MINNESOTA UNITED FOUNDATION

MINNESOTA UNITED FOUNDATION (THE "FOUNDATION") RECEIVED A GRANT OF UP TO $2,000,000 AS AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE OF MINNESOTA LEGISLATURE IN H. F. NO. 1999, SEC. 2. ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, SUBD. 3.(E) "FOR THE DESIGN, LAND DEVELOPMENT, LAND TRANSFER FEES, AND PRODUCTION COSTS OF A PUBLIC ART PROJECT IN ST. PAUL AT THE UNITED VILLAGE SITE CELEBRATING MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL HERITAGE AND PROVIDING A UNIQUE PUBLIC ART EXPERIENCE THROUGH SCULPTURE AND DESIGN." THE GRANT MADE BY THE MINNESOTA STATE ARTS BOARD ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. THE GRANT WILL PAY FOR NO MORE THAN 50% OF THE COST TO CONSTRUCT THE PUBLIC SCULPTURE PLAZA DESCRIBED IN THE NEXT PARAGRAPH.UNDER A PRIVATELY-OWNED PUBLIC SPACE (POPS) AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ST. PAUL, SNELLING-MIDWAY REDEVELOPMENT, LLC ("SMR") DEDICATED APPROXIMATELY THREE-QUARTERS OF AN ACRE AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF SNELLING AND UNIVERSITY AVENUES, ONE OF THE BUSIEST INTERSECTIONS IN THE TWIN CITIES, AS A PUBLIC PARK. SMR WILL DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC PARK AS A PUBLIC SCULPTURE PLAZA. A 35-FOOT-HIGH, METAL SCULPTURE OF A LOON, THE STATE BIRD OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, WILL BE DISPLAYED IN THE SCULPTURE PLAZA. THE LOON SCULPTURE WILL BE OWNED BY A PRIVATE FOUNDATION, THE WILLIAM W. AND NADINE M. MCGUIRE FOUNDATION, OF WHICH DR. MCGUIRE IS A DIRECTOR, THAT IS DEDICATED TO FOSTERING THE ARTS, SUPPORTING EDUCATION, AND PRESERVING OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND ITS BIODIVERSITY, AND WILL BE LOANED TO SMR FOR DISPLAY IN THE PUBLIC SCULPTURE PLAZA.THE PUBLIC SCULPTURE PLAZA WILL BE CONSTRUCTED FROM FUNDS PROVIDED BY SMR AND THE MATCHING GRANT UP TO $2 MILLION RECEIVED BY THE FOUNDATION THAT IT WILL ADMINISTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE MINNESOTA STATE ARTS BOARD. CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCULPTURE PLAZA COMMENCED IN MAY 2024 AND THE LOON SCULPTURE WAS INSTALLED IN 2024.