[Video] Minneapolis After the Lock - Unlocking New Opportunities

More than 200 people packed the Mill City Museum to learn about the future of the Minneapolis Riverfront after the closing of the Upper Lock at St. Anthony Falls, which will be no later than June 10 of this year.  The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership convened an expert panel to explore the possibilities.  We've broken the event video into sections, followed by the entire event with a running time 1:29:02.

Whitney Clark, Executive Director, Friends of the Mississippi River

Whitney delivers an impassioned plea to faithfully implement the Above the Falls Master Plan, protecting it from being eroded by private interests to the detriment of the common good:

John Anfinson, Superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, National Park Service

John explains how the St. Anthony Falls Locks failed to live up to hopes for economic viability, and the invasive carp threat were just the final trigger for closure:

Thomas Meyer, Principal, MSR Architecture

Tom recaps key moments in recent history of the Central Riverfront, culminating in the lock closure:

Nan Bischoff, Project Manager/FERC Coordinator, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Nan details the logistics of the lock closure, shares possibilities for the future, and gives an update on hydro projects at St. Anthony Falls:

Janna King, President, Economic Development Services Inc.

Janna King shares details of economic impact of the lock closure:

Public Comments & Questions

The public forum portion of the event:

Jacob Frey, Minneapolis City Council Member, Ward 3

Jacob highlights the future potential of the Minneapolis Riverfront in opening remarks:

The Full Event - 1hr 29mins Running Time

Event Description

Hosted by the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership - When barge traffic ends, river management practices such as dredging will change. The closure will also have an environmental and economic impact on the entire river in the city of Minneapolis. What are the opportunities that the lock closure will bring to the river and riverfront in terms of recreation and development? How does this closure fit into the Central Riverfront Master Plan?

These questions and others were addressed. Panel speakers were:

- John Anfinson, Superintendent, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, National Park Service

- Nanette Bischoff, Project Manager/FERC Coordinator, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

- Thomas Meyer, Principal, MSR Architecture, Interiors and Urban Design

- Janna King, President, Economic Development Services, Inc.

- Moderator: Kathleen Boe, Executive Director of the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership

According to Federal law, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will close St. Anthony Falls Upper Lock no later than June 2015 primarily to stop the spread of invasive carp into the Upper River. Such a spread has the potential to inflict destruction on lakes and rivers throughout Minnesota, effectively destroying water recreation throughout the state.