BLOOMINGTON
COMMUNITY M GUIDE 2024 2
Moving the city of Bloomington forward
This year , we ’ re focused on our shared future and moving Bloomington forward .
Much of what the city is doing to move forward is in alignment with our community-based strategic plan , “ Bloomington . Tomorrow . Together .,” which has a mission to cultivate an enduring and remarkable community where people want to be . Remarkable work is already underway . We are making incredible investments in our community that enhance our quality of life and protect our natural resources .
Last November , Bloomington voters approved a new half-percent sales tax to provide $ 155 million for renovations to Bloomington Ice Garden , a new community health and wellness center and enhancing and protecting the Nine Mile Creek corridor , and Moir and Central Parks . The success of these initiatives represents a significant positive impact on the quality of life and the local environment in Bloomington and beyond .
We ’ re also investing in the business community . We all know how important the hospitality industry is here in Bloomington . We also know that Bloomington is not only a tourist destination but a great place to work and do business . We are working to solidify Bloomington ’ s reputation as a leader and a remarkable place where businesses of all sizes want to be with programs that provide funds , resources , training and support so that businesses thrive .
We are a welcoming place for visitors and have some big , high-profile events that were just here or are coming to the Twin Cities over the next several years . We just saw the men ’ s and women ’ s Big Ten basketball championships and the NCAA Frozen Four . We ’ ve got the 2024 U . S . Gymnastics Championship , the World Junior Hockey Championships in 2026 and Rotary International in 2029 . Those are big events booked out all the way to the end of the decade . That ’ s impressive .
And while we fully acknowledge these are regional events and will mostly take place in the downtowns , we know that Bloomington is a destination for many .
Data from Smith Travel Research shows that out of the 11 peer city markets analyzed by Bloomington Minnesota Travel & Tourism , Bloomington is number one in occupancy rates – far ahead of Minneapolis and St . Paul and
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higher than other larger cities like Kansas City and Milwaukee for both 2023 and 2022 . People who come to these events fly into our airport , sleep in our hotels , enjoy our restaurants and bars and shop in our stores .
Whether a longtime resident or new to the community , the data shows that people enjoy living here . According to the 2023 National Community Survey , 88 % of residents called Bloomington an excellent or good place to live and public safety services scored well with respondents . Nine in 10 residents reported feeling very or somewhat safe in their neighborhood and commercial areas during the day .
Our remarkable work has put Bloomington in prime position for an exciting future in the coming year and beyond . I ’ m looking forward to seeing all these projects take shape as we move Bloomington forward together .
Tim Busse Bloomington Mayor
Editors ...................................................................................... Mike Hanks , Alaina Rooker Writer ............................................................................................................... Mike Hanks Principal photography .......................................................... ............................ Mike Hanks Layout & Design ................................................................... Alaina Rooker , Keith Anderson Cover Design ... ........................................................................................... Keith Anderson Sales .......................................................................................................... Sharon Brauer Advertising Director ................................................................ ............................ Carmen Meyer Senior Editor ................................................................................................. Alaina Rooker Director of News ......................................................................................... Keith Anderson Senior General Manager ........................................................................... Jeremy Bradfi eld
Special thanks to Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse for his participation in this guidebook , providing the Welcome to Bloomington message . Our appreciation also goes to the city of Bloomington for its contributions and the many organizations and local businesses that supported this publication . Copyright 2024 .
Bloomington Community Guide | 2024 | 3