dollars by asking the MN Legislature for a district sales tax in the 105th/Sports District ONLY. This will capture much of the tourist and visitor spending revenue. With this district sales tax why do we need a city wide sales tax?”
Chris Massoglia
Ward 3, Blaine MN City Council
Thanks for your candor Councilmember Massoglia.
The short answer to his question, “…why do we need a city wide sales tax.” Twenty-five great reasons!
1. It brings the amazing MNTWC to Blaine
2-24. the number in millions of dollars being spent by visitors coming to Blaine due to the MNTWC!!
25. An essential community asset with fitness, aquatics, community meeting spaces and 13 full sized indoor basketball courts, a much needed addition for all high school sports. Did I mention a ~1/4 mile walking track?
This may been a good time for an example of what to expect with a .005% Local Option Sales Tax.
Example #1: If you were to spend $200 for groceries in Blaine, with the added sales tax you will pay $201.00
Example #2. If you went to home depot to get materials for a project and spent $1,000.00 with the local option sales tax applied it would cost you $1,005.00
That is only an extra 50 cents on ever $100 spent.
Let Councilmember Massoglia know you support a referendum letting residents decide! Cmassoglia@blainemn.gov
Councilwoman Larson
This is our summary of Councilwoman Larson‘s comments during the city council workshop held 3 March.
She supports informing Blaine residents on the merits of the project and letting them decide through a referendum. Let her know you support a referendum! Leslielarson@blainemn.gov
Councilman Chris Ford
This is our summary of comments from the city council workshop held on 3 March.
Councilman Ford supports the project and the need for Blaine but reserved his support for a referendum until he had more information on local option sales tax uses per MN statute and how it may or may not impact other city projects.
Let councilman Ford know you support a referendum to give you a vote! Cford@blainemn.gov
Councilmember Fleming
This is our summary of comments made during the city workshop held on 3 March.
Councilmember Fleming likes the MNTWC project and what it can bring to Blaine. She reserved her support for a referendum until she has more information on the uses of local option sales tax per MN statues and other city projects that may or may not be funded through there use. Let Councilwoman Fleming know you support a referendum so your vote can be counted! tfleming@blainemn.gov
Councilmember Robertson
This is our summary of comments made during the 3 March council workshop.
Councilmember Roberson believed there is a need for a project like the MNTWC for Blaine. She was concerned over other priority projects like a fire station, police expenses and a needed lift station. She expressed using local option sales tax as a possible funding source and wished to get more information in order to set priorities. She didn‘t specify if she supported a referendum. Let councilmember Robertson know you’d like an opportunity to be heard by voting in a referendum! jrobertson@blainemn.gov
Councilman Newland
This is our summary of comments made during the 3 March city workshop.
Councilman Newland doesn’t support the MNTWC project nor sending it to referendum.
Let Councilman Newland you want to get a vote on the MNTWC via a referendum! Tnewland@blainemn.gov
Come hear about the Minnesota Tournament & Wellness Center
In person Town Halls coming in May! Check back for date, times and location. We’d love to hear from you and present the MNTWC with all it has to offer the residents of Blaine!
At Minnesota Tournament & Wellness Center, our mission is to help our members achieve their health and fitness goals through personalized training programs and state-of-the-art equipment.