If you haven’t yet heard of Paramount Sports, you should take a minute to acquaint yourself with this KX News story or here on Facebook. They’re an in-development business concept that at first glance looks very similar to what the Park District is proposing with the MARC. And though there are some similarities, there is more about these proposed facilities that is different than is the same.
Justin Burgess, a life-long Minot resident and City of Minot Firefighter, is the public representative of Paramount Sports and he’s exactly what Minot needs — a person with an idea of how to make Minot better who’s figuring out how to make it happen. He’s also a person who suddenly found his idea and business in the middle of a political debate that’s generating a lot of passionate discussion.
And here’s the rub, the last thing any business needs is a political label, and least of all one that generates resentment towards a concept before it launches. The fact that both the Park District and Paramount Sports are considering an investment in a facility with indoor turf and athletic space is a sure sign that Minot needs something, and how that need is finally met is going to be — at least in part — a community decision that we’ll all shape when we head to the polls.
But on Wednesday, April 22nd, when the dust settles after the MARC election, let’s remember that one of these proposals — the Park District’s MARC concept was required to be political and needed a vigorous community discussion. And one of these proposals was thrust into that position by circumstance.
Regardless of the outcome on April 21st, Paramount Sports will have a supporter in The Minot Voice — whatever business concept they choose to develop; we hope all of you will be too!
