Blaine's future bright, new city manager says

During one of his first visits to Blaine, Crookston native Clark Arneson was stunned to learn that in one of Minnesota's fastest-growing communities, you can still hunt deer and ride snowmobiles.

"That was a surprise to me, but it shows how diverse Blaine is," said Blaine's new city manager.

After working 20 years in Bloomington, where he became assistant city manager in 2004, Arneson comes to an Anoka County suburb that seems to have it all: established commodities in the National Sports Center and TPC golf course, open land to lure new business, close proximity to Minneapolis and St. Paul, an airport that's undergoing a $35 million refurbishing and a conscience towards the environment.

Once considered the future home of a new Vikings stadium and Zygi Wilf's proposed $1.67 billion Northern Lights retail, sports and entertainment complex, Blaine is moving ahead full throttle with Plan B.

As Wilf quietly continues to purchase property and negotiate with land owners near the Metrodome, Blaine, like Bloomington after the Vikings left that city a quarter-century ago, is moving in a new direction.

The similarities of the two suburbs are not lost on Arneson.

Q: What about this job intrigued you?

A: I would classify Blaine as a gateway city. By that, I mean a city that has infrastructure and 15- to 20-minute proximity to the heart of the metro area, but also has available land. There are only a handful of these cities: Maple Grove, Woodbury, Lakeville.

I would not have left Bloomington, except for a handful of communities in the metro area. I wasn't looking for a job. There's a city manager's checklist when you're looking at communities. Is it solid financially? Is there a growth corridor? Is there inexpensive and available land? Does it have an excellent community, excellent civic leadership and staff? Good schools? Are there significant events to plan around?

Blaine meets all the criteria. How could I not be interested?

I compared Bloomington and Blaine. Bloomington's population today is 85,000. Blaine is growing to 80,000. They are almost identical in geographical size. They have tourism-related industries: Bloomington has Mall of America and Blaine has the 3M [golf tournament] and National Sports Center. Without an international airport, Blaine will never have the 7,800 hotel rooms Bloomington has. But the [$35 million in] improvements to the [reliever] airport in Blaine are major. They have almost identical locations in the metro area, just reversed: Bloomington starts at 75th Street S. and Blaine starts at 85th Street N.

Both have solid leadership and reputations. I think Bloomington is 15 to 20 years ahead of Blaine. I don't think that matters. It's the natural cycle for those particular cities.

Q: Some Anoka County officials reacted bitterly after the Vikings spurned Blaine for the Metrodome site in pursuit of their new stadium. But Blaine quietly but quickly went back to its planning book and moved on. Was there anything to gain from the Vikings experience?

A: I've heard nothing about a renewed Vikings deal, so I think it's fair to say that it's done. That said, I think there are positives for Blaine and for Anoka County. Both were the focal point of lots of conversation, all of it positive. It put the spotlight on Blaine and put Anoka County on the map. It got people's attention, in a positive way.

Q: Infinite Campus, a provider of data-management systems to 900 school districts in 41 states, opens its new $20 million headquarters in Blaine this year. Are other businesses considering Blaine as a new home?

A: We have a strong industrial base and a wage structure that we hope attracts light industrial and manufacturing. SportsTown USA [a recreation and retail development project] would cover 740,000 square feet. We're working on attracting companies with a med-tech and bio-tech focus. I won't name names, but other [companies] are looking at Blaine.

We've just approved two senior rental projects. In addition, there are 178 new rental townhouse units. That's close to 600 total new rental units we've approved in Blaine.

Q: The drive from Blaine to downtown Minneapolis used to be a direct line on I-35W. How has the collapse of the I-35W bridge affected Blaine?

A: It's changed the traffic patterns of the north metro area. There are more people driving east and west to go north and south.

It's made people think differently about the metro area overall. The growth in the northern metro has moved beyond Blaine. You can see it with the [Running Aces harness] race track in Columbus. There's growth in Wyoming and Forest Lake. Now the in-fill will begin. By that, I mean the sites along the interstate will fill in. I think there will be lots of growth and change along Interstate 35 over the next 10 to 20 years.

Q: With million-dollar homes and trailer parks, is such a contrast in economic diversity healthy for Blaine?

A: We have four manufactured-home parks and they do provide an affordable housing market in Blaine. Every community should provide that opportunity. You need the affordable product as well.

Q: Elwyn Tinklenberg, the congressional candidate and former commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, was mayor of Blaine. Don Poss, the driving force behind the building of the Metrodome and Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, was Blaine's city manager. Have you met with them?

A: I've had coffee with El Tinklenberg and will be meeting with Don Poss when he's in town. I've spent time talking to Steve Novak [Anoka County's governmental services division manager]. [Blaine Mayor] Tom Ryan has been great.

It's not always required of this job, but I like to meet and greet. I talk to citizens whenever the opportunity presents itself. That's how you learn what a city needs.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419