Stalled plans to build a massive water park at Mall of America are back on as Bloomington officials and mall owners have negotiated the outline of a new public subsidy package.

Why it matters: The water park, mall and city leaders say, will be a major tourist draw and help keep MOA competitive.

Catch up quick: First COVID, then high interest rates, put the project on the back burner for the past four years.

• The new plans call for a smaller water park — 143,000 square feet, compared to the original 250,000-square-foot proposal.

Between the lines: Bloomington council members will get an update Thursday on a new financing proposal for the $250 million water park and $75 million parking ramp.

• The city would lean on tax-increment financing (TIF) to pay for the parking ramp and about one-third of the water park's cost.
• After mall owner Triple 5's debt payments to a private lender, the city would collect at least $100 million in profits from the park. That money could pay for affordable housing and other development in the area.

Zoom in: Called Mystery Cove, new renderings of the water park show it still having a clear roof, but now it would be retractable and could open on warm days, reducing energy costs, according to a staff memo.

• It would be connected by skyway to the megamall, and MOA plans to eventually build an attached hotel.

What they're saying: Bloomington Port Authority administrator Holly Masek told Axios that the mall has been shifting from heavily retail to a mix that includes more entertainment in an effort to "remain relevant."

What's next: Pending financing, staff anticipates design and planning approvals happening in 2024 with construction starting in 2025. That would mean a 2027 opening.

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A new report found Minneapolis had the third-worst air quality among large U.S. cities in 2023.

The big picture: Cities with the worst average particle pollution levels in 2023 were in the Upper Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, Axios' Jacob Knutson reports.

• These regions were smothered in smoke from Canada's unprecedented wildfire season.

Why it matters: In addition to being gross to breathe, air pollution is the world's leading environmental health threat, according to World Health Organization estimates.

The bottom line: As we reported in December, the cumulative exposure to fine particle pollution in the Twin Cities last year was the equivalent of smoking 89.8 cigarettes.

Go Deeper: Midwest cities had worst air quality in U.S. in 2023

🌹 On the season finale of "The Bachelor" last night, Becker native Daisy Kent was up for the final rose. Spoiler alert, so click with caution. (Star Tribune)

💵 Minnesota property owners harmed by the state's forfeiture practices will share in a $109 million payout from the state. The settlement followed a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of the seizure of a now 95-year-old Hennepin County woman's property. (Star Tribune)

🚔 Plans for a new building to house Minneapolis' Third Police Precinct continue to rile some advocates who say the community hasn't been involved enough. (Sahan Journal)

🎓 Carleton College was Minnesota's most selective in 2023, according to a new analysis, accepting fewer than one in five applicants. (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)

Tonight, Twin Cities PBS will debut a documentary on Henry Boucha, the Warroad-born hockey star who died last fall at age 72.

Why it matters: Boucha, a member of the Ojibwe Nation, blazed trails for Native Americans in sports — hence the film's title, "The Electric Indian."

Catch up quick: In 1969, he led his small-town high school team to the state championship game before going pro.

• While playing for the Minnesota North Stars in 1975, an on-ice attack by an opposing player damaged his vision, effectively ending a promising NHL career at age 23. The player who attacked him was later charged with aggravated assault but wasn't convicted.

What to expect: The film explores how Boucha overcame post-hockey struggles, reconnected with his family and hometown, and ultimately "reclaimed his true identity," said director Leya Hale.

What they're saying: "He made a place for Native people in this predominantly white town," Hale told Axios.

How to watch: "The Electric Eagle" debuts at 8pm on TPT Ch. 2 and will be available for streaming on the Twin Cities PBS website.

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Slice Watch Bar, a fifth outpost of New York-style pizzeria Slice Brother's Pizza, opened in St. Paul's Treasure Island Center last weekend, Axios' Audrey Kennedy reports.

What to expect: An expanded menu with wine and beer, patio seating, and plenty of TVs, per a news release.

🍗 Eden Prairie BBQ joint Baker's Ribs is reopening Tuesday after a four-month hiatus due to a fire, Eden Prairie Local News reports.

🏆 Surly Brewing Co.'s Axe Man IPA took home Best in Show at the Minnesota Brewers Cup last weekend, according to the Star Tribune.

🥂 Picnic, the neighborhood bar and restaurant taking over the former Clancey's space in Linden Hills, will hold a soft grand opening March 29 at 11am, according to social media.

😋 Diane's Place, the much-anticipated Asian bistro by acclaimed pastry chef Diane Moua, will officially open April 6 and is accepting reservations now, per a news release.

🍣 After closing in January, Origami Restaurant in Uptown is reopening under new ownership as Origami Tiger Sushi, Southwest Voices reports. Expect an April opening.

🏴‍☠️ Latin-Caribbean bistro Jackey's Peg Leg is now open in the former Hunan Garden space in downtown St. Paul, the Pioneer Press reports.

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