[Mpls] Park Board to hire Dairy Queen at Lake Harriet?

[Annie Young]

I think Mark Anderson's response is good in asking what are the real issues 
about the concessions and who runs them.  My problem is not how to run them 
most efficiently and have the Park Board reap the benefits one way or the 
other.  My biggest problem and fear is about Corporate logos, signage and 
eventually growing beyond our control and then naming buildings and parks 
in our system. My first choices are always local home-grown businesses - 
but if they aren't interested or can't do the job well then I suppose 
franchised local entrepreneurs could be on the list of considerations in 
making the decision.
Two years I ago I spent hours and hours on this topic to the point of the 
Japanese making a documentary on the topic about the use of e-mail in 
regards to communicating with constituent's.  Let's pull out the archives 
and not rehash and rehash this issue.  My views haven't changed much since 
then and there are lots of big fish to fry on the Park Board agenda these days.
BTW - as a lover of our Park history I didn't see the connection between 
the Theodore Wirth story and this topic but then I don't understand why 
Americans love being owned and manipulated by the large corporations even 
when it comes to giving us money and goods that will make us happy as long 
as their name is on it.
Annie Young
citywide Park Commissioner