St. Louis Park, Golden Valley rebrand as "Westopolis" in effort to draw tourism
MINNEAPOLIS — Nestled on the western border of Minneapolis are two neighboring cities that like to consider themselves the "sweet spot" for the entire metro.
People know them as St. Louis Park and Golden Valley, separated by Interstate 394, the highway that leads directly into downtown Minneapolis within a few minutes.
The marketing organization overseeing these communities has rebranded the duo as "Westopolis."
It's actually the name of the organization, formerly called Discover St. Louis Park. Westopolis is a mashup of the words "west of Minneapolis."
They made a cute video highlighting the variety of destinations across the two cities. There's the popular West End shopping and dining district where Highway 100 meets I-394, outdoor spaces like Theodore Wirth Park and the Westwood Hills Nature Center, and several more notable small businesses and family friendly activities sprinkled throughout.
Artist Adam Turman, who lives in St. Louis Park and has a studio in Golden Valley, helped make the video.
The new name is meant to "capture the essence of this dynamic area just west Minneapolis," and "reflect the area's energy and cosmopolitan spirit." There's a clear emphasis on its location and accessibility.
Beyond trying to making a name that grabs attention, a couple reasons also led the rebrand.
In 2017, Discover St. Louis Park added Golden Valley to its marketing effort. That means it's been representing two cities for several years, not just its namesake.
Westopolis CEO Becky Bakken told WCCO there was also confusion since some people or groups would drop the word "Park" and think the organization was representing St. Louis, Missouri.
The name Westopolis however hasn't been received well, at least not on social media. Comment sections on Facebook and X — where negativity thrives — pulled no punches in this case.
The organization even had to clarify that the actual town names haven't changed, just the organization tasked with marketing them.
"We really leaned in to the fact that we are just west of Minneapolis," said Bakken. "For us, we felt as though it was that thing that made us different from every other Minneapolis suburb. We are closer to downtown Minneapolis than parts of Minneapolis."
So, what's her message to those who don't like the name?
First, she understands change can be tough to accept.
"The thing I'd really like to assure people, especially those that live here and call this place home, is nothing really changes for them," she said. "Nothing changes about the name of their city or what they call home. For us this is a destination marketing organization decision. We feel like it really sets us apart."
Bakken said that while locals might be bothered by it, they hope outside event planners or visitors who don't know either city will be intrigued by the Westopolis name.
"We're hoping people just become curious and interested. And that gives us the opportunity to talk to them. That gives us the opportunity to do great ads, great pieces and publications that really sell the area," she said.
According to Westopolis, there were 2 million guests across the two cities last year, generating $188 million in tourism. St. Louis Park and Golden Valley have a combined population around 75,000.