Thisweek Online

Caponi offers to sell park land to Eagan

Posted: 3/28/03

by Tad Johnson
Thisweek Newspapers
Tony Caponi, founder of the 60-acre Caponi Art Park in Eagan, has a book compiled recounting the more than 30-year history of the park.

He said during a special meeting with the City Council on Tuesday that he hopes the book will be complete when he adds the last episode with his current proposal.

After offering to sell the land to the city three times in the past 16 years, Caponi and the city are moving forward with another plan he hopes will assure the continued operation of Caponi Art Park and Learning Center.

ìHopefully we can get on with it,î Caponi told council members.

The council unanimously acted on a motion to consider adopting at its April 1 meeting guidelines for the Parks and Recreation Commission to use to address Caponiís proposal.

Because of several issues surrounding the proposal, the council hesitated giving Caponi a ìyesî Tuesday although he sought a commitment ìtoday.î

Caponi said he needed to sell the property because he could no longer afford the liability.

ìHow many years does it take to show patience?î Caponi said. ìI donít want to make money here. If I wanted to make money, I would put it out for bids.î

The land was appraised recently at about $4 million, according to Ken Vraa, director of parks and recreation.

In the proposal, Caponi would sell 30 acres to the city and 20 acres to a to-be-determined governing board, and would gift 10 acres to Macalester College, where Caponi was professor and chairman of the art department.

The city would purchase the parkís southern 30 acres, which has an estimated value between $1.5 million and $1.75 million, according to Vraa.

Under the plan, the city would maintain the 60-acre park, while a governing board would oversee programming. Council members questioned how the different entities involved in the project would operate.

ìI think before you say yes, you have to say how,î said Council Member Peggy Carlson. ìThe huge thing here is going to be the legal issues. I think we have to do some legwork here quickly.î

The guidelines the council will review Tuesday, April 1 will address:

ïÝthe concept,

ïÝhow the park fits into the cityís park system,

ïÝgovernance and operation,

ïÝfunding sources and partners,

ïÝa time line,

ïÝlegal issues,

ïÝboard structure, and

ïÝlong-term funding and an operational plan.

The discussion will also review how the park will continue to operate in 2003.

Council Member Mike Maguire said the questions the council posed Tuesday were ìnot to undermine the proposal. These are questions we need to answer before we could move forward.î

ìWe have some ëiís to dot and ëtís to cross,î said City Administrator Tom Hedges. ìWe have to establish a process.î

It was suggested that attorneys representing the city and Caponi meet as soon as possible. Among the questions for them to answer will be how the city will interact with a governing board of the park. Hedges indicated he didnít think it was possible for the city to own land and defer operating decisions to another party.

Caponi, who said he has been preserving space before it was ìEagan,î founded the art park as a place where the public could enjoy both visual and performing arts. The Caponi Art Park and Learning Center was incorporated as a nonprofit in 1992 and has hosted art workshops and outdoor performances since 1995.

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