Since I’ve written before on the folly of local governments straying from their core mission by going into the sports entertainment business, I was encouraged by one recent development in Mankato. Unfortunately, it has little to do with government officials recognizing the limits of their roles.
Phil Miller, an economist who publishes the Market Power blog, writes that plans for a muni-run water park are on hold. The reason? A private company has bought much of the land that might have gone to the park.
Would-be entrepreneurs (who would have to compete against a city-owned water pleasure palace) and taxpayers (who would of course have to cough up funds to start the enterprise) aren’t in the free and clear yet. The park may yet be developed as a government entity. The city of North Mankato plans to ask state residents not “what’s in your wallet?,” but “Can we get into your wallet?” From the Mankato Free Press:
The city was planning to seek a state appropriation of $350,000 to cover half the cost of buying 14 acres adjacent to the softball complex between Highway 14 and Howard Drive. But owners of 10 of those acres, located on the west side of the complex, reportedly reached agreement to sell the land to a truck maintenance and sales company.
City officials still will seek state assistance during the 2008 legislative session to purchase the remaining four acres on the east side of the park.
Too bad the company didn’t have a reason to buy the rest of the land.