Last week, the Senate Taxes Committee heard bipartisan legislation chief authored by Senator Michael Kreun (R-Blaine) which allows the National Sports Center in Blaine to keep the sales tax generated on its compass to address the its deferred maintenance needs.

“The National Sports Center is an invaluable asset to our state and community, hosting numerous events that attract 4 million athletes and spectators to Blaine from around the world every year, offering a tremendous economic impact for our state as a whole,” said Kreun. “This is an important bill that ensures that the National Sports Center has ongoing revenue to help offset the critical deferred maintenance needs on campus, so that the National Sports Center can continue its long history of providing a world-class amateur sports offering right here in Blaine, Minnesota.” 

The National Sports Center opened in 1990 and has since remained the premier amateur sports facility in the state of Minnesota and serves as the flagship facility of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. It Is largely operationally self-sufficient with creative programming and revenue streams. Today’s bill will create an “Amateur Sports Account,” which provides a fiscally responsible way for the Center to continue protecting and maintaining their assets for generations to come without raising taxes.

Notably, the Center has a $90 million revenue impact on the state and attracts worldwide sporting events, competitions, and commerce to the city of Blaine, while providing a local outlet for all Minnesota families to experience, host, and attend a wide array of sporting events.

The bill was laid over.