The American Crystal Palace

Artist, David Danielson from Roseau offers this great idea:  "I have been brainstorming about the Palace/Wayne Hotel. I'm hoping for the best with the Artspace meeting. Nonprofits have been hit hard by the downturn in the economy, though. Have you thought about corporate branding with iconic symbolism? How about renaming the Palace/Wayne the American Crystal Palace, celebrating what the Crookston region is mostly about "Sugar". People always like something sweet and I think would stop in Crookston for that free bag of sugar or sugar concoction or sugar related nicknack. A sugarbeet sculpture would be kitschy but no more kitschy than Paul and Babe.
 A coffeeshop with special gourmet crystal sugar condiments, historical museum of sugar production ,migrant workers etc. The building is large enough to house that and artspace, a large restaurant and museum space for french heritage(a heraldic sculpture of an oxcart )and other specialty stores, and of course adjunct university facilities.
 The Iconic symbolism comes into play in peoples imaginations(especially children's who want to have their pictures taken with it). Paul and Babe are the perfect folk art Iconic Symbols celebrating their region, I'm sure 99.9 percent of people in this area have stood by Paul and Babe, and why Bemidji is a tourist destination and Grand Rapids isn't so much. I'm sure American Crystal Sugar would be interested in helping in renovation along with all the sugar beet farmers and everyone else, by catering to their self interest, giving them a piece of the project. The more they give the larger the plaque or engraved brick(or hand prints in concrete) they get on the building(Roseau has done this successfully putting in a 300,000 fireplace in the library, and recently a large Gazebo in a park). There is really no reason why something grand can't be done. Roseau resurrected their old creamery building which was just a shell with no roof or windows. A group of local  private investors scrapped together 3 million, attracted one of the largest restaurant(250 seat) chains in Winnipeg. Put the Polaris Experience in and a coffeeshop. Its still a success, so if a one horse town can do it, theres no reason why Crookston can't."

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Two year goal for Crookston!

The people of Crookston are speaking up about working together. And they are saying that Crookston is a great all-around place to be. As part of that vision, where do we want to be in two years? In two years, the next "bonding bill" year for the State Legislature, I want to see the "Northwest Centre for the Arts" or "Second Street Arts Centre" project successfully funded. OK, so we haven't even enjoyed our visit from "Artspace" yet I can see it, can you?

The former Wayne Hotel and former Cathedral on Ash Street are by now cleaned up through successful grant applications and donations. The spaces on the main floor of the Hotel and the former Cathedral will become working and performing art spaces for all kinds of artists, young and old: sculptors, pottery makers, metal workers, painters, musicians, actors,  photographers, video movie designers, and dancers, and the balance of funding will come from the State.

I've offered to Polk County free grantwriting services on the former Wayne Hotel for the roof and the clean up. I am already working on these grant apps for the Cathedral. In two years, I want to see Crookston written up in the news as a successful funded bonding bill project. We will need to drop our personal agendas and work together to make this happen, not just talk about it one way in public and another way in private.  Can we do that?  I have hope.

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