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Plans to repurpose the Ely Community Center building into a hotel are progressing - and the project was the source of brief discussion at the city council table earlier this week.
The council agenda also revealed the name of the hotel envisioned by Matt Stupnik, the developer who bought the near-century-old landmark from the city of Ely.
Stupnik’s business will be known as the Ely International Hotel, according to documents that were included in the council agenda packet.
Council members also approved a bid submitted by VCI Environmental to complete demolition and asbestos abatement at the building for $381,913, using demolition funds that were secured for the project.
Stupnik, who has Ely ties, plans to turn the former community building into a 22-unit boutique hotel as part of a $3.5 million project.
Clerk-treasurer Harold Langowski outlined the benefits of the project in response to questions posed by Emily Roose, who indicated she was forwarding concerns raised by a constituent.
“Can you explain how the Community Center, or Ely International Hotel benefits the city of Ely?” asked Roose.
“Certainly,” said Langowski. “That’s a private investment of three to four million dollars that will all be on the tax rolls. Previous to that purchase, and the sale for $2 to Mr. Stupnik and his company the building was the city’s obligation to insure, make sure it was safe, also the removal of snow around the building at the time as well.”
Roose also asked if the city was putting up funds for either the hotel initiative or the plans to renovate the old Depot (former Wilderness Outfitters) for a potential brewpub and event center.
“Just administrative time and these grant applications, Brownsfield clean up a lot of it revolving around cleanup of contaminated soils,” said Langowski.
Stupnik’s agreement requires him to meet various milestones as he moves forward, and approval of IRRRB funds triggered aspects of the project that require demolition, pulling apart of the heating and ventilation system in the facility, and removing asbestos and other hazardous materials.
Stupnik is providing his own capital and has lined up a roughly 20-year hiatus Meets consist of a written round of 60 questions and four oral rounds of 45 questions.
For oral rounds, three teams of like score compete against each other, with there being up to six rooms of competition happening simultaneously. Teams consist of a maximum of five teammates in the written round, and up to four in the oral rounds.
“The questions follow Minnesota high school curriculum, and all subjects are represented - sciences, math, English, fine arts, world languages, history, civics, geography, and more that I’m sure I’m forgetting,” said Kubiak.
The team needs to raise funds to help cover expenditures for the upcoming state tournament trip.
Proceeds from the Boathouse Brewpub’s next Trivia Night, slated for either April 9 or 10, will help cover some of the costs.
