Gov. Mark Dayton is taking a break from hosting the governor's fishing opener Friday to fly down to Rochester to help Mayo Clinic celebrate its 150th anniversary.
"Mayo Clinic has long represented the pinnacle of excellence in medical care," Dayton said in a statement Friday. "Over time, Mayo has grown from an enterprise of two committed and caring brothers into the finest medical institution in the world."
Dayton was a driving force behind the state's financial commitment to Rochester's Destination Medical Center project, a multibillion-dollar expansion of Mayo Clinic and redevelopment of the surrounding neighborhood. Tina Smith, Dayton's running mate for his second term, is chairwoman of the Destination Medical Center board.
"Thanks to the wise investment made by our state Legislature in the development of a Destination Medical Center, I am confident Mayo's next 150 years in Minnesota will be just as remarkable as the last," Dayton said. "I thank Mayo Clinic for its extraordinary commitment to Minnesota and to the continuing advance of medical excellence."
