The governor announced which projects he's backing on Tuesday after completing a tour of proposed bonding projects around the state. Walz's tour began in Duluth last October.

Statewide, Walz is backing more than $2.7 billion in projects, representing about half of what had been requested. Northeastern Minnesota governments had requested $150 million in projects. 

Most of the projects would be funded with bonding while some, including Spirit Mountain, would be funded with cash.

"With a focus on projects like roads, bridges, fire stations, and veterans homes, our plan will repair and replace critical infrastructure and improve the lives of Minnesotans in every corner of the state," Walz said in a news release.

The governor's proposal is not final, since leaders of the Minnesota House and Senate will come up with their own lists of projects. The three sides will then negotiate a final bill.

Regionally, the governor's package includes:

Spirit Mountain Recreation Area
$12 million cash to the City of Duluth to renew, replace, and improve infrastructure

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park
$12 million in bonds to the DNR to design and develop recreational amenities

Giants Ridge
$10.191 million in bonds to Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation for a new snow making process at Giants Ridge, including upgraded technologies for piping systems and snow gun enhancements

St. Louis County Heritage and Arts Center (The Depot)
$3.825 million in bonds to St. Louis County, matching local contributions, for critical life safety issues, design for HVAC/MEP improvements, and an Energy Modeling/Energy Audit that will extend the useful life of the facility

Vermilion Community College
$3.019 million in bonds to Minnesota State to design and renovate six general-purpose classrooms, two sets of restrooms, and lobby/corridor areas, as well as replace the roof of the classroom building.

Silver Bay Multi-Modal Trailhead Center
$3 million in bonds to the City of Silver Bay to build the next phase of the trail center including lighted parking, a restroom/shower building, picnic areas, and a playground

St. James Pit Mitigation Project
$2.5 million in bonds to the City of Aurora to buy land or easements and to build infrastructure to mitigate the imminent threat posed by rising water at the St. James open pit mine complex

Ely Regional Trailhead
$1.5 million in bonds to the City of Ely to complete the trailhead facility

Lake Superior College
$1.055 million in bonds to Minnesota State to renovate the 1990 addition for welding, CAD, and electronics programs, which are temporarily operating in leased space off-campus because of inadequate space on campus

St. Louis County Fairgrounds
$600,000 in bonds to St. Louis County, on behalf of the St. Louis County Agricultural Fair Association, to construct two buildings at the fairgrounds in Chisholm

Aitkin Park and Recreation Fieldhouse
$527,000 in bonds to the City of Aitkin to design and construct a warming house/community center and pave the parking lot

Not included:
Projects that are not part of the governor's plan include the Hibbing Regional Public Safety Center ($22 million sought), a wastewater collection system in the Town of Silver Creek in Lake County ($12.67 million sought), City of Virginia infrastructure ($10 million sought), the Minnesota Discovery Center ($7.1 million sought), and the Gilbert water treatment plant ($6.25 million sought).

To watch the original story and read related reporting, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website. https://www.wdio.com/news/governor-walz-duluth-northeastern-minnesota-capital-investment-projects-bo...