Opening of Prince’s Paisley Park home to the public delayed

CHANHASSEN, Minn. — This week’s public opening of Prince’s suburban Minneapolis estate and studio complex likely will be delayed because the city council indefinitely postponed voting on a rezoning request for the complex to be operated as a museum.

The Chanhassen City Council tabled the request 3-2 Monday night after more than three hours of debate. Traffic and safety issues were among the concerns cited.

Tours were due to begin Thursday. It wasn’t immediately clear what the council’s delay means for people who’ve already purchased tickets. Paisley Park officials did not immediately confirm Tuesday that the opening would be delayed, but the museum’s website had suspended further sales.

“The Chanhassen, Minnesota City Council voted late yesterday to table the measure which would have permitted Paisley Park to open as a museum starting this Thursday, October 6. We will provide more updates soon,” the website said.

Councilwoman Bethany Tjornhom said Monday night that the community of 24,000 on the southwest edge of the Twin Cities area needs time to consider whether it wants to be a “tourist town” and host an anticipated 600,000 visitors a year, the Star Tribune reported.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the council might take up the issue again. Its next scheduled meeting is Monday. Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law requires three days of notice before a special meeting.

Prince died in April of an accidental painkiller overdose at Paisley Park, the 65,000-square-foot studio complex where he lived. The trust company overseeing Prince’s estate hired Graceland Holdings, which runs Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, to manage it as a museum.

The tours were planned to include the studios where Prince recorded, produced and mixed most of his biggest hits; the soundstage where he rehearsed for tours and hosted exclusive private concerts; and displays of artifacts including costumes, awards and instruments plus rare music and video recordings.

Under the plan tabled by the council, a round building on the 9-acre grounds could be developed into a boutique hotel with up to 35 guest rooms eventually.

Only a handful of fans were walking the fence outside Paisley Park on Tuesday morning. The purple balloons, pictures and other memorabilia left on the chain-link fence since Prince’s death have been removed, and signs say: “Help us be a good neighbor. Please don’t hang or place anything on or near the fence.”

The front and rear parking lots were full with service vehicles and large SUVs, with delivery vehicles coming and going.