Minneapolis' Hiawatha Golf Course to learn its fate

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will take another swing Wednesday night at a plan to restructure the Hiawatha Golf Course to nine holes.

Why it matters: The vote on the $43 million proposal for the South Minneapolis land could mark the end of years of debate over what to do with the golf course.

• The plan aims to address a longstanding ecological issue. Hundreds of millions of gallons of water must be pumped from beneath the greens each year to keep the sinking land dry.
• But many golfers want to see the full course, which was built in 1929, preserved. It's an important place for the Black community because of its history as one of the first courses in the area to welcome Black players.

Details: The plan would transform part of the course into more public park space, with trails, beach access for canoes and kayaks and a sledding area, while keeping 9 holes.

Flashback: Commissioners voted 4-2, with two abstaining and one absent, to approve the plan in April. But a procedural objection related to an amendment rendered that vote obsolete.

What to expect: The proposal's fate tonight is unclear. At least one commissioner who sat out the last vote says she hasn't decided where she stands.