Jill Schramm/MDN The Scandinavian Heritage Center is at the center of a disagreement over how best to use it in Minot’s tourism strategy.

A disagreement over tourism strategy is standing in the way of a plan to expand and remodel the Scandinavian Heritage Center.

On Wednesday, the Minot Park Board invited the Scandinavian Heritage Association and Visit Minot to select representatives to a committee with its parks’ director and attorney to try to come to an agreement.

“We really want this to happen,” park board member Ken Kitzman said, stressing the need to achieve a resolution. “This isn’t winners or losers. This has to be winners across the board.”

The Minot Park District leases space to the heritage association and Visit Minot in the heritage center and can approve or reject Visit Minot’s request to remodel and build an addition.

The heritage association objects to modifying a building that is a piece of a larger Scandinavian Park, a unique attraction that draws thousands of visitors a year. Concerns about the expansion and also about specifics of the layout associated with a renovation have sparked opposition from the association, which had raised the initial funds for the park and visitors center more than 30 years ago.

Because of objections from the association, whose representatives raised concerns again at Wednesday’s meeting, the park board hasn’t signed onto the plans for the heritage center. Those plans include expanded retail space and shelf retail for pop-up shops, a small meeting space for use by organizations and sporting groups involved in hospitality and an equipped office for use as a co-working space by those groups. The project also would make restrooms handicapped accessible.

Visit Minot wants to pursue a federal Economic Development Administration grant for between $3 million and $4 million for a project that includes the center construction. The City of Minot has promised $200,000 in local matching from sales tax dollars.

Park Board President Mike Schmitt said obtaining a grant would help in making needed fixes to the center.

“We have to find a way to move forward with this. I know we have a couple parties that are not in agreement on how to move forward with this, but I think it’s imperative that we do move forward with this, because if those repairs or certain things come up later, on down the road, are we going to have the money for that?” Schmitt said.

The park board has approved the portion of proposed EDA grant request supporting development of its outdoor recreation park on the west side of the city.

Kay Watson, a member of the Scandinavian board, said she has closely examined the EDA grant guidelines and does not believe the heritage center proposal meets the criteria. Submitting that portion of the grant could jeopardize a grant for the outdoor recreation area as well, she said.

“Some of the things that Visit Minot is proposing, it specifically says in the grant they can’t do, and what I understand about this grant is it’s all or nothing,” she said.

Visit Minot had been operating on a tight deadline for submitting the grant by the end of the month, but Stephanie Schoenrock, executive director for the tourism bureau, said Wednesday that the deadline has been extended somewhat.

Before deciding to set up a committee, the park board met in executive session Wednesday to seek legal advice on how to proceed in an environment in which certain choices could lead to litigation.

Parks Director Ron Merritt and attorney Pete Hankla were appointed to the committee. The heritage association and Visit Minot each will have two representatives. The intent is to schedule a meeting early next week.