The St. Paul Port Authority on Tuesday took a step toward becoming the lead tenant of the Midway Shopping Center at Snelling and University avenues, a move intended to help boost private-sector investment around a future Major League Soccer stadium.

The Port Authority’s six-member credit committee unanimously recommended moving forward with a master lease agreement with RK Midway, the New York real estate firm that owns the shopping center.

The agreement still has several more steps before it becomes final. It is contingent on the Port Authority partnering with a private developer to effectively take over the 15-acre strip mall.

Port Authority President Lee Krueger said he hopes to have a partnership in place by February. If all goes well, stadium construction could begin in April.

The goal is to maintain momentum on a redevelopment effort that has appeared stalled. A master plan assembled with input from local residents, business owners, Minnesota United team owners and RK Midway envisions a mix of housing, retail and other amenities around the $150 million stadium, but there’s been no actual construction.

Krueger said the Port Authority has spoken with 12 to 15 developers since last May in hopes of persuading them to breathe new life into the aged strip mall and surrounding parcels. Interest has been high in the corners of the site bordering Snelling Avenue, but marketing all 35 acres has been a tough sell. Related Articles St. Stanislaus’ longtime priest the Rev. John Clay leaves legacy of love. He died Sunday at age 94

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Officials said the goal is to have a developer or development partnership buy the strip mall outright, eliminating the Port Authority’s tenancy.

“I like the deal,” said Port Authority Commissioner John Regal. “I like it for a couple things. It sends another message to the state that we are rolling with this. … I am personally not in favor of us permanently owning a shopping center, but … (temporary ownership) is needed for us to stimulate (development) as a conduit.”

Krueger said the Port Authority envisions becoming an environmental manager for all 35 acres.

“People have been working on this for a year and a half,” he said after the vote. “There’s no lack of interest. There’s a lack of solutions.”