New 2,500-acre state park proposed by Pawlenty
BY BILL SALISBURY
Pioneer Press
Article Launched: 07/17/2007 12:01:00 AM CDT
http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ ... ck_check=1
Gov. Tim Pawlenty today proposed creating a new 2,500-acre state park on Lake Vermilion in northeastern Minnesota. It would be Minnesota's first new major state park in 28 years.
"This is a unique opportunity to create a next-generation state park on one of Minnesota's most beautiful and pristine lakes," Pawlenty said in a news release. "Today we are outlining a vision and asking local and legislative leaders to partner with us to make this a reality. A state park in this location would provide an up-north, place-at-the-lake experience for all Minnesotans."
United States Steel currently owns the land. It has offered state officials one year to determine whether the park is feasible and the state can pay for it.
As the state explores plans for the park, U.S. Steel will continue preparing to develop 150 home sites on the property with roads, water and sewer services.
The proposed park would provide access to Lake Vermilion's 4,000 acres of water, 365 islands and 1,200 miles of shoreline. The land, situated on the eastern shores of the lake, adjoins two of the nation's premier wilderness areas, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Superior National Forest. (http://www.BoundaryWatersCanoeArea.com)
It also abuts Soudan Underground Mine State Park. The two parks combined would provide more than 10 miles of shoreline and 3,700 acres of land for public use.
The proposal must be approved by the Legislature. Pawlenty did not immediately estimate the cost of purchasing the land. It could be funded
through borrowing, using part of the state's Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund or a general fund appropriation.
"Five of the top ten tourist attractions in northeastern Minnesota are state parks, and this has the potential to become the sixth," said Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Mark Holsten.
Minnesota State Park Director Courtland Nelson estimated the proposed park would generate more than $500,000 a year in direct state revenue from camping and tours and $8.5 million in visitor spending in the area.
The Vermilion proposal would be the first major new state park since Tettegouche State Park opened on the Lake Superior's North Shore in 1979. (A private game farm near Battle Lake was converted to a state park in 1991.) Minnesota currently has 72 state parks and recreation areas.
http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ ... ck_check=1
Lake Vermilion State Park?
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Lake Vermilion State Park?
by PaddlerJimmy » Tue Jul 17, 2007 7:15 pm
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Price of Lake Vermilion land could top $40 million
by JohnFras » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:46 pm
County assessor: Price of Lake Vermilion land could top $40 million
John Myers Duluth News Tribune
Published Wednesday, July 18, 2007
If the state of Minnesota wants to compete for hundreds of acres of undeveloped lakeshore property on Lake Vermilion, it’s going to have to dig deep.
Based on estimates by the St. Louis County assessor today, U.S. Steel could easily sell 150 lots in the company’s proposed 3 Bays development for about $40 million. The current valuation of the company’s raw land in the area is about $13.5 million.
“We’re seeing waterfront in that area going for about $2,000 per front foot. And it could be more than that on Vermilion, the demand is that high,’’ said Mel Hintz, St. Louis County Assessor.
Hintz said that $500,000 per lot is well within the likely retail price for the 65 300-foot lakeshore lots already approved for the development. That’s $32.5 million.
Add 85 proposed back lots that Hintz said could sell for about $100,000 each, and the development value for all 150 lots soars above $40 million. With the purchase price for the state anywhere near that range it would be the most money ever paid for a state park in Minnesota.
Hintz said land values on Lake Vermilion have slowed their climb in the past two years to about 10 percent annually, after increasing almost 20 percent annually in the beginning of the decade.
The state would probably get a slight discount by buying a large piece of land and saving U.S. Steel the cost of building roads and utilities and the cost of selling 150 individual pieces of land.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday announced the state’s plans to bid on the land. U.S. Steel wants to develop 1,400 acres of the 3,300 acres it owns in the area into the 3 Bays housing project.
The state wants to buy about 2,500 acres to create a multi-use state park, in part to keep the land undeveloped and open to the public at a time when land values have put lakeshore out of the financial reach of many Minnesotans.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articl ... m?id=46312
John Myers Duluth News Tribune
Published Wednesday, July 18, 2007
If the state of Minnesota wants to compete for hundreds of acres of undeveloped lakeshore property on Lake Vermilion, it’s going to have to dig deep.
Based on estimates by the St. Louis County assessor today, U.S. Steel could easily sell 150 lots in the company’s proposed 3 Bays development for about $40 million. The current valuation of the company’s raw land in the area is about $13.5 million.
“We’re seeing waterfront in that area going for about $2,000 per front foot. And it could be more than that on Vermilion, the demand is that high,’’ said Mel Hintz, St. Louis County Assessor.
Hintz said that $500,000 per lot is well within the likely retail price for the 65 300-foot lakeshore lots already approved for the development. That’s $32.5 million.
Add 85 proposed back lots that Hintz said could sell for about $100,000 each, and the development value for all 150 lots soars above $40 million. With the purchase price for the state anywhere near that range it would be the most money ever paid for a state park in Minnesota.
Hintz said land values on Lake Vermilion have slowed their climb in the past two years to about 10 percent annually, after increasing almost 20 percent annually in the beginning of the decade.
The state would probably get a slight discount by buying a large piece of land and saving U.S. Steel the cost of building roads and utilities and the cost of selling 150 individual pieces of land.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Tuesday announced the state’s plans to bid on the land. U.S. Steel wants to develop 1,400 acres of the 3,300 acres it owns in the area into the 3 Bays housing project.
The state wants to buy about 2,500 acres to create a multi-use state park, in part to keep the land undeveloped and open to the public at a time when land values have put lakeshore out of the financial reach of many Minnesotans.
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articl ... m?id=46312
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by PaddlerJimmy » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:57 pm
Making a case for Vermilion park
By Marshall Helmberger
July 30, 2007
State Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, called on the Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty this week to approve funding for full acquisition and development of the proposed new Lake Vermilion state park.
Bakk made his comments as part of a tour of the proposed site with state officials and statewide media last Friday.
The tour came just three days after Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his proposal to purchase 2,500 acres of remote property on Vermilion’s east end from US Steel for creation of the park. US Steel is currently planning to develop the land for lake homes and cabins but company officials have agreed to give the state one year to negotiate a purchase before moving ahead with their development scheme.
The tour of the proposed park site was an opportunity for state officials to make their case for the park against the dramatic backdrop of the park itself. They couldn’t have ordered a more picture-perfect day, complete with cavorting loons, bald eagles, and fisherman working island shorelines for muskies—all under blue skies.
Perched high above the lake on a rocky promontory, DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten, State Parks Director Courtland Nelson and Bakk outlined the opportunities and potential pitfalls of the park proposal to about a dozen reporters from around the state.
Holsten said the next 12 months are critical ones. “One year from now, this will either be a state park for the use of all the people of Minnesota or it will be developed for housing. That’s pretty much the choice,” said Holsten. “Right now, we have a window of opportunity to do something significant,” he said.
Bakk acknowledged that the park proposal will be competing against many other critical state needs, many of which are already underfunded. “It’s going to be a huge challenge to convince the Legislature to put more money into parks,” he said. Unlike many other DNR divisions, which receive much of their funding from dedicated accounts, the state parks rely on general fund dollars, which means they face competition from things like hospitals, schools and roads. “Personally, I think the biggest competition will come from transportation,” he said.
Bakk said all those competing priorities make it essential that the development dollars be appropriated along with the acquisition money. If not, he said, the park will likely never be developed as state officials currently envision. “How does that new visitors center compete with the needs of nursing homes?” he asked.
Bakk said many residents of the region harbor a natural skepticism of government promises. “I understand that apprehension,” he said. “We’re not going to take another 2,500 acres and lock it up. We’re going to develop it so people can use it. That’s why the development dollars need to come with acquisition and we need enough to do it right.”
But even some local legislators will likely need some convincing. While Rep. David Dill has voiced his support for the proposal, Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Pike, said state parks are seriously underfunded as it is and he questioned whether the state couldn’t do more with the Vermilion shoreline it already owns as part of the Soudan Underground Mine State Park. “That’s really the issue here,” said Rukavina. “We already have a state park on Lake Vermilion. What have you done with it?” he asked.
Soudan Mine Park Director Jim Essig agreed that the park is underdeveloped, but not for lack of interest on the part of park managers. He said the Stuntz Bay boathouses have limited the park’s development options, a situation that is almost certain to continue for years to come. Essig said the park has added a day use picnic area on Swedetown Bay and has considered campsites there as well. But getting funding for additional developments has been a problem at the park, he said. “Really, the reason why there’s not much development, is that we do underground mine tours. That’s our emphasis. It’s already an expensive operation and we have had trouble getting funding for other things.”
No guesses on price
Money was on the minds of many of the reporters who attended Friday’s tour, but Commissioner Holsten said that was one question he wasn’t ready to answer. “There’s been a lot of stuff in the papers about price. I’m not going there and I don’t think it serves our purposes to put a number down,” he said.
While one recent news story quoted St. Louis County Assessor Mel Hintz suggesting US Steel’s property could be worth $40 million if developed for lake homes, Hintz said that figure didn’t account for the substantial costs US Steel would incur in developing the property.
The land’s current county assessment is about $13 million, according to Hintz. Under state law, that valuation must be within 90 percent of the market value of similar property in the area, which means a more reasonable market value could be closer to the $15-20 million range, not the $40 million some have suggested.
Tax base an issue
The proposal to swap a planned housing development for a state park has drawn support from local residents, but also concerns about the potential loss of tax base. While state payments in lieu of property taxes would make up for the roughly $200,000 a year that US Steel currently pays on its Vermilion holdings, those payments would fall far short of the potential tax base from the proposed Three Bays on Lake Vermilion development.
St. Louis County Commissioner Mike Forsman said he’s generally supportive of the park, but he remains concerned about the loss of critical tax base. “That’s easily $75 million in tax base that would go to Breitung Township, the school district and the county. Such a tax base would generate about $1.1 million annually in tax payments to local units of government, or about $900,000 more than is generated from the undeveloped property.
Breitung Township officials appear less concerned about the tax base issue and have voiced solid support for the park plan. Township residents have pushed for expansion of the existing state park for some time as a way to preserve the east end’s undeveloped character. “Protecting the lake and the water quality— that’s been one of our goals,” said longtime town supervisor Tim Tomsich.
But Bakk noted that the township will incur additional expenses for police and emergency medical coverage if the park is created and he said the state should help the township cover some of those costs— as it has done in other communities that serve state parks. “We’ll need to explore that idea,” said Bakk. “There’s going to be a lot of people coming here.”
http://timberjay.com/current.php?article=3543
By Marshall Helmberger
July 30, 2007
State Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, called on the Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty this week to approve funding for full acquisition and development of the proposed new Lake Vermilion state park.
Bakk made his comments as part of a tour of the proposed site with state officials and statewide media last Friday.
The tour came just three days after Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his proposal to purchase 2,500 acres of remote property on Vermilion’s east end from US Steel for creation of the park. US Steel is currently planning to develop the land for lake homes and cabins but company officials have agreed to give the state one year to negotiate a purchase before moving ahead with their development scheme.
The tour of the proposed park site was an opportunity for state officials to make their case for the park against the dramatic backdrop of the park itself. They couldn’t have ordered a more picture-perfect day, complete with cavorting loons, bald eagles, and fisherman working island shorelines for muskies—all under blue skies.
Perched high above the lake on a rocky promontory, DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten, State Parks Director Courtland Nelson and Bakk outlined the opportunities and potential pitfalls of the park proposal to about a dozen reporters from around the state.
Holsten said the next 12 months are critical ones. “One year from now, this will either be a state park for the use of all the people of Minnesota or it will be developed for housing. That’s pretty much the choice,” said Holsten. “Right now, we have a window of opportunity to do something significant,” he said.
Bakk acknowledged that the park proposal will be competing against many other critical state needs, many of which are already underfunded. “It’s going to be a huge challenge to convince the Legislature to put more money into parks,” he said. Unlike many other DNR divisions, which receive much of their funding from dedicated accounts, the state parks rely on general fund dollars, which means they face competition from things like hospitals, schools and roads. “Personally, I think the biggest competition will come from transportation,” he said.
Bakk said all those competing priorities make it essential that the development dollars be appropriated along with the acquisition money. If not, he said, the park will likely never be developed as state officials currently envision. “How does that new visitors center compete with the needs of nursing homes?” he asked.
Bakk said many residents of the region harbor a natural skepticism of government promises. “I understand that apprehension,” he said. “We’re not going to take another 2,500 acres and lock it up. We’re going to develop it so people can use it. That’s why the development dollars need to come with acquisition and we need enough to do it right.”
But even some local legislators will likely need some convincing. While Rep. David Dill has voiced his support for the proposal, Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Pike, said state parks are seriously underfunded as it is and he questioned whether the state couldn’t do more with the Vermilion shoreline it already owns as part of the Soudan Underground Mine State Park. “That’s really the issue here,” said Rukavina. “We already have a state park on Lake Vermilion. What have you done with it?” he asked.
Soudan Mine Park Director Jim Essig agreed that the park is underdeveloped, but not for lack of interest on the part of park managers. He said the Stuntz Bay boathouses have limited the park’s development options, a situation that is almost certain to continue for years to come. Essig said the park has added a day use picnic area on Swedetown Bay and has considered campsites there as well. But getting funding for additional developments has been a problem at the park, he said. “Really, the reason why there’s not much development, is that we do underground mine tours. That’s our emphasis. It’s already an expensive operation and we have had trouble getting funding for other things.”
No guesses on price
Money was on the minds of many of the reporters who attended Friday’s tour, but Commissioner Holsten said that was one question he wasn’t ready to answer. “There’s been a lot of stuff in the papers about price. I’m not going there and I don’t think it serves our purposes to put a number down,” he said.
While one recent news story quoted St. Louis County Assessor Mel Hintz suggesting US Steel’s property could be worth $40 million if developed for lake homes, Hintz said that figure didn’t account for the substantial costs US Steel would incur in developing the property.
The land’s current county assessment is about $13 million, according to Hintz. Under state law, that valuation must be within 90 percent of the market value of similar property in the area, which means a more reasonable market value could be closer to the $15-20 million range, not the $40 million some have suggested.
Tax base an issue
The proposal to swap a planned housing development for a state park has drawn support from local residents, but also concerns about the potential loss of tax base. While state payments in lieu of property taxes would make up for the roughly $200,000 a year that US Steel currently pays on its Vermilion holdings, those payments would fall far short of the potential tax base from the proposed Three Bays on Lake Vermilion development.
St. Louis County Commissioner Mike Forsman said he’s generally supportive of the park, but he remains concerned about the loss of critical tax base. “That’s easily $75 million in tax base that would go to Breitung Township, the school district and the county. Such a tax base would generate about $1.1 million annually in tax payments to local units of government, or about $900,000 more than is generated from the undeveloped property.
Breitung Township officials appear less concerned about the tax base issue and have voiced solid support for the park plan. Township residents have pushed for expansion of the existing state park for some time as a way to preserve the east end’s undeveloped character. “Protecting the lake and the water quality— that’s been one of our goals,” said longtime town supervisor Tim Tomsich.
But Bakk noted that the township will incur additional expenses for police and emergency medical coverage if the park is created and he said the state should help the township cover some of those costs— as it has done in other communities that serve state parks. “We’ll need to explore that idea,” said Bakk. “There’s going to be a lot of people coming here.”
http://timberjay.com/current.php?article=3543
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PaddlerJimmy - Posts: 244
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by bwca » Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:09 pm
Still time for public to comment on proposed state park at Lake Vermilion
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the DNR Commissioner’s Advisory Task Force are looking for input from the public on what would make the proposed state park at Lake Vermilion in northeastern Minnesota a place they would want to visit. This comment opportunity is available through Dec. 31.
The proposal is to acquire approximately 3,000 acres of land for a state park, including approximately five miles of Lake Vermilion shoreline. The property, which is owned by U. S. Steel, will otherwise be developed for private housing. The Minnesota Legislature is expected to consider the park proposal during its upcoming session.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=SoMjcQH4dVaI7InqlRBUvg_3d_3d
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the DNR Commissioner’s Advisory Task Force are looking for input from the public on what would make the proposed state park at Lake Vermilion in northeastern Minnesota a place they would want to visit. This comment opportunity is available through Dec. 31.
The proposal is to acquire approximately 3,000 acres of land for a state park, including approximately five miles of Lake Vermilion shoreline. The property, which is owned by U. S. Steel, will otherwise be developed for private housing. The Minnesota Legislature is expected to consider the park proposal during its upcoming session.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=SoMjcQH4dVaI7InqlRBUvg_3d_3d
Last edited by bwca on Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bwca - Site Admin
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- Location: Twin Cities
by PaddlerJimmy » Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:28 pm
Can state afford to pass on buying park?
By DOUG SMITH, Star Tribune
Last update: January 12, 2008 - 1:13 PM
Minnesota must balance the need to improve its existing state parks with the opportunity it now faces to buy and develop a new state park on Lake Vermilion, several legislators said last week.
But despite pressing maintenance needs in state parks, the state shouldn't reject the opportunity to buy and develop a new state park on Lake Vermilion -- a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- said DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten.
"We have to make this investment in the future,'' Holsten said. "It's a no-brainer.''
The DNR is negotiating with U.S. Steel Corp. on the purchase price for the 2,500 acres near Tower. The DNR gave legislators an update on future park needs, including about $140 million in improvements and repairs.
"Can we afford to acquire and develop Vermilion at the same time as we redevelop our park system?'' asked Sen. Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdo ... 22811.html
By DOUG SMITH, Star Tribune
Last update: January 12, 2008 - 1:13 PM
Minnesota must balance the need to improve its existing state parks with the opportunity it now faces to buy and develop a new state park on Lake Vermilion, several legislators said last week.
But despite pressing maintenance needs in state parks, the state shouldn't reject the opportunity to buy and develop a new state park on Lake Vermilion -- a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity -- said DNR Commissioner Mark Holsten.
"We have to make this investment in the future,'' Holsten said. "It's a no-brainer.''
The DNR is negotiating with U.S. Steel Corp. on the purchase price for the 2,500 acres near Tower. The DNR gave legislators an update on future park needs, including about $140 million in improvements and repairs.
"Can we afford to acquire and develop Vermilion at the same time as we redevelop our park system?'' asked Sen. Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm.
http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdo ... 22811.html
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PaddlerJimmy - Posts: 244
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by bwca » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:16 am
Don’t miss this chance for Lake Vermilion park
TimberJay, Letter to the editor from Marcie Moe- Tower, Minn.
This will be the only opportunity the people of Minnesota will have to purchase a large tract of land on a large lake on which to establish a park
It’s a great opportunity for the people of Minnesota to purchase unaltered land on the shore of Lake Vermilion, right next door to the existing Soudan Underground Mine State Park located near a small town. It would be something for your children and their children and their children to enjoy. It would be a place to learn about the ecology of northern Minnesota, while also learning to enjoy the outdoors through camping, hiking, fishing, boating and both winter and summer activities. With more and more land being privately owned, where can one really experience the outdoors?
Tourism is a main industry of Northern Minnesota. The park would add to this economy. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US USE OUR TAX MONEY FOR THIS INSTEAD OF STADIUMS (NFL Football has only about 12 games a year). Why can’t the park be purchased with funds dedicated to the Environment Fund from the Lottery proceeds?
Water used in mining operations does contain contaminants that they cannot or will not remove, yet they dump this used water (millions of gallons a day) into our watersheds which eventually ends up in our rivers and lakes. Maybe there should be a sewage tax levied that could go into the environmental fund also. Approximately 60 percent of the land in northern St. Louis County is wetlands that do a wonderful job of filtering and cleaning. However, there is a limit to their filtering capacity. If this filter is not protected, future generations will have lakeshore property of lesser value. It would seem that some of our Northern Minnesota Legislators and St. Louis County Commissioners are taking a shortsighted view when tax revenue becomes their highest priority without considering environmental needs.
Please write your legislators in support of this opportunity for a new state park.
Also if you have a spare moment or two please read a book entitled “Collapse” by Jared Diamond, dealing with mining and its environmental consequences. Another good read is entitled “An Assessment and Rationale for the Alternative Shoreland Management Standards” by Paul Radomski, accessible via the DNR website: www.dnr.state.mn.us/ waters.
--Marcie Moe, Tower, MN
TimberJay, Letter to the editor from Marcie Moe- Tower, Minn.
This will be the only opportunity the people of Minnesota will have to purchase a large tract of land on a large lake on which to establish a park
It’s a great opportunity for the people of Minnesota to purchase unaltered land on the shore of Lake Vermilion, right next door to the existing Soudan Underground Mine State Park located near a small town. It would be something for your children and their children and their children to enjoy. It would be a place to learn about the ecology of northern Minnesota, while also learning to enjoy the outdoors through camping, hiking, fishing, boating and both winter and summer activities. With more and more land being privately owned, where can one really experience the outdoors?
Tourism is a main industry of Northern Minnesota. The park would add to this economy. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US USE OUR TAX MONEY FOR THIS INSTEAD OF STADIUMS (NFL Football has only about 12 games a year). Why can’t the park be purchased with funds dedicated to the Environment Fund from the Lottery proceeds?
Water used in mining operations does contain contaminants that they cannot or will not remove, yet they dump this used water (millions of gallons a day) into our watersheds which eventually ends up in our rivers and lakes. Maybe there should be a sewage tax levied that could go into the environmental fund also. Approximately 60 percent of the land in northern St. Louis County is wetlands that do a wonderful job of filtering and cleaning. However, there is a limit to their filtering capacity. If this filter is not protected, future generations will have lakeshore property of lesser value. It would seem that some of our Northern Minnesota Legislators and St. Louis County Commissioners are taking a shortsighted view when tax revenue becomes their highest priority without considering environmental needs.
Please write your legislators in support of this opportunity for a new state park.
Also if you have a spare moment or two please read a book entitled “Collapse” by Jared Diamond, dealing with mining and its environmental consequences. Another good read is entitled “An Assessment and Rationale for the Alternative Shoreland Management Standards” by Paul Radomski, accessible via the DNR website: www.dnr.state.mn.us/ waters.
--Marcie Moe, Tower, MN
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Re: Lake Vermilion State Park?
by PaddlerJimmy » Fri Jan 15, 2010 1:46 pm
U.S. Steel agrees to sell land for Lake Vermilion state park
By: Candace Renalls, Duluth News Tribune, January 15, 2010
Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s dream of turning undeveloped Lake Vermilion shoreline into a state park has taken a giant step forward.
Several years of negotiations between U.S. Steel, which owns the property, and the state had faltered. The corporation was moving forward to develop 1,400-acre parcel into upscale housing. The parcel includes five miles of Vermilion shoreline.
The state had set aside $20 million for the land purchase and to turn it into campgrounds and trails. U.S. Steel wanted more, but state law prevented the state from offering more.
But today Pawlenty announced that U.S. Steel has agreed to sell the property to the state of Minnesota for $18 million, according to a news release from the governor's office. A $2.3 million gap will be treated as a donation.
The governor will ask legislators in the upcoming session to remove the cap imposed on the deal two years ago.
By: Candace Renalls, Duluth News Tribune, January 15, 2010
Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s dream of turning undeveloped Lake Vermilion shoreline into a state park has taken a giant step forward.
Several years of negotiations between U.S. Steel, which owns the property, and the state had faltered. The corporation was moving forward to develop 1,400-acre parcel into upscale housing. The parcel includes five miles of Vermilion shoreline.
The state had set aside $20 million for the land purchase and to turn it into campgrounds and trails. U.S. Steel wanted more, but state law prevented the state from offering more.
But today Pawlenty announced that U.S. Steel has agreed to sell the property to the state of Minnesota for $18 million, according to a news release from the governor's office. A $2.3 million gap will be treated as a donation.
The governor will ask legislators in the upcoming session to remove the cap imposed on the deal two years ago.
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