What Downtown SD Can Learn From a Minneapolis Stadium

Kelm-Helgen: “Right now, within a couple blocks of the stadium, there is $1.4 billion in economic investment completed or underway, and we opened just a month ago.”

SAN DIEGO—Stakeholders are leveraging the newly opened US Bank Stadium in Downtown Minneapolis as a means for economic growth and more, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority chair Michele Kelm-Helgen tells GlobeSt.com. Kelm-Helgen recently joined the Downtown San Diego Partnership for a special discussion on the stadium’s impact on the city of Minneapolis. Why? Downtown Minneapolis and Downtown San Diego share many characteristics as active, engaged and thriving urban centers, and (especially given current discussions about Chargers Stadium), there were potential lessons to be learned from Kelm-Helgen on how the redevelopment of Minneapolis’ Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome into US Bank Stadium re-energized economic growth in the city.

Kelm-Helgen was appointed chair of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority in June 2012 by Governor Mark Dayton. Working in partnership with the Minnesota Vikings, she was the public lead on the construction and design effort of US Bank Stadium. She continues in this position, leading the Authority in the financial oversight role needed to run the new stadium. Michele focuses on sales and marketing of the stadium for major events and bids, works on the Authority partnership with the Vikings, oversees state and local government and community efforts and manages public relations and external affairs.