More great press for Phase II

Once again, David Ybarra from the Minneapolis Building Trades has hit it out of the park. In his letter to the editor in Tuesday's Star Tribune, David makes a great case for the need to make Phase II a reality:

Letters to the editor for Tuesday, May 6, 2008
May 6, 2008
MALL SUBSIDY
See the big picture

Star Tribune columnist James Lileks doesn't get it ("Stores galore! But what of MOA parking ramp?", April 24). The state's role in authorizing the expansion of Mall of America has little to do with a parking ramp. People don't get on a plane in Europe to come visit a parking ramp in Minnesota.

The public contribution for public parking infrastructure allows the full private investment in the project to go forward, making the attraction something people from all over the world will continue to want to come and see.

The reality is that projects of this magnitude don't happen without some public involvement. Nearly every significant project in the past 20 years was made possible by a similar combination of public and private investment, including the Guthrie Theater, the Minneapolis Convention Center, Cabela's, the Blaine National Sports Center and the list goes on.

Lileks states that the mall is basically building a house and asking the state to pay for its floors. I say if that house employs 14,000 Minnesotans, generates millions in tax revenue and attracts cash-carrying tourists to our state, then we might want to consider throwing in the drapes too.

DAVID YBARRA II, BROOKLYN PARK;
BUSINESS MANAGER, MINNEAPOLIS BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL

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Monday afternoon, David, along with major construction executives, will lead a large delegation of constuction industry representatives to the state capitol to make the case directly to legislators. We'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes!