LETTER: Palace input heard, to be summarized

Talk about it

To the Editor:

Thank you to the public for taking the time to let us know what you think about the concepts and ideas for the Next Generation Corn Palace shared by the architectural team.

Your letters to the editor, articles, phone calls, letters, e-mails and opinions provided at public input sessions are valued and important for developing a plan for the future of Mitchell and the Corn Palace.

We have heard you. We listened to your thoughts and opinions about the ideas proposed to improve the downtown area around the Corn Palace, enhance the visitor experience and improve the seating in the arena of the Corn Palace. We know and understand that it is important to consider how people in our community will be affected by changes to the icon of our city.

It’s hard work to design, develop and facilitate projects as big in scope as this one. We believe the plan for the Next Generation Corn Palace has to be developed and implemented using a consensus-based planning process that involves the entire community. There is power in collaborative problem solving and we believe that the involvement of citizens with diverse perspectives is key to improving the quality of life and economic opportunity for ourselves, our children, grandchildren and visitors to Mitchell for generations.

Your thoughts and opinions are so important that the committee will present a review of the input we’ve heard thus far at the special City Council meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday in City Council Chambers. We will continue to work with the City Council to formulate a vision and plan for the Next Generation Corn Palace based on community input.

In the meantime, please continue to let us know what you think about the Next Generation Corn Palace concepts and ideas.

Members of the Tourism/Corn Palace Area Development Committee: Doug Dailey, Morgan Theeler Law Firm; Tom Patzer, Patzer Woodworking; Marty Barington, City Council; Jason Bradley, Culver’s; Molly Goldsmith, Mitchell Main Street & Beyond; Jacquelyn Johnson, Dice Financial Services; Tim McGannon, City of Mitchell; Stan Peterson, Campbell’s Supply; Mark Schilling, Corn Palace; Lonnie Wiese, Artwest Creative; Barb Odegaard, Corn Palace Gift Shop; Dale Odegaard, Corn Palace Gift Shop; Hannah Walters, Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau; Katie Knutson, Mitchell Convention and Visitors Bureau

Tags: corn palace, opinion, updates, letters, local, mitchell, downtown