Controversy: Township Facility Proposal, Missing Mom and New Hotel
By Robert Lawson
News Director, KTOE News
Residents Oppose New Facility
Mankato Township residents recently spoke out against a proposed public works facility to be constructed in the area. Officials say the facility is needed but some residents believe the facility should be built in a different location. These residents say the officials need to follow ordinances when considering where the facility should be built and that it should be built in an area already designated for commercial or industrial use. The chairperson for the Mankato Planning Commission agreed but said the facility should still be built, just somewhere else farther away. The official decision on the facility construction will be made at the next township meeting on March 7.
No Progress on Missing Mankato Mom
The search for a missing Mankato mother has been ongoing for the past six years without any clues or updates and that is frustrating to the daughter of the missing mom. Aneisah Khan has been wondering what happened to her mother, Wendy Khan, since June 1, 2018 when she first went missing. Wendy’s case is the only active missing person case in the city currently. Aneisah reported Wendy missing back in June 2018 and her car was found abandoned near a local CVS store with a slashed tire. Her purse and phone were never located. Mankato police said there hasn’t been any signs of foul play and continue to file the case as a missing person rather than a criminal investigation. Aneisah said the case wasn’t initially taken seriously by authorities in Mankato.
New Hotel to be Built Near River Hills Mall
A new hotel is planned for a site next to the River Hills Mall in Mankato. The TownPlace Suites by Marriot are a 95-room hotel with four stories. It will be Mankato’s fourth largest hotel. It will feature a swimming pool with fitness center, but it will not have a bar or restaurant. The project is nearing approval by the City of Mankato. The proposed hotel and construction comes from Terratron Inc. of Park City, Utah, who also owns and operates an existing Mankato hotel, the Courtyard by Marriot, which has 93 rooms and is located to the east of the new proposed site on Raintree Road. The River Hills Mall tried to get the city’s planning commission to block the project, which would utilize the ring road that connects to the shopping center and could reduce parking if the proposal is approved with no changes. The mall said their parking lot is already strained during peak hours and weekends. Construction on the new hotel is expected soon regardless, as the city made clear legal documentation that governed the relationship with General Growth Properties, the business that owns the mall, which includes an easement agreement and a covenants, conditions and restrictions agreement. However, Terratron dropped its parking variance request and decided to limit event center maximum occupancy to 312 with 276 parking stalls. The project will be discussed by the City Council on March 25 in Mankato.
