As city-owned and operated, the council told Vaadeland on October 12 that Starbuck residents should have a right to voice their opinion concerning any potential sale of the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park.. In order to gauge the interest of the entire revitalization project and the public's interest with potentially selling the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park to a private investor, the council scheduled an informational meeting which is scheduled for November 30 at the Starbuck Community Center. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Starbuck Revitalization

Project history

Estimated at a cost of $75-$100 million, the Starbuck Revitalization Project has been called a 25-year plan for Starbuck. The original plan was paid for by the Steve Klick Foundation, and would rely on individual investors to build such things as condominiums, a water park, waterfront hotel/convention center, golf courses, an expanded marina, and more housing and development around the Starbuck area.

Much of the development would take place on the south edge of Starbuck, including the city-owned Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park. The project would rely on individual investors to construct the various parts of the project, not taxpayers dollars.

According to the plan, if the waterfront hotel/convention center is built on the site of Hobo Park, a new 200 unit RV Park would be built across the highway near the outlet creek from Lake Minnewaska. The new RV Park would feature new restrooms, playground equipment, showering facilities, shelter areas, and electrical hookups.

In addition to the move of Hobo Park, the Starbuck Marina would be expanded to the north, according to the plan, and could feature several seasonal buildings such as a gas/bait store, restaurant, and boat rental.

Other highlights of the 25-year plan include: expanded commercial and industrial businesses, condominiums and more single family homes, a lake front boardwalk, development of the airport and lake front area on the south part of town, and a water park.

The original plan was presented to the public during an informational meeting at the Starbuck Community Center on October 16, 2008. Another public meeting with officials from the Minnesota DNR was held at the Starbuck Community Center on January 7. Over the course of the past few months, the project has been brought to the table of the city council as Vaadeland and Starbuck Area Chamber of Commerce President Gary Minor have asked the council if it would be willing to pay for a portion of the EAW study, or a more inexpensive pre-EAW study on the Starbuck Marina and Hobo Park.

The city said it would not be willing to pay for a portion of the study or sell the two parks without first getting input from the public.