X Games proposing motorcycle, skateboard competitions outside the Mall of America

The X Games, an extreme sports event organized by ESPN, is coming to the Mall of America this summer.

The Bloomington City Council on Monday granted a noise exemption for the X Games to host some of its competitions at a lot next to the mall on July 12-13 and also in July 2018.

The X Games announced last year that most of the competitions will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

"This is pretty exciting to see such an event going on in the South Loop," Council Member Dwayne Lowman said Monday.

A proposal was filed with the city by Delta Metro Investments, a mall-affiliated entity that owns the lot where events would be held on the southwest corner of E. 82nd Street and 28th Avenue S.

According to the proposal, the Bloomington site would host a motorcycle race on a dirt track, BMX and skateboard competitions on a half-pipe ramp, and live music. The competitions would be broadcast on ESPN.

Danny Chi, a spokesman for the X Games, said the full list of events will be announced Friday.

The noise exemption was needed because the sound of the motorcycles could be widespread. "While the proposal is only for a couple of days ... the highest noise times of the events are between about 6 and 10 p.m.," Lee said.

Surrounding buildings were alerted about the noise, Lee said. Jacob Steen, an attorney representing the applicants, said most new hotels already mitigate noise because of planes flying overhead from nearby Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

"I'm guessing that a fair number of their guests those two days might be attending this event, too," Lee said.

"It could be music to their ears," Mayor Gene Winstead replied.

The X Games and applicants will work with the city's Special Events Committee before the competition to receive temporary permits and coordinate with police. Lee said those permits will likely be issued.