By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – The idea of a Downtown Bloomington hotel and conference center might have been revived.

During the public comment portion of Monday night’s city council meeting, developer Jim Pearson of The Vantage Group lobbied for a 110 room hotel and conference center attached to Grossinger Motors Arena.

Pearson, also a Bloomington Planning Commissioner, said the development would finish the arena project the way it should have been done ten years ago.

“I brought you a solution and a goal for success,” said Pearson.

“Are you willing to step up and join the partnership team concept for Bloomington’s revitalization as the new premier city of the Twin Cities?”

Pearson noted the city owns the property, so there would be no additional cost to taxpayers.

He said he’ll present detailed plans for the project to city staff in the coming weeks.

Also, Mayor Tari Renner presented his fifth State of the City address.

Fixing streets and infrastructure, and revitalizing underperforming areas like Eastland Mall are his top priorities.

He said the council has to make some tough choices in coming up with ways to overcome what’s expected to become a $3 million budget deficit.

“We’ve either got to cut some services that may very well be quite popular. Or we need to try to figure out more creative ways to deliver services without cutting them, or we have to figure out ways to impose either user fees and obviously the dreaded “T, tax word,” Renner said.

The mayor and council have said before they don’t favor property tax increases to balance the budget even though revenue is flat or declining, and expenses are creeping higher.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]