Latest news with #MinneapolisDowntownCouncil
CBS News
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Several major events drawing hundreds of thousands to downtown Minneapolis
You can hear it, and you can see it, Downtown Minneapolis was buzzing with action Saturday. The Minneapolis Downtown Council estimates there'll be about 100,000 people in the city Saturday night. Kendrick Lamar and Sza are set to shake the U.S Bank Stadium as they launch their Grand National Tour with more than 48,000 tickets sold. "It's super important to me seeing community come together," said Joely Nelson. Meanwhile, just a few blocks away, local bars are getting ready for the rush- preparing to welcome thousands more who will be taking in the Timberwolves take on the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the NBA playoffs. Issac Lebens-Englund is the service manager at Tom's Watch Bar. He said his team has been gearing up for the nights festivities by ordering more beverages and scheduling the entire staff to keep up with the crowds. "We can expect this to be one of our busiest times of the year," he said. "It was last year, and we are planning on the same thing this year." Duininck said concerts and sporting events are needed to revitalize the city. "It's a lot of people coming down for dinner, drinks, and cocktails meeting with friends," said Adam Duininck, of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. " It's also great for social fabric for community and city to have that many people on street seeing for themselves how vibrant and safe downtown can be." In 2024, the Downtown Council said downtown welcomed about 10 million people who were attending events, concerts, and sports. Above all Duininck said all the foot traffic is fuel for the local economy making all these events even more memorable. In the next 90 days, there will be nearly 300-thousand people attending events at U-S Bank Stadium. They predict, people will spend more than $40 million dollars while in town.
Axios
11-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
New calls to open Minneapolis post office to river
There's a fresh wave of calls to do something about the massive post office that blocks a big chunk of downtown Minneapolis from the Mississippi Riverfront. Why it matters: Minneapolis has worked for decades to make the riverfront more visitor friendly, but the heart of downtown remains largely obstructed by the post office, which stretches three blocks between Hennepin and Third avenues. The latest: Opening the site to the river was included in Meet Minneapolis' 10-year plan released in late February and it was in the Minneapolis Downtown Council's 10-year plan unveiled in November. Reality check: The U.S. Postal Service has repeatedly shot down the idea of relinquishing the property, and spokesperson Desai Abdul-Razzaaq reiterated to Axios that it's going to remain open. In 2012, the USPS shut down several state distribution centers and consolidated those functions in Minneapolis and Eagan. Flashback: If this all sounds familiar, it should. Elected officials and civic leaders have for decades dreamed of repurposing the historic Art Deco building, which dates back to 1933 and distributes mail for much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Mayor Jacob Frey has been beating the drum since he was a council member representing the area in the mid-2010s. The intrigue: Ideas for the 8-acre site have ranged from modest to grandiose, but the downtown real estate market isn't exactly hot right now. Office vacancies are piling up, hotel occupancies are still below pre-pandemic levels (but rebounding) and apartment construction has come to nearly a standstill. Some have suggested a market or food hall on the main level, a hotel on the top floors and a river-side balcony where people could eat and sip while gazing at the Mississippi. Frey and others have said demolishing a large parking ramp on the Hennepin side would improve river access. What's inside: The building is still used by post office customers, who on a recent Monday were shuffling across marble floors, visiting bronze teller cages and packing boxes under potentially the longest light fixture in the world. The bottom line: Despite what the USPS has said, Frey is growing more bullish. The Trump administration has been putting federal office buildings up for sale and canceling leases. Frey said that given the decline of snail mail and USPS consolidation, the agency might become more willing to give it up. He suggested they might be playing hardball. "Anybody who is looking to get a good price tag will say it's not for sale, but that doesn't mean it's not for sale," Frey said.
CBS News
25-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Quest underway to get Minnesota restaurants into the Michelin Guide
The Michelin star is a stamp of culinary excellence sought after by chefs and foodies alike. But how does a restaurant receive one? And could it happen in Minnesota? Even for chefs like Adam Ritter who have worked at Michelin-recognized restaurants, it's unclear how to secure one. It's an honor shrouded in a bit of mystery "I don't think anybody really, totally understands," said Ritter, chef and co-owner of Minneapolis' Bûcheron. "I would hope we get one star, I would hope so. I mean, that would be a big goal of ours." Twin Cities food critic Stephanie March says Bûcheron has the "it" factor Michelin looks for. "It's the cohesiveness of the menu and I think of the value of the menu. And if it does push a boundary, you know, if it's a cutting edge and if it's really excellent. Is it worth a drive?" March said. She says a business never knows when a Michelin inspector is coming. "Inspectors do visit a restaurant multiple times and multiple ways. Like they'll come at night, they'll come in the morning, they'll come during lunch, during peak hours, when it's slow. And it may be different inspectors who do that," March said. "It's just supposed to be your average, every-day diner," March said. What is clear is that someone has to sponsor Michelin's trips to town to be considered. "And it can't be the restaurants who pay, it has to be the city or the tourism board who pays," March said. The Minneapolis Downtown Council is leading the effort to try to bring in tourism boards for other cities like Duluth, Rochester, St. Paul and Bloomington to help fund it. Leaders of the group say it could cost hundreds of thousands over a few years, but that it would boost tourism, local business and attract talent. "It does put us in a different category," March said. "It's a little bit of a bolster." The exclusive club is slowly opening its doors. Traditionally reserved for major cities like New York and Los Angeles, it recently awarded stars in Atlanta and Denver. And then there's the taco stand in Mexico City that recently earned its star, proving it doesn't take white tablecloths and coursed meals to truly shine. "It seems to be evolving with the way that we are eating and the way we judge what is excellent," March said. She named three Twin Cities restaurants that would all likely make the Michelin cut: Minneapolis' Kado no Mise and Demi, and St. Paul's Myrie.
