Faq’s

Interested in learning more about the mpls downtown council and its initiatives? Here are a few frequently asked questions about our organization.

What is the mpls downtown council?

Founded in 1955, and one of the most historic central business associations in the nation, the mpls downtown council (mdc) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The mdc’s collaborative development of Intersections: Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals.

The mdc and Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan works toward creating a consistently compelling downtown experience. Part of that includes producing events that help accentuate people’s experience downtown and offers more opportunities to engage in free or low-cost activities. Some of the events and programming that the Mpls Downtown Council produces along with its partners and sponsors include the Mpls Aquatennial, Holidazzle, Wells Fargo Mpls WinterSkate, Pianos on Parade, Go Outside with Hennepin County, Explore Downtown Living, Minneapolis Idea eXchange, Mess Hall and more.

Currently, the mpls downtown council has roughly 450 members. You can see our full members list on our membership page.

Our members are in the heart of the action. The mpls downtown council currently has approximately 450 member organizations ranging from Fortune 500s to start-up companies both downtown and throughout the Twin Cities. We have more than 35 events per year focused on networking, informing about important topics within our downtown community, and providing opportunities to engage with colleagues, clients and peers.
Is your organization interested in learning more about mpls downtown council membership? By becoming part of the mdc, you’ll have an opportunity to help create an extraordinary downtown with us while making invaluable business connections within our local community. For more information, contact our membership director Marybeth Weisberg at info@mplsdowntown.com.
Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on downtown’s assets and guide its development in ways that reflect the community’s aspirations for a downtown Mpls that is thriving, livable, green, connected and welcoming in the decades ahead. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, implement a Gateway connection and other green elements throughout downtown, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. The 2025 Plan is a mdc initiative established in 2011.

The borders that define The 2025 Plan include Interstate 35W to the East, Interstate 94 to the South and West including the Walker Art Center and Sculpture Garden, Plymouth Avenue to the Northwest and Main Street/University Avenue to the Northwest. View The 2025 Plan’s map.

The Mpls Aquatennial will take place July 19-22, 2023. Holidazzle will take place Fridays through Sundays from Friday, November 25 through Sunday, December 18, 2022.

Pre-pandemic, downtown Mpls welcomed roughly 216,000 employees daily–visit this page for our return to office dashboard. Our five neighborhoods downtown have a residential population of 56,077.

For more skyway information, you can also visit skywayaccess.com. For information on downtown parking resources and carpooling, visit MoveMinneapolis.org.