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Milwaukee County takes step toward $30 million commitment for Mitchell Park Domes renovation project

By
Samantha Dietel
-
A rendering of the proposed Nature Learning Center at the Mitchell Park Domes. Photo Credit: Friends of the Domes.

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Committee on Parks and Culture voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the county’s commitment to support a plan to renovate the Mitchell Park Domes. In November, the county’s approved budget included an amendment that the county would commit $30 million over a six-year period toward the $133.4 million

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Samantha Dietel
Samantha covers education, healthcare and nonprofits for BizTimes. She recently graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a journalism degree. She wrote for the Columbia Missourian newspaper, and covered Congress as an intern at States Newsroom’s Washington, D.C. bureau. She loves exploring new cities, listening to music and watching Star Wars.
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The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors Committee on Parks and Culture voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the county’s commitment to support a plan to renovate the Mitchell Park Domes. In November, the county’s approved budget included an amendment that the county would commit $30 million over a six-year period toward the $133.4 million Domes Reimagined Plan, which would address deferred maintenance at the conservatory, build new structures and amenities on the site and implement a new business plan. Milwaukee Domes Alliance, the nonprofit organization formerly known as Friends of the Domes, unveiled the renovation plan in September. After discussion, the Committee on Parks and Culture passed a resolution on Tuesday that takes a step toward officially implementing the county’s financial commitment to the renovation project at a time when there are limited resources to spread across a number of capital projects. The resolution still must be approved by the full County Board. The committee discussed whether other parks projects could be delayed if the county makes the $30 million investment in the Domes renovation project. “Now you get to this point where they’re (the Board of Supervisors) having to make hard choices between many important projects or initiatives that are happening throughout the entire district, all the districts, and at this point, they’re having to think, again, ‘$5 million each year — what does that mean for my district?” Christa Beall Diefenbach, CEO of Milwaukee Domes Alliance, said after the meeting. In a report submitted to the committee in advance of the meeting, Milwaukee County Parks said it “appreciates the fiscal challenges that Milwaukee County government is facing.” “In order to fund the county commitment, Milwaukee County Parks will advocate for this project to be the department’s highest priority in upcoming capital requests and understands that if Milwaukee County is able to fund the county commitment, then other requested capital projects from the Parks Department may not be able to receive funding,” the report states. Milwaukee Domes Alliance and Milwaukee County Parks are also working on a long-term lease agreement and a development agreement, both to eventually be presented to the County Board. Approval of the county’s financial commitment to the project is contingent on approval of the lease and development agreements. The lease agreement, which could last up to 99 years, would place Milwaukee Domes Alliance in charge of operations of the Domes. The county would continue to own Mitchell Park. The lease would begin as soon as funds are raised to begin the first segment of the project’s first phase. The first phase of the project is separated into three parts and is estimated to cost $111.8 million, according to meeting documents. The first phase — which will be funded by the county, private philanthropy, federal and state historic tax credits, federal and state grants, as well as new market tax credits — was previously estimated to cost about $107.4 million. The first phase includes all repairs and renovations except for the new nature learning center and courtyard, which would be completed in the second phase. Renovations for the first phase would begin in spring 2027 with the Show Dome, Transition Dome, family bathrooms, building mechanical systems, lobby, gift shop, entry and café. Restoration of the Desert Dome, education center offices and landscaping would begin in spring 2029, with the Tropical Dome and Mitchell Park restorations beginning in spring 2030. County funding would be released based on the ability of the Domes Alliance to raise the funds associated with that phase, as well as the progress made on construction for the project, said Milwaukee County Parks deputy director James Tarantino. Funding for the Domes renovation project also involves raising $35 million from private philanthropy. Diefenbach said she could not provide a fundraising update, but said after the Committee on Parks and Culture meeting that the capital campaign has received some significant donations. “It’s individuals who have stepped forward with what we consider a lead gift,” Beall Diefenbach said. “A lead gift would be six or seven figures. We’ve had individuals step forward and want to be part of the solution. What we’re asking of the community right now is, what role they would like to play as we’re working our way through this process.”

Historic and new market tax credits

Another substantial sum of the Domes renovation project funding would come from historic and new market tax credits, which are still intact following the passage of the federal budget reconciliation bill, Beall Diefenbach said after the committee meeting. According to the plans presented in September, the first phase of the project will be partially covered by: Considering recent federal funding changes, Milwaukee Domes Alliance has been monitoring whether the federal budget bill would affect historic tax credits and new market tax credits. Replacing that funding would have been a challenge, Beall Diefenbach said. The organization may have needed to increase its fundraising goal or delay the project, which ultimately would have increased the overall cost. “They’re fully intact in the current bill and allow us to continue being able to move this project forward,” Beall Diefenbach said.

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