Aside from that patch in February when winter scrapes your soul like a cheese grater on the gums, this is a marvelous place to live.
Why isn't this more widely accepted? Why don't more businesses flock to the Twin Cities?
Modesty.
A group called Greater MSP has unveiled a new campaign to convince businesses to move here. They're spending almost $3 million on the effort, with 30 percent coming from taxpayers. Sure! In these fat and happy times, slosh a little their way. What's the harm?
But this quote from a Greater member stuck out: "We've got to get this region off the best-kept-secret list."
Hmmm. When you enter Minneapolis into Google, it doesn't return the words "promise not to tell?" We don't find blabbermouthing boosters in the trunk of a car because they squealed about Minneapolis. Honest, boss, I didn't tell them anything! Just where it was on the map! I didn't talk about our extensive park system or literate population, I swear!
We're not a secret. Everyone knows where we are. Everyone has the same basic idea: igloos, Twins, Vikings, Garrison Keillor throwing his cap on Nicollet Mall, and so on. Perhaps it would help if we painted enormous concentric red circles around the metro so the Google views match the Target logo; people might associate us with a Dynamic, Go-Getter business climate. But there are those who suspect Target is still here only because city leaders burst into tears every time they start talking about moving to Lotax, Texas. "We'll change! Swear it's for real this time!" and so on. Target sticks around, but once the kids are in college, well, time for a talk.
It's hard to say what motivates a company to move to a city, but the quantity of theater or the miles of bike trails aren't as important as you might suspect. That's just the stuff they tell the staff when the relocation is announced, and it's the equivalent of telling your kid you're moving to another city but you'll make lots of friends!
