Comments on MinnesotaBrown: 47 layoffs at MN Discovery Center

Only today did I find out about this. I'm speechl...

2009-12-10T14:51:04.589-06:00

Only today did I find out about this. I'm speechless. The center is an important resource not only for Minnesota for for our country's history. What can be done? I want to help...

Agreed, C.O. Having some experience with an arts ...

2009-11-25T10:44:19.204-06:00

Agreed, C.O.

Having some experience with an arts event (Dylan Days) I'd say we learned the hard way the difficulty of making entertainment events into a profitable, or even break-even enterprise. The problem with Ironworld has always been that they would go several years as a local museum attraction and then someone would get it in their heads that a midlevel rock or country act would somehow "save" the Iron Range and the mission would change. THey'd lose money and whammo, start over.

I think we get one more "whammo" and then that's it. I am seeing a move by local historians to simply reorganize the thing back into its original intention and leave it at that. That's the best case scenario at this point.

I agree that we should use public money to support...

2009-11-25T10:36:53.559-06:00

I agree that we should use public money to support museums, librarys, etc to preserve our local culture and history. But I have to wonder how much of Ironworld is a museum and how much of it is an entertainment center.

When was the last time the amphitheater was used for a culturally relavent event. In the last couple of years the new management has increased attendance numbers, but many of the new programs had nothing to do with the IronRange.

Ironworld (or whatever it's called now) needs focus. Is it a museum, or is it an entertainment center/tourist trap with an Iron Range themed mini golf course? Ever since the big expansion in 1986 they have been operating at a huge financial loss and wondering with out direction.

Somebody needs to decide if this facility is an entertainment center/theme park, or a museum, research library. One deserves public money and one does not.

C.O.

While there's a legitimate political argument to m...

2009-11-22T11:43:26.436-06:00

While there's a legitimate political argument to make about the management of this facility, it's important to note that ultimately it's a museum (and cultural center) and not a company. It's not going to make a profit, the way libraries and highway historical markers never make profits either. It's a question of the public good, something that does exist independent of capitalism. Worthy of debate, indeed, but not over its profitability.

As for the Marxism claim, take that over to the screamer blogs. The president is no more a follower of Marx than any president in the last 50 years. He's perhaps more liberal than you would prefer. Let's keep things in perspective.

Thanks to the DFL control in the Minnesota legisla...

2009-11-22T11:11:19.407-06:00

Thanks to the DFL control in the Minnesota legislature and in DC, capitalism is dead. Without state or federal money this place will go under. With a Marxist leading the Democrat party, I am not surprised. Though I hate to see anyone lose their job, if the company cannot sustain financial stability , they like many small businesses in this country will fail. Funny though, everyone is upset at Wall Street bailouts, but would love to take state dollars to finance the same institution that has faced financial ruins for decades.

It is a horrible tragedy for the region and the st...

2009-11-20T11:36:57.892-06:00

It is a horrible tragedy for the region and the state. Condolences to all of the staff who put their heart and soul into the work there. I have many fond memories of the place growing up and have grown to appreciate it more as an adult. The collections contained in the Research Center are absolutely priceless and need to be preserved.

My husband & I heard a rumor that it might close s...

2009-11-20T08:57:41.807-06:00

My husband & I heard a rumor that it might close so we went this past summer & we are glad that we did!!

What a loss!!!

M in St. Cloud

What a loss to our area and to our state/nation!! ...

2009-11-19T22:37:32.486-06:00

What a loss to our area and to our state/nation!! This saddens me! The Discovery Center has been a vibrant link to our past and a guide to our future. Great archives and records and histories are housed there. So many (47)passionate and dedicated people are losing their jobs. This is meant to be "TEMPORARY". I'm confident that funding can be worked out.