This Organization Is Interested In Buying Selke Field

St. Cloud State has put Selke Field up for sale.  It is about 16.28 acres and is zoned R-2 Single Family and Two Family Residential/POS Parks and Open Spaces. The appraised value is $290,000.  The sale of the property is first offered to public entities before private entities can place a bid.  Central Minnesota Youth Soccer President Emily Willaert joined me on WJON.  She says once the sale of the property becomes available to private parties within the next week or two, they intent to make a bid to buy it.

Central Minnesota Youth Soccer has been renting Selke Field for practices and games for more than 10 years and Willaert indicates Central MN Youth Soccer has had an on again, off again history for more than 30 years.

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Central Minnesota Youth Soccer is a non profit with 1,000 to 1,400 kids registered from 17 different High Schools in the St. Cloud area.  Willaert says if you count elementary schools, they'd have even more schools.

Willaert indicates Central Minnesota Youth Soccer has started a fundraising campaign.  More information on that is available at cmysa.org.  She says they are working on a down payment and establishing a loan for the remainder of the cost.  Willaert says they would use the money designated for field rentals to pay the mortgage.  Willaert believes there is additional interest in this property but she doesn't know if anyone else will make a bid.  Willaert says if they were to buy the property, they would look to keep the iconic WPA walls around Selke Field and maintain any portions of the wall that needs fixing.

Willaert says Selke Field is large enough for 6 full sized soccer fields and would have enough space for 12-15 smaller youth soccer fields.    She says the playing fields at Selke are in great shape, they've never cancelled games due to rain or other weather conditions.

Willaert says Central MN Youth Soccer is no longer using the facility since SCSU been put up for sale.  She says they plan to move to nearby Talahi Elementary for their fall practices.

If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Emily Willaert, it is available below.