Burnsville hall gets OK to stay open for the time being

A convention hall that features everything from weddings to mixed cage-match fights will be allowed to continue operating in Burnsville.

But not everything is bright for Super Mercado Olmeca, which operates the hall.

The City Council is only allowing the establishment to stay in business for the next 12 months because it is located in a strip mall designated for major redevelopment next year.

The decision is the latest twist in an ongoing battle between present business and future development at Valley Ridge Shopping Center, the oldest such operation in Burnsville, parts of which have been open since 1963.

Since that time the shopping mall, on Burnsville Parkway just west of County Road 5, has deteriorated and needs an extreme makeover, according to city officials.

In fact, the most likely scenario is that the entire strip mall will be torn down by the end of next year, which is why Olmeca's use permit was only extended a year.

Alex Luebbert, the owner of Super Mercado Olmeca, said he had no comment after the council vote on the future of the establishment.

The county already has given the city $250,000 to help acquire the land and on Tuesday night, during the City Council meeting, council members agreed to apply for another $250,000 grant from the CDA for redevelopment.

The Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on the proposed Valley Ridge development Monday night in the City Council chambers.

The convention center, which also functions as a tavern, is located in the old Q-Sharks Billiards part of the strip mall. Super Mercado Olmeca already owns a restaurant and store in Valley Ridge next to the hall.

Since last year, the company has leased an adjoining space of more than 10,000 square feet to use as the rental hall for such things as weddings, concerts, birthdays, anniversaries and other events.

In May, after receiving noise and loitering complaints about the new convention hall, the City Council put Olmeca and Luebbert on a six-month probationary period before deciding on extending the company's use permit.

"We've worked with Alex and his staff," Burnsville Police Chief Bob Hawkins told the City Council on Tuesday. "Alex has been a very good partner, especially with security."

Hawkins said that this year there have been 94 calls to the convention hall, but most of those were initiated by police cruising through the area on dance and concert nights. He said only 21 of those have resulted in police reports being written.

"That is not a high number," Hawkins said. "We don't feel there are any ongoing issues."