DMC Corporation Board approves budget

(ABC 6 News) – The Destination Medical Center (DMC) Corporation Board of directors approved a tentative 2023 budget Thursday morning totaling just under $40 million.

“Buildings, public spaces, culture, a community that would welcome.”

Those goals, outlined by Board Member Paul Williams are why the board unanimously approved the budget. They also approved a funding request asking for about $32 million from the state government to help with the cost.

Soldier’s Field Park is slated to get the largest chunk of the money.

They will allot $10 million to potentially expand aquatics and add other amenities.

However, the board did note that they would likely have to amend the Soldier’s Field budget as they create more concrete plans.

“We are using a very intentional community-driven process to gather ideas and feedback and priorities of our community to best design that space,” said Rochester City Council President Brooke Carlson.

Thursday’s meeting ended with a discussion about affordable housing. DMC joined the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing last year.

The coalition will launch a new community co-design project, to figure out how to increase BIPOC homeownership.

“Being bold and being innovative are needing to be at the top of the list to actually make a dent in meeting our needs,” Carlson said to the board.

While the DMC board approved the budget Thursday, the Rochester City Council will still have to approve it in a meeting next month.

Two of the next big projects DMC is working on focus on downtown infrastructure. That includes projects like Link Rapid Transit and the 6th Street Bridge construction project.