During the Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan process in 2018, Shakopee Parks and Recreation Department recognized two issues that we’ve been working to resolve.  The first issue was the city's scheduling and maintenance of outdoor spaces that are not city property.  The second issue was the $17 fee participant fee for associations which was presumed to be connected to the use of spaces. 

The City provides the following services that benefit all youth sports associations: 1) association access to meeting spaces at the community center at no charge, 2) association use of storage spaces in city spaces at no charge, 3) marketing/advertising of association programs (city brochures 3 times per year and “red folder” flier distribution to students at schools), and 4) verification/processing of youth sports association scholarships.  In addition, outdoor youth sports associations benefit from Parks Maintenance efforts to maintain city and school district outdoor athletic spaces.

Beginning in 2019, the City and School District staffs started a series of regularly scheduled joint meetings with the 11 Shakopee Youth Sports Associations.  Initially collaborative efforts focused on developing and implementing a plan to successfully transition responsibility for the scheduling of school district indoor facilities from city staff to district staff in time to implement for the start of the 2020 seasons.  The school district published an hourly rate for use of their facilities (Facility Fees published April 15, 2020), and the city stopped collecting the $17 participant fee for indoor sports (resulting in a $35,000.00 revenue decrease for Parks and Recreation).  The Shakopee School District intends to begin charging youth sports associations for access to their outdoor athletic spaces on January 1, 2022.

City staff estimate the annual cost of approximately $278,000.00 covered by levy dollars in Public Works budget to maintain city outdoor athletic fields/facilities and some school district outdoor athletic spaces.  Approximately $30,500.00 of that cost is for the maintenance of school district outdoor athletic spaces. 

Indoor athletic spaces have onsite staffing to monitor and control access, and they have a controlled indoor climate (no weather).  Outdoor athletic spaces do not have controlled access, are not monitored by staff, and are subject to unpredictable weather.  Residents and visitors have free access to outdoor spaces that is only limited by published park hours or if the outdoor athletic space has been previously reserved (i.e. Youth Associations, School District Sports, Amateur Sports, etc…).

The city collected $17 per participant from outdoor youth sports associations for 2021, totaling $54,746.00 in revenues for the Parks and Recreation budget.  Below are listed the outdoor youth sports association users, participant numbers, paid fees, total hours used, the amount paid per hour, and the city cost per hour for 2021: 

City staff research revealed that 11 metro cities do not charge their youth sports associations for use of outdoor spaces, while 6 other metro cities currently charge youth sports associations less than Shakopee’s current $17.00 per participant for use of outdoor spaces.

Staff sees 5 alternatives to consider:

1) Full-cost recovery would result in an increase in expenses for some youth sports associations of more than 12 times current cost. 

2) 65% cost recovery would result in an increase in cost for some youth sports associations of more than 8 times current cost. 

3) Maintain the status quo of $17 (or less) per participant for all youth sports associations.  Applying the fee to recover staffing and other costs of administration if the city continues to provide some or all current services that include: 1) association access to meeting spaces at the community center at no charge, 2) association use of storage spaces in city spaces at no charge, 3) marketing/advertising of association programs (city brochures 3 times per year and “red folder” flier distribution to students at schools), and 4) verification/processing of youth sports association scholarships.

4) Adopting the school district proposed fee schedule for grass fields, would result in city cost recovery decreasing from $54,746.00 (at $17 per participant) to $10,274.75 (at $1.48 per hour) for the same number of user hours. 

5) Stop charging youth sports associations for access to outdoor spaces where access cannot be controlled and continue to cover costs with tax levy.  And stop providing or begin charging for other services provided. 

The Shakopee Parks and Recreations Advisory Board voted 4-0 in favor of stopping charges for youth sports associations for access to outdoor spaces. 

City Staff requests direction from the Shakopee City Council and Mayor on the desired approach for association fees for the city of Shakopee’s outdoor athletic spaces for 2022.

$278,000.00 in Parks Maintenance levy funding.

$42,636.00 in Parks and Recreation revenues (participant fees at $17 per)