Downtown planetarium stalled by money concerns

While it reaches for the stars, the Minnesota Planetarium Society is having a hard time finding a place to land here on Planet Earth.

The new downtown Minneapolis library was built, at an additional cost of $1.8 million, to handle a rooftop planetarium. But the library's new owner, Hennepin County, is wary of taking on the financial responsibility associated with a planetarium. Augsburg College is pursuing the planetarium for its new science center, but some proponents say that would "skinny down" the project.

These issues are stalling the campaign to raise money for the $39 million facility.

Society officials sat down recently with the County Board to determine what the county needs to make a decision and how to move ahead with the project.

"We've been anxious to get on with it. The county wants to understand what the implications are," said Frank Parisi, interim executive director for the society.

"What we're hoping for is that they'll go forward with a work group with some specific assignments to come back in a relatively short time so they can make the decision to go forward or not."

The old downtown library featured a planetarium from 1961 until the building was razed for the new library, which opened two years ago. The planetarium, with a small theater and not much else, was heavily subsidized by the city.

Space for a much bigger facility -- with exhibit space for traveling shows and other features that modern planetaria offer -- was built into the new library. The Legislature approved $22 million in state bonding to build it. But ownership of the library changed hands when the cash-strapped city library system merged with the county library system Jan. 1.

Search for support, money

County commissioners have remained wary of the planetarium obligation. That has left the society largely spinning its wheels on a fundraising campaign for the balance of a $39 million expanded planetarium.

Society officials say they're not looking for more public money to build the planetarium. (The county has no planetarium bonding authority anyway.) But before private fundraising can begin, they say it's critical for the county to sign on as a partner.

The society is, however, looking for other county financial help. It's seeking $250,000 to help finance fundraising expenses, and help in making up an operating deficit that's expected to average $580,000.

That troubles commissioners such as Mike Opat, who worries that larger-than-expected deficits will fall on county taxpayers.

"That's an untenable spot for me to be in because it's bound to take away from something else," Opat said.

Some commissioners have suggested that the city take responsibility for operation of the planetarium atop the county-owned library.

Other locations in play

Complicating the matter is an idea that the planetarium might make more sense as part of a major new science facility on the Augsburg College campus near downtown.

Augsburg is interested in pursuing that, but its status as a private school might stand in the way of using the state bonding money. And some society officials say that a partnership with Augsburg would mean downsizing the planetarium to the point where it would not be a destination attraction.

"If we skinny down our ability to host serious shows, then we're undermining our mission," Parisi said. That could hamper fundraising.

Although three commissioners now appear to support going ahead at the library spot -- assuming financial obligations can be clarified -- at least four votes are needed.

Some commissioners think parking would be a problem for a downtown spot. Suburban commissioners Linda Koblick and Penny Steele suggested that a planetarium at the Mall of America would offer more synergy with entertainment venues, the airport and light-rail transit.

The Science Museum of Minnesota and University of Minnesota already have passed on joining the planetarium project.

The society's greatest visibility now comes from its efforts to spark interest in the heavens among schoolkids with a portable inflatable dome in which students can figuratively traverse galaxies. It's heavily booked by schools, but not the real thing.

So that leaves the society hoping the county will agree to move ahead. "What we're asking you here ... is to do something," University of Minnesota astronomy Prof. Lawrence Rudnick told commissioners. "The $22 million is sitting there and eroding."

Steve Brandt • 612-673-4438