Brooklyn Center Hopes To Draw in Sports Tourism to Boost Tax Base

Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves told CCX Media’s Dave Kiser she hopes the city can capitalize on its long-dormant opportunity site to draw in sports tourism-related development to boost the city’s tax base and help homeowners by lowering their property insurance burden.

“It’s really an exciting way of looking at the Opportunity Site and economic development in the larger part of Brooklyn Center,” said Mayor Graves. “I’m excited to see how the staff could really push this idea and how the council can support it.”

Graves and other city leaders continue dialogue with state lawmakers in St. Paul about drawing more interest in the city.

“We want to make sure developers see Brooklyn Center as a really good place to invest their money and so we want to make sure we’re creating an environment where that’s possible,” she said.

Elections 

The city will have three council seats, including the mayor’s seat, up for election later this year. Filing for seats is May 19 – June 2.

Mayor Graves encourages anyone interested in getting involved in politics to consider filing to run for a local seat.

“The local level is really where you have the most power to affect change, and it’s where the rubber really meets the road,” said Graves. “The local level’s the closest to our families and households. Sure, the state and federal levels affect us, but the local level’s really where there’s the biggest impact.”

The city also needs election judges to work the primary election on August 11 and the general election on November 3.

“We want to make sure our elections are run smoothly, efficiently, effectively, and that’s a good way to be involved if you’ve never been involved with the city before,” said Graves. “That’s a good way to figure out how elections work and also meet other people and potentially learn about other ways to get involved.”

Brooklyn Center

Mayor's Minutes