As a relatively new resident of the area, I feel an events center is definitely needed and would be a valuable asset to the community including for Bemidji State University. I am recently retired and have lived in the metro areas of Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Kansas City. These areas obviously were great places to live and have lots to offer. However, after a 40-year absence (I am a 1963 graduate of Bemidji State College) my wife and I decided to return to the Bemidji area to build our retirement home.
The Bemidji area is a great place to live. However, like all places, there is room for improvement. To be able to attend shows, concerts and major athletic events without traveling long distances is one improvement that the proposed regional events/convention center could accomplish. Bemidji is growing in population, including more retirees such as us, that with today's high energy costs for transportation, would like to have the opportunity to attend or even participate in events that would be held in this facility, located in northern Minnesota. The proposed events center, viewed from a broader economic context, could slow the outflow of dollars from the Bemidji area when residents travel to other locations for recreation and business purposes.
The city of Bemidji leaders, its consultants and many other community leaders have been diligently working to ensure that this facility is financially prudent, and designed to meet the needs of the community as well as possible within existing constraints. The bonding money and the extension of the sales tax is of the utmost importance for completing this project in a timely manner. The opportunity is now to make this happen.
Dale A. Wolden
Bemidji
