The owner of Minnesota United FC has filed paperwork with St. Paul officials seeking permission to build a hotel, restaurant, and parking ramp near the soccer team's home stadium.

The big picture: If city leaders approve, the hotel complex would be the first major piece of the long-awaited "United Village" superblock development around Allianz Field to start construction.

Why it matters: Many in the Midway neighborhood have watched the project for years, hoping it could bring new vitality to the area. The University Avenue corridor was battered by the pandemic and the 2020 civil unrest.

Details: A developer group led by team owner Bill McGuire is planning an eight-story, 150-room hotel with a full service restaurant.

• The complex would also include a five-story parking ramp with 300 stalls, according to a zoning application filed last week.

Flashback: Plans for the urban village have been circulating since at least 2016, when the city approved a master plan for the site that calls for housing, office space, and entertainment options around Allianz Field.

• Less than a year after the stadium opened, the COVID-19 pandemic began, delaying the project.

What's happening: Construction is already underway on a playground and a sculpture of a giant loon at the corner of Snelling and University.

• Developers also hope to build an office building in the project's first phase.

Between the lines: It will still be years before the entire site is completed.

What's next: Developers hope to break ground on the hotel this year, but they'll first need the city to grant zoning variances.

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The race to replace retiring DFL Rep. Frank Hornstein is already heating up.

The latest: Four Democrats — including a well-known pundit online and a former city council candidate — have jumped in the race in recent days for the soon-to-be-open Minneapolis seat.

• Hornstein, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, announced less than a week ago that he's retiring after 22 years in the Legislature.

The big picture: Retirements tend to trigger runs from multiple aspiring elected officials since it's hard to beat an incumbent, especially in a safe seat.

Who's in: Former Ward 10 City Council candidate Katie Jones, legislative aide Isabel Rolfes, and Will Stancil, a U of M researcher and prolific tweeter.

• Dylan McMahon, a policy analyst who until recently led a local DFL unit in the district, announced his bid last night.

Between the lines: House District 61A isn't the only open seat in Minneapolis attracting competition. Former Minneapolis Park Board member Londel French and political organizer Bill Emory are running to succeed outgoing Rep. Hodan Hassan in House District 62B.

U.S. Senate candidate backs Trump

"You know he's strong on defense and from a policy perspective, I support that. I can't answer for his behavior and the way that he carries himself as the President of the United States. But he is who he is."

Why it matters: Fraser's 2024 endorsement underscores the influence the presumptive nominee has within the Republican Party — especially for those vying for the GOP endorsement.

• Just a month ago, Fraser, one of five GOP candidates running to challenge U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, declined to weigh in on the race.

The Trump effect in the 2nd District...

The man who shot and killed two Burnsville police officers and a paramedic on Sunday used multiple guns during the standoff, a newly filed court document says. (Star Tribune)

• What's next: A public memorial service for all three slain first responders is expected to be held on Feb. 28 in Eden Prairie.

🥼 3M has set a date to spinoff its health care business. Solventum will launch on the New York Stock Exchange on April 1. (Twin Cities Business)

🎙️ Twin Cities radio personality Brian Oake says he left Cities 97.1 in the wake of schedule changes announced by iHeartMedia. (BringMeTheNews)

🛣️ The number of traffic fatalities on Minnesota roads so far this year is nearly double what it was at this point in 2023. (MPR News)

We're living among Mulders and Scullys.

State of extraterrestrial life: The Twin Cities metro area had 1,236 UFO sightings between 2000 and 2003, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick, Erin Davis, and Alice Feng report from National UFO Reporting Center data.

The big picture: That's about 33.5 sightings per 100,000 residents, below the national average of 34.3.

Why it matters: Discussion and reports of UFOs have been going more mainstream in recent years. Some lawmakers view the unidentified objects as a national security concern.

• What people are seeing out there could be experimental craft from Russia, China, or other U.S. adversaries.

Our thought bubble: The highest rates of sightings were largely in northern Minnesota. That tracks, given that it's easier to see interesting stuff in the night sky when you're far from sources of light pollution.

The bottom line: There's still no proof that we're being visited by extraterrestrials. But the truth, as they say, is out there.

👽 Go Deeper with the state and national UFO sightings maps.

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Kyle here. I'm starting a hunt for the Twin Cities' tastiest under-the-radar hot sauce.

Reply to this email with your favorite local maker of hot sauce.

• Be sure to tell us why their spicy condiment deserves a spot in our forthcoming taste test.

What we're looking for: A business that solely bottles and sells hot sauce, or a restaurant that boasts its own custom concoction.