New Bingo Hall Potentially Coming To Waite Park

WAITE PARK -- The St. Cloud metro area is getting a new bingo hall.

Granite City Bingo is planning to open in the former Pyramid Beauty Supply building in the strip mall at 85 3rd Street Northeast in Waite Park.

Waite Park Planning and Community Development Director Jon Noerenberg says the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame, Inc., approached the city about the property about a month ago.

"They have a handful of locations throughout Central Minnesota to fund the fishing museum and hall of fame," says Noerenberg.

The Minnesota Fishing Museum is located in Little Falls and displays over 10,000 fishing-related artifacts.

Besides bingo they plan to hold cribbage and Texas Hold'em tournaments as well.

Noerenberg says due to the location a Conditional Use Permit is required before the applicant can move forward.

"It is something that requires a CUP so we can review it and make sure it flows well with the neighboring business and doesn't have a negative affect. I don't see that happening but it's a process we need to work through," says Noerenberg.

The Waite Park Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the CUP for the bingo hall on January 10th at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. If approved it would then be brought before the city council.

Noerenberg says there is no expected opening date at this time.

This is the first dedicated bingo hall in Waite Park and the first since the closure of the Bingo Emporium in St. Cloud back in 2015.