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Quick facts about the water park project

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April 22, 2024 Special Meeting

Following a pause due to challenging financial markets, the City of Bloomington and Bloomington Port Authority renewed conversations with Mall of America to develop a new water park in the South Loop. The April 22, 2024 affirmative vote by city leaders demonstrates consistent local backing for the water park and support for adding another popular attraction for Bloomington and the region. The City Council and Port Authority did their due diligence on the term sheet, ensuring prudent use of public funds for the water park development, including an adjacent parking ramp and related infrastructure. This public-private partnership will have a positive impact on Bloomington with no direct public financial risk and no impact on Bloomington property tax payers. 

Hospitality and entertainment are core to Bloomington’s economy, and maintaining attractive entertainment assets is critical to preserving Bloomington’s reputation as a desired destination for local, regional and international visitors. Bloomington thanks the legislature for providing the flexible use of public funds for projects important to the region. 

The Mall is a valuable partner, and the City appreciates their continued commitment to Bloomington. New amenities like the water park will diversify the city’s entertainment options and keep people coming back to Bloomington, the region and the state.

An Updated Vision for the Water Park

How the City is reviewing the MOA water park project

  • Hospitality and Mall of America have a significant impact on City revenues.
  • When the hospitality industry is healthy, it offsets the expenses paid by all taxpayers in Bloomington. 
  • Without lodging and admissions sales taxes, the majority of which are paid by visitors, flowing to the City’s general fund, property taxes in Bloomington would be much higher.
  • Robust entertainment amenities keep Bloomington and MOA a dynamic destination.

Tax Increment Financing or TIF can only be used for reinvestment in these MOA projects per state statute, and it is a portion of the property taxes that MOA currently pays (and water park would pay).

  • The Minnesota Legislature has passed laws for reinvestment of MOA TIF for projects such as this and only for projects like this in the South Loop District like the water park or MOA expansion.
  • The public funding being used for the water park are taxes  in the form of TIF paid by MOA and reinvested into the water park project.

About TIF:

Tax increment can be collected by a city, port authority, or housing and redevelopment authority and used to reinvest additional property taxes paid by the new project back to support that new project.

Frequently asked questions
Contact Information

Contact Information

Holly Masek

Port Authority Administrator