1:24 PM | Friday, April 10, 2026<\/p>\n
Brooklyn Center Mayor April Graves told CCX Media\u2019s Dave Kiser she hopes the city can capitalize on its long-dormant opportunity site<\/a> to draw in sports tourism-related development to boost the city\u2019s tax base and help homeowners by lowering their property insurance burden.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really an exciting way of looking at the Opportunity Site and economic development in the larger part of Brooklyn Center,\u201d said Mayor Graves. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see how the staff could really push this idea and how the council can support it.\u201d<\/p>\n Graves and other city leaders continue dialogue with state lawmakers in St. Paul about drawing more interest in the city.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure developers see Brooklyn Center as a really good place to invest their money and so we want to make sure we\u2019re creating an environment where that\u2019s possible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Elections\u00a0<\/p>\n The city will have three council seats, including the mayor\u2019s seat, up for election later this year. Filing for seats is May 19 \u2013 June 2.<\/p>\n Mayor Graves encourages anyone interested in getting involved in politics to consider filing to run for a local seat.<\/p>\n \u201cThe local level is really where you have the most power to affect change, and it\u2019s where the rubber really meets the road,\u201d said Graves. \u201cThe local level\u2019s the closest to our families and households. Sure, the state and federal levels affect us, but the local level\u2019s really where there\u2019s the biggest impact.\u201d<\/p>\n The city also needs election judges<\/a> to work the primary election on August 11 and the general election on November 3.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure our elections are run smoothly, efficiently, effectively, and that\u2019s a good way to be involved if you\u2019ve never been involved with the city before,\u201d said Graves. \u201cThat\u2019s a good way to figure out how elections work and also meet other people and potentially learn about other ways to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n