Nicollet Mall Businesses Hope Super Bowl Was Just The Kickoff
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It is the start to a much quieter weekend in downtown Minneapolis.
Super Bowl organizers say more than a million people paid a visit to Nicollet Mall for the football festivities.
Those crowds are long gone along the six-block stretch, but there are big plans to capitalize on the momentum from the Super Bowl and a spring without construction.
From rocking stages to snowmobile stunts, WCCO heard mixed reviews on the recent goings on downtown.
One downtown commuter say it cost him an extra 20 minutes just about every day.
But the Minneapolis Downtown Council is beyond pleased with the performance.
"We are thrilled at how Super Bowl LIVE went on Nicollet Mall," said downtown council member Leah Wong.
The group will look at scheduling more outdoor music after fans considered that a success and they heard from Minnesotans ready to put Nicollet Mall back on the map.
"They're really excited to come back and explore what downtown has to offer," Wong said.
Those offerings dwindled with a makeover that dragged on more than two years. Now, there is more than 600,000 square feet of new office space, including the new Dayton's Project and 1,500 new residential units.
It was all made possible with more than $300 million of private investment pumped into downtown.
"I'm looking forward to enjoying Nicollet Mall as it should be," said another downtown commuter.
So are businesses like The Local, that compared each Super Bowl LIVE day to a St. Patrick's Day on repeat.
"It exceeded our expectations, really no question about that," said Local manager Dan Carroll.
He is hoping their Irish luck signals a renewal in these parts, just in time for spring.
"I just hope they have every intention to utilize it every way they can," Carroll said.
The Minneapolis Downtown Council will hold its annual meeting on Monday to reflect on the year that was, and to look ahead. Thirteen-hundred downtown stakeholders will take part. They will also have a lot to discuss with the X Games coming to town this summer, and the Final Four in 2019.
