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Parks prepare for state shutdown

By Lori EhdeBlue Mounds State Park campers and employees are anxiously awaiting news from the state Capitol.Today is the day Minnesota lawmakers were supposed to have wrapped up the legislative session. If they didn’t meet that deadline, various state agencies would shut down, including the state park system.As of Wednesday, the local Blue Mounds and Split Rock Creek state parks were booked full with July 4 weekend campers.If the state announces a shutdown, all those campers will have to make new plans for the holiday, according to Rick White, park manager."At this point, we’ve been told not to create scenarios, but we’re telling our campers if this occurs, we’ll be notified Thursday by e-mail that there will be no camping and their fees will be refunded," White said."That’s a fairly good-size loss in revenue, not to mention a lot of unhappy campers."White said the park typically sees about $6,000 per week in revenues during the months of July through August, and a shutdown now would represent a revenue loss of nearly 95 percent.He said the Luverne and Pipestone communities will also feel the revenue loss. "It’s a huge loss to the community if these people get turned away," White said. "We figure they spend about $150 per day on food, gas, entertainment, souvenirs and groceries."There are 125 camping units reserved between the Blue Mounds and Split Rock Creek parks for Thursday through Monday of the July 5 weekend. That doesn’t count the three rustic group camps.If state offices are shut down, the 22 employees at Blue Mounds and Split Rock Creek parks will go home. They’ll be able to use those days as vacation days, if any are accrued, or they’ll be on unpaid leave.At Blue Mounds, the hiking trails and beach area will be open for use, but the gates to the campgrounds will be locked, as will bathrooms and offices.

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