Gov. Tim Walz highlights Mayo's $5 billion Unbound project: 'You're seeing a transformation'

Yahoo

15-04-2025

Apr. 14—ROCHESTER — Outfitted in hard hat and safety vest, Gov. Tim Walz stood in the middle of the construction zone, ground zero of a physical transformation that will reconfigure and remake Mayo Clinic and downtown Rochester as part of Mayo's $5 billion expansion project.
"You're seeing transformation in the physical aspect of Rochester, but transformation globally on (the way) health care is delivered," Walz said.
The project is still in its earliest stages. Surrounding Walz and assorted dignitaries that included Mayo bigwigs, local politicos and lawmakers was mostly upheaval. To the north, the old Lourdes High School was being clawed down. Roads were blocked off. Mayo's Ozmun East was gone. Ozmun West was waiting for the wrecking ball.
Where Walz stood will rise an innovative care facility in the next year or so, one of five buildings that will reshape the Rochester skyline.
During the brief press conference, Walz touted the construction jobs created, the improvement in health care through AI and technology, the lives improved and saved. Mayo Clinic is investing $5 billion to remake the downtown campus, and $585,000 in public dollars funded Destination Medical Center, a public-private initiative.
"We're getting the payback in terms of improving people's lives," Walz said.
Rochester Mayor Kim Norton said a "team of folks worked really hard to come up with a vision about what is the future of Rochester, what are we going to become?" In the beginning, many people didn't know what that would mean or look like. That vision is becoming more concrete and real.
"It wraps around this growth and development," Norton said. "I couldn't be more excited to have these careers and facilities that's going to transform health care."
Walz's trip to Rochester was part of a statewide tour of multi-million-dollar economic development projects. Walz also toured a $31 million manufacturing and research facility in Plymouth, Minn., and a $200 million expansion of tissue paper maker Sofidel in Duluth, Minn.
DFL Rep. Kim Hicks of Rochester said the physical changes signify an investment in "future doctors, in future health care professionals" who will take the knowledge and training they get at Mayo and spread it to other areas "to make lives better for all people."
Asked whether the on-again, off-again tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed on countries has had any impact on construction projects through higher cost in materials, Walz said he hadn't seen evidence of any impact so far.
"At this point in time, no (there hasn't been an impact)," Walz said. "But I think any time you have a construction project, any time you have the amount of goods that are coming in, medical equipment, whether in the United States or elsewhere, anything that adds to the confusion or lack of stability, I don't believe can be a good thing."
Mayo President and CEO Gianrico Farrugia was not present during the press event, but Walz said he spent part of the morning talking with Farrugia about the future of health care.
"We spent a little bit of time talking about the transformation we're seeing and the importance of artificial intelligence ... to improve the quality of life for a patient and improve their outcomes," Walz said.