Minneapolis City Council Halts $38M Public Safety Training Center Project

The Minneapolis City Council has voted down a proposal by Mayor Jacob Frey to purchase a 4.77-acre site at 146 W. 60th St. for $6 million. The proposed location was intended to serve as the foundation for a $38 million public safety training and wellness center, which would include classrooms, fitness spaces, and an indoor shooting range. Proponents of the project argued the facility was necessary to comply with a police reform settlement agreement, while opponents criticized the expenditure and the lack of a clear funding plan for the eventual construction.

The city is currently utilizing the former Hamilton Elementary School at 4119 Dupont Av. for police training, a facility described as undersized and improperly located in a residential area. Despite the defeat of this acquisition, officials noted the property was previously valued significantly lower, with an assessed value of roughly $1.4 million in 2025 and a sale price of $4 million in 2023. Council members expressed deep skepticism regarding the necessity of the purchase given current budget constraints and the availability of other sites, some of which carry asking prices as high as $11 million.