Video (01:24) : The famous statue is now in the new Meet Minneapolis visitor center at 5th and Nicollet.
No, Mary Tyler Moore wasn't on hand Monday for her likeness being newly positioned in downtown Minneapolis.
Seems that the beloved actress who portrayed a Twin Cities newsroom staffer in the 1970s TV sitcom couldn't (now sing along here) make it after all.
The statue portraying Tyler Moore's signature show-opening hat-tossing gesture was removed a few months ago from Nicollet Mall, along with other public art, to make way for construction. The frozen-in-time MTM is now out of storage and back on display temporarily at the city's new visitor center at S. 5th Street and Nicollet Mall.
The statue's new locale is indoors, visible from the outside and always ready for photo opportunities. It was a gift from the TV Land network to the city in 2001. Once the mall makeover is complete, sometime in 2017, the public artwork will be put back on the mall.
Kristen Montag, spokeswoman for Meet Minneapolis, said the marketing and tourism agency tried but couldn't line up the living and breathing MTM to be on hand for Monday's festivities.
The 5,000-square-foot visitors center is in a corner of the CenterPoint Energy building, across the street from the Nicollet light-rail station. The store will host several events this week as part of its grand opening celebration, including visits from local artists and prize drawings.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
