Northern Suburbs Create New Convention and Visitors Bureau
October 2009—The booming expansion taking place in the metro’s northern suburbs has necessitated the creation of a new convention and visitors bureau, dubbed Minnesota Metro North Tourism. Formerly represented by Visit Minneapolis North (VMN) the city officials of Coon Rapids, Shoreview, Anoka, Blaine, Fridley, Ham Lake and Mounds View saw the need for a CVB that focused more on their region’s potential for sports tourism.
Blaine is home to the National Sports Center and the TPC Twin Cities golf course, and each year draws thousands of visitors to events at these two venues alone.
Currently, city leaders from the seven north metro suburbs (with the potential for New Brighton and Lino Lakes to also join the coalition) have been expediting paperwork and appointing representatives to the newly formed CVB’s board of directors. The 15-member board will include city staff, city council members, representatives from local hotels and several at-large members.
Says John Connelly, director of sales and development for the National Sports Center in Blaine, “Sporting venues and events can have a huge impact on tourism.”
Having a sports-center tourism bureau will most decidedly help draw attention and attract visitors to the sports-related venues and events that the north metro offers.
Blaine is home to the National Sports Center and the TPC Twin Cities golf course, and each year draws thousands of visitors to events at these two venues alone.
Currently, city leaders from the seven north metro suburbs (with the potential for New Brighton and Lino Lakes to also join the coalition) have been expediting paperwork and appointing representatives to the newly formed CVB’s board of directors. The 15-member board will include city staff, city council members, representatives from local hotels and several at-large members.
Says John Connelly, director of sales and development for the National Sports Center in Blaine, “Sporting venues and events can have a huge impact on tourism.”
Having a sports-center tourism bureau will most decidedly help draw attention and attract visitors to the sports-related venues and events that the north metro offers.
