St. Paul, Minn. – Today, the House Capital Investment Committee toured the National Sports Center in Blaine as Rep. Matt Norris (DFL - Blaine) presented the need for increased maintenance funding.
“The National Sports Center is integral to the success of our community and critical maintenance has been deferred for too long,” said Rep. Norris. “I’m happy that this was one of the first stops for the Capital Investment Committee as it was a great opportunity to impress the importance of investment in this state facility. I will continue to work hard to make sure this site receives the funding it needs and deserves.”
The full request for state funding is for $25 million, and will help address the $80 million maintenance backlog at the NSC. The funds would primarily be used for upgrades to the outdated mechanical systems in the Super Rink and to renovate the dormitories, including making them ADA-compliant. These improvements would help the NSC attract major international events in the future like the 2026 Special Olympics and a potential FIFA World Cup training site.
###