2002 Minnesota Statutes

     85.34 Fort Snelling lease. 

    Subdivision 1.    Upper bluff; lease terms.  The 
 commissioner of natural resources with the approval of the 
 Executive Council may lease for purposes of restoration, 
 preservation, historical, recreational, educational, and 
 commercial use and development, that portion of Fort Snelling 
 state park known as the upper bluff consisting of officer's row, 
 area J, the polo grounds, the adjacent golf course, and all 
 buildings and improvements located thereon, all lying within an 
 area bounded by Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, 
 trunk highways numbered 5 and 55, and Bloomington Road.  The 
 lease or leases shall be in a form approved by the attorney 
 general and for a term of not to exceed 99 years.  The lease or 
 leases may provide for the provision of capital improvements or 
 other performance by the tenant or tenants in lieu of all or 
 some of the payments of rent that would otherwise be required. 

    Subd. 2.    Admission.  Admission to the property leased 
 pursuant to subdivision 1 shall be exempt from any state park 
 permit or admission fees imposed pursuant to law. 

    Subd. 3.    Sale of intoxicating liquor.  The 
 commissioner of public safety with the approval of the Executive 
 Council may issue to the lessee or developer of the property 
 leased pursuant to subdivision 1, an on-sale license for the 
 sale of intoxicating liquor upon the leased property.  The 
 annual fee for the license issued pursuant to this subdivision 
 shall be set by the commissioner of public safety at an amount 
 comparable to the fee charged by municipalities in the 
 surrounding area for a similar license.  All provisions of 
 chapter 340 shall apply to the sale of intoxicating liquor upon 
 the leased property. 

    Subd. 4.    Disposition of lease receipts.  All receipts 
 derived from the leasing or operation of the property described 
 in subdivision 1 shall be deposited in the state treasury and be 
 credited to the state parks working capital account designated 
 in section 85.22, subdivision 1.  Receipts and expenses from the 
 leasing or operation of the property described in subdivision 1 
 shall be tracked separately within the account.  Money in the 
 account derived from the leasing or operation of the property 
 described in subdivision 1 is annually appropriated for the 
 payment of expenses attributable to the leasing and operation of 
 the property described in subdivision 1, including but not 
 limited to the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of 
 historic buildings and landscapes.  Any excess receipts in this 
 account are annually appropriated for historic preservation 
 purposes within state parks. 

    Subd. 5.    Rule exception.  The commissioner of natural 
 resources may provide an exception, in whole or in part, to the 
 rules for use of state parks and other recreational areas for 
 property leased pursuant to subdivision 1.  The exception may be 
 provided by commissioner's order and shall be effective for the 
 term of the lease or such lesser period of time specified by the 
 commissioner. 

    HIST: 1978 c 573 s 1; 2000 c 488 art 3 s 23-25