🔁 Lakeville's 27 Projects + Next Dinner Club & Resort History

Apple Valley's newest hangout opens this month

Skyline Social and Games is almost here, and reservations open today at 9am. The best time slots go fast, so don't wait.

Bowling, duckpin, axe throwing, plus outdoor volleyball, cornhole, and bocce. Full restaurant and bar too.

Doors open to everyone Friday, July 24. No reservation needed, but grab one to skip the wait. First-ever outdoor leagues start August 19. Register now.

Tuesday, July 28th at 6:30 PM in Lakeville.

Two rounds of dinners down, both a blast. Here's how it works: take a quick personality quiz, we match you with five South Metro locals, and the morning of July 28th you find out which Lakeville restaurant your group landed at. Just show up at 6:30pm.

After dinner, every table meets at a surprise after-party spot. Totally optional.

$16 reserves your spot. Dinner's on your own tab.

Lakeville Development Roundup: Every New Business the City Just Approved

Two 7 Brews, a second Chipotle, Panera, Taco Bell, two cannabis shops, a pet clinic, kids' gyms, and a 215,000-square-foot Dakota Electric headquarters. We went through all 27 approved projects so you don't have to.

Apple Valley Wants Its Rebuilt Community Center to Earn 5x More

The city just hired a firm to write a business plan targeting $424,000 in annual revenue—up from about $51,000 today. The Community Center is closed through December; the Senior Center through June 2027.

Farmington's Getting a New Grocery Store on 8th Street

The old Oasis Market gas station that's sat empty since 2013 is finally getting a second life. Farmington Food and Spice House got approved for halal meat, fresh produce, spices, and a deli—opening targeted for winter.

Before the subdivisions. Before the strip malls. Before Highway 13 turned into six lanes of commuter traffic.

Prior Lake had nearly twenty resorts. People danced to big-band acts at the pavilion on Spring Lake. And according to local lore, a place called The Bucket of Blood was exactly what it sounds like.

THE GRAND HOTEL

It started with the Grainwood House.

On May 15, 1879, a grand hotel opened on a point of land between Upper and Lower Prior Lake. One hundred fifty rooms and cottages. Tennis courts. Sailboats. Its own railroad station on the Hastings and Dakota line.

The guests came by train. Many were well-to-do Southerners escaping the summer heat. A 1927 article in the Shakopee Argus called Prior Lake "Minnesota's second Minnetonka."

The Grainwood burned in 1894. They rebuilt it bigger and better. It burned again in 1930 and was never rebuilt.

THE RESORT ERA

By then, the automobile had changed everything. The railroads brought the wealthy. The car brought everyone else.

At its peak, nearly twenty resorts operated on Spring and Prior Lakes alone. Green Heights Resort opened in 1907 with seven cottages, 20 boats, and a 116-foot water slide. The Doyle Brothers Pavilion hosted big-band music until it burned in the early 1960s. Then there were Watzl's, Maves, The Willows, Rosie's Rendezvous, Fish Point Resort.

It wasn't just Prior Lake. Burnsville became a resort town after rail access arrived in 1864. Summer cottages lined Crystal Lake. In 1880, Lewis Judd established the Lakeside Hotel on the north shore, boats for rent. In Lakeville, the Dan Patch Line brought visitors to the Weichselbaum Summer Resort around 1909.

WHAT HAPPENED

The same highways that made the lakes accessible for weekends made them accessible for commutes.

By the 1960s, the math changed. Why drive an hour for a weekend cottage when you could live there year-round?

The resorts closed. The cabins became houses. Prior Lake's population was around 4,000 in 1970. It's over 28,000 today.

The Watzl's Resort property is now Lakefront Park. The pavilions are gone. But on a quiet summer evening, if you squint, you can almost see the sailboats.

WHERE TO SEE IT

Lakefront Park — Main Avenue SE, Prior Lake. Former site of Watzl's Resort.

Spring Lake Regional Park — County Road 82, Prior Lake/Shakopee.

Crystal Lake — Burnsville. Crystal Beach Park on the north shore.

19540 Iteri Ave, Lakeville

➡️ 5 bed, 3.5 bath, 2.62 acres of private estate
➡️ Luxury kitchen with vaulted ceiling, expansive island & rounded breakfast nook
➡️ Lower level family room, full wet bar, fitness studio with sauna
➡️ Vaulted porch with stone fireplace for outdoor entertaining

Price: $2,400,000

MLS #7109299

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FEATURE AN EVENT

11th Annual Jim Jordan Classic (Lakeville)
Hit the links for this charity golf classic, with an 11 a.m. shotgun start, dinner, awards, and nearly $60,000 raised over the past two years. Give back.

Trinity County Fair VBS (Lakeville)
Kids in preschool through fifth grade can enjoy midway games, fair food, and Bible stories during this fun-filled Vacation Bible School. Bring the kids.

Free Leprechaun Days Class, Oula Dance Fitness (Rosemount)
Dance, sweat, and reset with an inclusive free fitness class featuring easy choreography, mindfulness, and an energetic pop soundtrack at 6 p.m. Dance it out.

Health & Hormones Power Luncheon (Eagan)
Spend the afternoon learning practical tips about women’s health, hormones, energy, and well-being while connecting with other women, $55. Learn something new.

191 Community Pantry Free Food Distribution (Burnsville)
Pick up free groceries at this drive-through distribution starting at 2 p.m., while supplies last. Stock up free.

The Open Door Pantry in Farmington (Farmington)
Grab free fresh produce, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and pantry staples at this 3 p.m. distribution, while supplies last. Take what helps.

Brewery Night, Unmapped Brewing (Burnsville)
Meet the Unmapped Brewing team, try adventurous Minnesota craft beers, enjoy giveaways, and sip $5 featured taps from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sip and explore.

Preview Party (Apple Valley)
Tour Apple Valley’s new Crunch gym with preview fitness classes, face painting, family entertainment, local partners, prizes, and giveaways. Come check it out.

Create Your Own Suncatcher, Classic Designs and Christmas in July (Burnsville)
Make a colorful crushed-glass suncatcher with 24 colors, no experience required, and limited-edition Christmas in July designs, but grab tickets soon because this one often sells out. Get creative.

Free Music Bingo, Y2K Theme (Burnsville)
Test your early-2000s music knowledge at this free 6:30 p.m. bingo night, complete with nostalgic singalongs and prizes. Play along.

Gray Duck Syrup Co. at the Eagan Farmers Market (Eagan)
Sample small-batch syrups and find new cocktail or mocktail favorites when Gray Duck brings the flock to the farmers market at 4 p.m. Sip something new.

Summer Craft Day (Farmington)
Kids ages 2 and older can make ocean headbands, folded fans, and 3D turtles at this free drop-in craft event with all materials provided. Bring the kids.

Break the Bubble at Union 32 Craft House (Eagan)
Skip the awkward networking and meet someone new at this 5 p.m. friendship-focused event built around name tags, conversation, and making friends. Meet new people.

Live Music with Tyler Herwig at Wild Bill’s Sports Saloon (Apple Valley)
Hear Minnesota singer-songwriter Tyler Herwig bring his heartfelt indie country and pop sound to the stage for a free show at 5:30 p.m. Hear Tyler play.

Restful Yoga at The Lavender Barnyard (Farmington)
Unwind in the lavender fields with gentle Yin Yoga and a Tibetan singing bowl sound bath from 6 to 7 p.m., $15 per person. Find your calm.

Jazz on the Deck at Grand35 (Burnsville)
Enjoy smooth jazz from the Miles Wright Duo, beverages, and finger foods from 6 to 8 p.m., but space is limited and an RSVP is required. Pull up a chair.