MINNEAPOLIS – Downtown Minneapolis is gearing up for a bustling weekend filled with playoff basketball, baseball games, concerts, and Broadway shows. The Timberwolves will kick off the first round of the playoffs against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday afternoon, while the Twins face off against Detroit at Target Field throughout the weekend. On Friday, Broadway’s renowned production, The Lion King, will open at the Orpheum Theater, and country music sensation Kane Brown will perform at the Target Center. “We love having as many people as possible come for the whole downtown experience,” said Adam Duininck, President and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council. Despite the upcoming festivities, Minneapolis has been experiencing a slow recovery following the pandemic.
A recent study from the University of Toronto indicated that downtown Minneapolis has had one of the slowest post-pandemic recoveries in the nation. Dave Holcomb, manager of Gluek’s Restaurant and Bar, expressed concerns about the drop in business, noting that they had to cut lunch service as a result. “We’re an event-driven business,” said Holcomb. “The lack of people working downtown is starving downtown right now.” However, Duininck believes that big events like these are a step in the right direction to revive downtown. He emphasized the Downtown Council’s efforts to encourage companies to bring their employees back to the office. “This weekend is only the beginning of what will be a busy summer,” said Duininck, highlighting the positive impact of such events in revitalizing downtown Minneapolis.