Destination Medical Center Corporation Board approves $10M for Soldiers Field Memorial Park improvements

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Destination Medical Center Corporation (DMCC) Board of Directors approved $10 million for improvements at Soldiers Field Memorial Park.

According to DMCC, this will help to fund proposed uses north of the golf course, which falls within the DMC District. Soldiers Field Golf Course is outside the district.

“We look forward to partnering with the community to make their vision for Soldiers Field become a reality,” DMC Board Chair Pamela Wheelock said. “It is a critical piece of community infrastructure and a great asset to downtown Rochester.”

The improvements will be based on the Soldiers Field Master plan update that is currently being reviewed by the Rochester City Council.

The board also approved funding for the continued support of LINK Bus Rapid Transit, the construction of the final two blocks of Discovery Walk and funding the advancement of the Riverfront Small Area Plan that was approved by the Rochester City Council in July 2022.

The board also received an update on DMC’s strategies to develop new community housing in the downtown core with the support of the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing, a collaborative community program to create and preserve affordable and workforce-priced housing in the Rochester area. One of the successful strategies has been the introduction of new housing developers to the Rochester market.

“It has been a long road getting everyone to the table,” DMC Board Secretary Paul Williams said. “This is exciting to see. We want to have a community where there is competition to build affordable housing.”

Additionally, the DMCC board approved the DMC Economic Development Agency’s (EDA) 2023 workplan and budgets. Strategic direction from the board as well as DMC goals, guiding principles and priorities helped shape the request. It will be presented in October to Rochester City Council for approval.

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