The City of Bloomington announced Thursday afternoon that a new police chief has been chosen. City Manager Jamie Verbrugge has selected Dr. Booker T. Hodges to head law enforcement in Minnesota’s fourth-largest city, according to a press release. “Bloomington residents value their sense of safety and I know Dr. Hodges shares that value,” said Verbrugge. […]
Bloomington grapples with hotel vacancies Bloomington scrambles to offset losses from lodging tax revenue. February 11, 2021 6:55pm Text size Copy shortlink:
In good times, dozens of Bloomington hotels lure travelers with their proximity to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America, bringing millions of dollars in lodging taxes to the city annually and supporting hundreds of other businesses.
But COVID-19 has ravaged the hotel industry, leaving Bloomington officials to patch a multimillion-dollar budget hole and plan creative solutions in case some hotels don t survive. The pandemic has shone a light on how important that industry is to us, said Schane Rudlang, Bloomington port authority administrator. Losing that money is a big impact to the city, no doubt.