Gov. Walz highlights United States’ bid to host 2027 World Expo in Minnesota

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Governor Tim Walz, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and a delegation of Expo leaders discussed the United States’ bid to host the 2027 World Expo in Minnesota Wednesday.

The United States is competing against four other countries to host the international event during the summer of 2027.

With the theme “Healthy People, Healthy Planet” the expo will focus on health and wellness.

A press conference was held Wednesday morning as the Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) visited Minnesota to examine the feasibility and viability of hosting the expo in Minnesota.

For more than 150 years, the United States has had a long history with Expos, more commonly referred to as World’s Fairs in the United States. These global events have reshaped the economic and cultural trajectory of U.S. cities like Seattle, San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Louis, New York and Chicago. However, it’s been 38 years since the United States last hosted a World’s Fair.

If the bid is successful, the Expo would take place in Bloomington, Minnesota near the Mall of America from May 15 until August 15, 2027. The 93-day extravaganza would include participation from as many as 200 countries and is projected to attract 14.3 million in visits and one billion global viewers.

Rochester Mayor Kim Norton also released her endorsement for the bid for the world’s fair.

“As the Mayor of Rochester, MN, I am proud to support this bid. Rochester is home of Mayo Clinic, the #1 ranked healthcare provider in the nation and largest employer in the state of Minnesota. As a destination for health, hope and healing, we know how important health is to our people and our planet. This is especially true with the hospitality and care our residents and businesses provide to the millions of patients and companions who visit Rochester each and every year. This is one of the many reasons Minnesota is the right location for the Specialized Expo in 2027.”

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