Hibbing City Council authorizes negotiations with XR Events to operate city racetrack

Nick Carolla, a city staff member, asked the Hibbing City Council to approve a resolution authorizing staff to negotiate a contract with XR Events to operate the city racetrack. "I ask for a resolution, to move forward with negotiations with, XR," Carolla said during the department report.

Carolla told the council the city issued a request for qualifications on Nov. 22 with a Dec. 13 deadline and received three proposals. Staff and a council subcommittee (Councillors Bayless, Fossil and Whitney) conducted interviews Dec. 17 and Dec. 23, used a scoring matrix provided to council on Dec. 18, and unanimously recommended XR Events based on applicants' vision, event operations, and longer-term commitment.

The council discussed contract length and next steps. When asked whether the term would be five straight years or include option years, Carolla said the city is "thinking of 5 with options after that for renewal," and explained staff expect more of the contract's benefits to materialize in years three through five. He also said the racetrack is only one component of a larger master plan for city-owned acreage in the area around the public safety building and recycle center.

Councilor Whitney moved to approve the resolution to proceed with negotiations; the council voted 'aye' and the motion carried. The presiding official noted that Councillor Schwab was absent for the meeting. Carolla said staff would aim to return a completed contract for council consideration at the Jan. 8 meeting or, if not attainable, by Jan. 15.

The council approved the agenda at the start of the meeting and adjourned after the resolution vote. No formal vote tally listing individual members' votes appears in the transcript; recorded votes are recorded only as vocal 'aye' in the meeting record.