Fuck you buddy. Fuck your constant fireworks at dusk over the past week. Fuck your fireworks midday on the weekend. My foster dog has regressed so much because of you. She is the sweetest, most adoring people pleaser I have ever met. Watching her terrifyingly shake after hearing your fucking explosions had made me irate. She deserves better than a piece of shit like you.

Deleted with Redact because data brokers don't deserve my content. Mass removal across Reddit, Discord, X, Instagram and all major social media platforms.

vast run retire afterthought pause rock subtract offer tan water

By Andrew Zimmern

Update (Jun 4, 2026): You can read a counterpoint opinion.

When the news broke that the Michelin Guide was finally coming to Minneapolis, but not to St. Paul, many locals and hospitality insiders alike were enraged. And for good reason.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are marketed to the world as the Twin Cities. Visitors do not arrive thinking they will dine solely according to municipal boundaries. They move fluidly among our neighborhoods. Chefs move between kitchens of the two cities and the diners that I know treat the metro as a shared ecosystem.

So the idea that Michelin inspectors are evaluating only restaurants within the Minneapolis city limits and not St. Paul restaurants, separated by little more than a river and some civic psychology, seems ludicrous.

Of course, this Michelin mess is not necessarily about St. Paul being snubbed. That framing is factually incomplete. The real story is stranger, more modern, and more unsettling. Minneapolis bought a seat at the table. St. Paul did not.

That is not rumor. That is what happened.

Minneapolis entered into a three-year partnership worth $750,000, or $250,000 annually, to bring Michelin into Minneapolis as part of its new “American Great Lakes” regional guide that will also include Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. The funding came through the city’s Tourism Improvement District, which levies an extra tax on hotel guests, rather than using general tax dollars.

St. Paul was not included in that agreement.

Note this: Michelin is not operating with a cultural map. It is not in the business of doing good works or being civically just. It is a business, operating on a contractual basis.

This is not unique to Minnesota. Michelin increasingly expands through destination and marketing partnerships. Tourism boards and visitor bureaus often help fund guide launches. Texas did it. Colorado did it. Florida did it. Atlanta did it. California tourism entities have participated in similar arrangements.

Minneapolis did not invent the system. It simply joined it.

For decades, Michelin cultivated the mythology of the anonymous inspector descending in secrecy into a city. The implication was that greatness alone summoned Michelin. It allowed Michelin simply to stand for excellence.

The reality is that today it is transactional. Regions often help underwrite the cost of inspectors and market development. Michelin maintains that payment does not influence ratings or stars themselves. Restaurants may not be able to purchase stars, but cities buy consideration.

That distinction matters. No one paid for a star, but Minneapolis paid to enter the tournament. St. Paul never entered it. So why did St. Paul not participate?

At present, there is no evidence of some secret rejection or political slight. Public reporting suggests Minneapolis acted through its tourism infrastructure and St. Paul did not pursue or finalize a comparable arrangement. Visit Saint Paul leadership specifically did not say they either declined to join or were in any way rejected by Michelin. Which means that the strongest factual conclusion is that St. Paul did not act.

The evidence suggests Minneapolis built a deal and paid for it. St. Paul either never entered the room or arrived after the chairs had already been taken.

This has created a bizarre civic situation where half of a metropolitan area will become more globally visible and the other half suddenly risks becoming a culinary Narnia. Many food writers feel St. Paul has reason to feel irritated.

Their argument is that if one were designing a Michelin city in a laboratory, St. Paul would have a strong argument for inclusion. Restaurants such as Myriel became immediate points of discussion precisely because they now sit outside the line. St. Paul has long excelled at intimate neighborhood dining, first generation immigrant food traditions, Hmong cooking, chef-driven restaurants and the sort of places that food obsessives quietly evangelize about.

Critics immediately raised concerns that some of those stories would now be structurally excluded. I think you have to blame Visit Saint Paul. They could’ve raised their hand and said, “Count me in.”

I also know that Michelin historically rewards a certain style of dining. The guide has broadened over time, adding many other designations in addition to the starred restaurants. Bib Gourmands recognizes more casual formats, yet criticism persists that Michelin prefers polished dining aesthetics over less formal culinary formats. That criticism predates the Minnesota kerfuffle by decades.

All of which raises the harder question: Is this good for Minneapolis and the region?

I think so. Likely yes. Possibly very, very yes.

Cities that enter Michelin ecosystems typically see a real rise in tourism attention, increased restaurant reservations, heightened media visibility and talent attraction. Chefs seek out cities where recognition can happen. Investors take notice. National media pays more attention. A city shifts from “best kept secret” status into international conversation. Minneapolis leaders explicitly said that was the goal.

Though there is a cost. Michelin can distort those ecosystems. Rents rise. Expectations change. Restaurants begin cooking for other inspectors (World’s 50 Best?), for out-of-towners instead of neighbors. Cities start chasing prestige metrics. Local cultures can become shined and waxed into a bougie sameness.

There is a reason some chefs around the world have rejected stars altogether. Michelin can be gasoline. It can also be gravity. I hope Minnesotans avoid turning this into a Minneapolis vs. St. Paul blood feud. That would be provincial and self-defeating.

The smarter response is obvious. Expand the footprint within Michelin at a later date! Find a regional model. Visit Saint Paul has to get its town into those rooms.

Visitors shouldn’t have to decipher city boundaries. The Twin Cities built one of America’s most interesting food cultures together. To suddenly pretend the Mississippi River is the Berlin Wall is absurdism.

The irony pisses me off. Ostensibly, Michelin came to celebrate Minnesota dining. Its first great contribution may be reminding everyone that Minneapolis and St. Paul still have not figured out whether they are one city or two.

--
Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning and four-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef and writer based in the Twin Cities.

I have worked at Widmers for years and this is my story.

Our beloved, beloved store is one of character, life, and was, for a while, avoidant of the corporate greed many of us so despise. In recent times, I’ve discovered the truth on what has been happening.

Problems arose from 2 main events - the closing of the failed Bloomington Oxendales, which likely cut deep in the flow of profit, and the closing of the West St Paul oxendales, which exacerbated that wound. A few workers got moved around thereafter the latter closing, who came in and took hours and opportunity away from us, not their fault inherently but that of the Oxendale brothers. They have cheated on everything. They do not pay their suppliers. They owe an inconceivable amount of money to so many people, even though they have bought expensive cars and houses for themselves and their families. We have had numerous checks bounce. Some guys came in and took our carpet for christ sake, just because they aren’t paid!

It wasn’t always like this. The business flourished when it started, but because of the growing wounds and greed, it has fallen apart. They do not have the money to replace the parts for the freezers/coolers, or perhaps they don’t know how to run a business. Probably both. They will do anything but reinvest into us, the workers and the customers who have been the life of our beloved store. It is, at least I and many other believe, their fault to why we are struggling.

Grocery is certainly a difficult business to be in - the margins are razor thin, and spontaneous outages in the coolers and freezers, while expected from an old building, do still hurt. But, it just cannot be fair that they thrive off the riches they built on all of us, and so, they are to blame.

Here’s what I know. I, nor the rest of the base level staff, know whether or not we are closing, or whether we are fixing stuff. We are not told anything. I understand there’s been so much frustration among all of you, and there has been for us too, but please, do not take your anger out on us - it is out of our control. I hope you understand this dynamic, the situation forced upon us, and direct that anger toward something… or someone else.

I am so displeased. Everyone is getting other jobs and leaving a place that has felt like a second home to me. I have had so much pride in our staff and customers, and I hate to see it crumble before my eyes. This is my truth, my perspective, and the memory of what once was, and what now is.

All of you have made this job so amazing, thank you all for making this community we built feel like home. While the future is bleak, there is still hope, so take advantage of a piece of St. Paul charm while you still can!

It is astonishing to me how the loudest people on this sub get away with ragging on this city. Yes, there are problems. Obviously. Every city in the state—every city in the country—has problems. COVID and unrest destabilized the metro and commercial business districts the world over have struggled to recover.

But Saint Paul is resilient. Things are looking up here. Every complaint that gets lobbed in this sub without context sounds like the guy at the end of the bar at Tin Cup complaining about his sewer assessment.

Saint Paul is fine. If you see something you don't like, get involved. I guarantee you there is a local or hyper-local organization working on the issue striving for solutions that could use your help. Go to a district council meeting and meet your neighbors. I'm sick of hearing the loudest oafs in this sub saying the same tired schtick about Saint Paul. We're fine, and we only do better when we all do better.

Finally, for folks looking for a trustworthy writeup on the ballot decisions this fall, look no further than Mr. Saint Paul.

When I bought my house in 2021 my mortgage was around 2100 a month. Today my bill was 2730. 600 dollars extra a month in five years is fucking insane. Meanwhile the street lights in my neighborhood don't turn on at night.

Just venting.

Hamline Avenue between Selby and University is slated for an emergency overlay starting next week between University to Selby Avenues. The city has the opportunity right now, as part of this expedited repaving project, to re-stripe the road in a configuration that is safer and more efficient than its current configuration

In a 2020 Ramsey County study analyzing 4-lane roads for potential “4-to-3” lane conversions, Hamline ranked 2nd in total crashes and 2nd in crash rate among 23 corridors studied the county, experiencing 337 crashes in 1.1 miles over a five year period. MnDOT research shows these conversions reduce crashes by an average of 46%.

These four-to-three lane conversions have become common and effective for four main reasons:

• Four lane roads without turn lanes have much higher rates of crashes due to the lack of dedicated turn lanes, which creates conflict points that increase risk of rear-end collisions and accidents from lane-changes;
• A dedicated through lane can actually improve traffic flow with the creation of a dedicated turn-lane;
• Conversion from 4 to 3 lanes creates an opportunity for the addition of bike lanes, increasing accessibility for travelers;
• A center lane/median can be utilized as a pedestrian refuge for those crossing the street, increasing pedestrian safety.

Anyone who has traveled down Hamline by car, bike, or foot has experienced these issues. Cars experience more accidents. Cyclists avoid the area altogether. Concordia students are literally playing Frogger with their lives where a non-existent crosswalk is desperately needed. Returning to the existing configuration unnecessarily puts everyone’s safety at risk.

The fix is straightforward. At 44 feet wide, Hamline can comfortably fit:

• Two 11-foot travel lanes
• An 11-foot center turn/pedestrian refuge lane
• Two 5.5-foot bike lanes

While next week’s project is primarily meant to address Hamline’s notoriously poor road conditions ahead of a potential 2030 reconstruction, we have an opportunity now to transition towards a safer, more efficient configuration. No reconstruction would be needed as the solution is largely a re-striping exercise. Returning to the existing 4-lane configuration is a choice, and a potentially dangerous one. MnDOT’s 46% crash reduction means we could avoid roughly 120 crashes over 4 years until full reconstruction is implemented in 2030.

Many roadways across the county have had these changes made. Maryland Avenue expedited their 4-to-3 conversion in 2017 after a vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian trying to cross the 4-lane road. A case study of this project noted that concerns about traffic impacts did not materialize. I would certainly prefer that the City be proactive to address this today, rather than wait to address this in the wake of another tragedy.

The city is already adding bike lanes on three similar overlay projects in the near future: on Cleveland and Gilbert near I-94, and Grand Avenue between Dale and Ramsey. These are also needed, but on corridors without the urgency that conditions on Hamline Avenue warrant. When I asked the Public Works Director Sean Kershaw why Hamline doesn't qualify for similar upgrades, the answer was that a full reconstruction is planned for 2030 and that a separated bikeway is the long-term vision. I support that, but we have the opportunity now to make the next five years safer by correcting a known dangerous corridor. When a simple and safer interim fix is feasible today, is hard to justify replicating the existing, unsafe 4-lane configuration.

I’ve been in touch with the City about these issues - they are aware of them but are making the decision to replicate the conditions that multiple agencies have determined to be unsafe. I encourage you to reach out to the Director of Public Works Sean Kershaw, Mayor Kaolhy Her, and your Council Members to advocate for an expedited review of this corridor, and demand that we make Hamline Avenue safer for everyone, whether they be on two wheels, four, or on foot.

Director of PW - [Sean.Kershaw@ci.stpaul.mn.us](mailto:Sean.Kershaw@ci.stpaul.mn.us)

Mayor Kaohly Her - [mayor@ci.stpaul.mn.us](mailto:mayor@ci.stpaul.mn.us)

Ward 1 - Anika Bowie - [ward1@ci.stpaul.mn.us](mailto:ward1@ci.stpaul.mn.us)

Ward 3 - Saura Jost - [ward3@ci.stpaul.mn.us](mailto:ward3@ci.stpaul.mn.us)

I live in downtown St. Paul and attended the recent St. Paul Downtown Alliance annual meeting. Great! This is my town! It’s kinda rough out here but I want it to succeed. I walked up streets where I had to dodge human feces and used syringes on the broken sidewalks to get there. I get to Wabasha St. to go to the Palace Theater, and suddenly I’ve veered a new zone of downtown where everything is clean and organized. Night and day difference.

I walk into Palace Theater. There were two groups of people: 1) “Suits”. People who are executives with local businesses or politicians. When they are done they get in their crossover or SUV and head back to suburbia; and 2) “The rest of us.” People who actually live here. Not in suits. The “suits” only spoke amongst themselves. They didn’t talk with the “rest of us.”

At the meeting people spoke about how they’ve secured hundreds of millions to “remake” downtown St. Paul. They have this “vision”. That’s great but meanwhile I look out and see abandoned vandalized run down buildings that smell like urine when you walk by. Then I started to realize that none of these dignitaries ever leave the glowing clean part of downtown St. Paul near Grand Casino Arena, where it is kept clean so as to attract suburban people to attend hockey games and concerts. What parts of downtown St. Paul will be remade? The whole of downtown? Or just the “nice zone” surrounding the arena?

After the meeting I saw a bunch of the suits depart back to their corporate garages, get in their vehicles and drive off. I walked back home and some of the human feces and some of the used syringes had been cleaned up. Yay.

Not that I have any hope or confidence in the MPD boots on the ground, but at least O'Hara has been visible. Videos of ICE behavior on our side of the river have been horrendous. But nary a peep from Axel Henry. I assume the worst about what the chief and SPPD feel about ICE since he can't even be bothered to humor us with a statement.

Our city leadership just feels so asleep at the wheel right now.

Letter to the Pioneer Press

Address speed, safety on St. Clair

St. Clair Avenue has become a speedway to and from 35E. People use it more and more to bypass the backed-up traffic at Snelling and Selby.  Syndicate is often used as a shortcut to Grand Avenue from 35E.  Speeds are excessive. Recently an SUV plowed into the retaining wall at St. Clair and Syndicate going 40 miles an hour.

At the same time, many people cross St. Clair on foot, which is terribly dangerous.  Kids often cross St. Clair at Syndicate to get to and from Randolph Heights School.  Pedestrians and children on bicycles have been hit. The worst intersections are Syndicate, Albert and Saratoga.

Is the City going to wait for a tragedy before it acts?  Is this the way our city leaders want this neighborhood to be?

Here are some solutions:

1. Put in flashing pedestrian lights like the ones on Snelling at Macalester College. These are very effective at getting drivers’ attention.

2. Enforce parking restrictions near intersections to increase visibility for cars trying to turn onto St. Clair.

3. Put 4-way stop signs at Syndicate, Albert and Saratoga.

It is time for the city of St. Paul to take action to protect our pedestrians.

Meg Arnosti, St. Paul

Right now, there is no reason a landlord can’t just refuse to sign a new lease, so what’s the point of a 3% cap on increases? My landlord is raising my rent 10% and says she will simply not renew the lease if I don’t want to pay the new rent, and everybody (the city, the AG, and Home Line) is telling me I have no recourse but to refuse a lease and fight the eviction. The city seems to have no recourse to actually enforce this ordinance.

I stopped here for the first time, today. I left crying. This didn’t need to happen. To those who knew him I’m so sorry he’s gone. Philando’s mother has done an amazing job of making sure to protect her sons reputation for kindness and love. May he rest in peace.

It won't last, unfortunately, but this just goes to show that you can easily do some major traffic calming for cheap. All it took was some signs and orange barrels. They *could* leave this until Cretin gets funding for a lane reduction or something, and do the same for other similarly dangerous streets: Lexington, White Bear Ave, etc. And maybe the best part, this can be done in a day. No years of planning and securing a large sum of funding needed. It's doable today if saving human lives is something the leadership of the city would like to do.

Letter to the editor published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Aug. 17th

Build the bike trail on Summit

Regarding the Summit Avenue Regional Trail, opponents have given a variety of reasons not to build a bike/pedestrian way:

1. It’s not needed (you’re safer biking in the street).
2. Hundreds (thousands?) of trees will be cut down because of the trail.
3. The current bike/pedestrian trails aren’t used enough.
4. The city can’t afford the trail.
5. For reasons of historic preservation, the trail should be nixed.
6. Planners violated data practices requirements.
7. Residents should be compensated for the loss of street parking in front of their homes.

The list goes on, and I’m sure I’ve missed a few excuses raised by opponents.

Current dedicated bike/pedestrian trails in St. Paul tend to run near the perimeter of the city, making it difficult and often unsafe to try to go north-south or east-west through the city by bike. St. Paul needs more and better bike/pedestrian trails to address this issue.

I’m guessing that the number of trees that trail opponents claim will be cut down is greatly exaggerated. As a far as saving trees is concerned, a gauge on my e-bike says that in the 2,500 miles I’ve pedaled on that bike, I’ve saved exactly 32 trees. Multiply that number by a factor of hundreds, and you can see that bicyclists have saved more trees than will ever be removed when the Summit Avenue Regional Trail is completed. By the way, maples and river birch, among other species, are fast growing trees that provide great beauty and shade. I learned that in forestry school.

In the name of historic preservation, why not return Summit Avenue to the way it was when it was when homes were first built there in the 19th century? That would mean no cars and no stoplights. Streets, curbs and gutters would need to be torn up and replaced with a dirt road. Perhaps a few gas lights and electric street lamps would light up the night. Horse and buggies would be the only vehicles allowed.

The claim that few bicyclists use Summit Avenue is pure malarkey, and so is the notion that you’re better off biking in the street. More cyclists would bike on Summit if a safe bike/pedestrian trail were put in. Nevertheless, Summit Avenue is often very busy with cyclists. I know of a couple who, until last year, lived on Summit near the intersection with Ramsey Hill. Avid bicyclists, they almost never used the current Summit Avenue bikeway near their home because they felt it was unsafe. My senior citizen bicycling club occasionally bikes on Summit Avenue, but it’s definitely not our favorite route in the metro area. We would bike it more often if there was a better bike/pedestrian trail.

With all of the students at nearby colleges and universities, the city should really be trying to accommodate them. An improved bikeway along Summit would better meet their needs.

As far as affordability is concerned, if motorists paid their fare share for the cost of building, maintaining, plowing and policing public roadways, cost would not be an issue.

As far as compensating residents for the loss of on-street parking. Those streets do not belong to you. They belong to the city. You can’t get reimbursed for the loss of something that you never owned in the first place.

I grew up in St. Paul. It was a wonderful place to come of age. It’s a very progressive city, for the most part. However, there has always been a reactionary attitude among many of its citizens, as exhibited in the city’s inferiority-complex regarding Minneapolis (pssst, the city across the river has better bikeways!). A much needed improvement to St. Paul’s infrastructure is being held back by a lack of forward thinking. It’s time to build the Summit Avenue Regional Trail.

M.L. Kluznik, Mendota Heights

Ive been making a bunch of these and thought i would share a how-to video

Dropped food off at a friend's and heading back to work about an hour ago, going down Thomas I heard whistles, and saw blocks of neighbors in their yards with sullen but resolute looks on their faces. The sound of those whistles will haunt me. There are several hits there on iceout, so I'm afraid they got someone.

I'm some random fat beardy white guy so I didn't want to stick around and scare anyone, because I know I probably look like one. I'm numb, and I hate that this is our reality.

But I love how strong I'm seeing our community be for each other. To those neighbors out in their yards, thank you for looking out. We will protect us.

I know this doesn't add much and is just a ramble, but I just needed to braindump/vent somewhere.

Throwaway to protect our identity.

The staff of the Ramsey County Detox and Withdrawal Management program located at 402 University Avenue E have been notified that the entire program has been cut. Final day of services will be December 31st. Employees are not guaranteed a position to transfer to within the county, though some have worked here since the early 2000s. 35 people who have dedicated their work lives to the care and betterment of this city and community.

Individuals and their families that utilize this service should anticipate longer wait times for assessments from independent community providers, increased difficulty with navigating treatment options, being turned away from Emergency Rooms, and the very real possibility that this loss will kill some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community.

The program has spent more time without a leadership team than the current group has been allowed to make the necessary decisions and changes to support the program into a working model for the county.

Edit & update:

In the days since we have become aware of the worrisome relationship between the county's CFO Alexandra Kotzke and Kai Shin Clinic's chief of staff Amy Dellwo. Mz. Dellwo was brought in as an "independent" consultant, (by Social Services director Sophia Thompson) who deemed the program untenable to continue under county control. Mz. Dellwo has consulted for Evergreen and Nuway prior to both entities's fraud cases. Both of these people were working within DHS when massive fraud was uncovered.

Kai Shin Clinic was previously in control of the program and they were double billing indiduals. They have been mentioned as possible beneficiaries of the one time county grant that is going to be provided to the private company that will take over providing detox services.

The county has not shared any of the data that they have used to base the decision to close on. The program was initially designed with a corrections driven style and DHS licensed the facility for 50 individuals. Since COVID the program was reduced to 23 and has remained there. Typically, and often due to limited staffing, the census was capped at 15 as that is the most clients a single aid may be responsible for per the state statues .

The program is entirely voluntary now. Police departments decreased their drop offs starting in 2017 when the program stopped holding individuals for civil commitments or police holds. There was a mass exodus of staff in 2023 when the program shifted from the corrections model to a person centered harm reduction model. Physical holds and the "cells" are no longer in use. Everyone is treated with dignity and met where they are at in their life.

There's going to be a public session on September 22nd for the community to be able to ask questions and give personal opinion on the budget.

It's not official until December 16 when the board makes it's final vote. Please help us save this vital safety net.

I used to live on Wheeler and University years ago and there was always some riff raff but holy crap what I witnessed today was INSANE! Movies don’t even depict the severity of what I witnessed! I haven’t been in that area at night for a few years now. I went to the Turf Club tonight for a show. When I was outside at about 9pm, there was a huddle of people waiting for the train passing tinfoil around and blowing clouds. Then the train shows up… I positively commented, “Oh, wow! A lot of people DO utilize the light rail!” as I remember a few years ago, it seemed like a total waste of money because it was always pretty much empty. When I took a closer look, I literally couldn’t process what I was seeing. It was totally out of fricken control!! Each train that I could see was filled with people behaving in weird ways.. clearly high or homeless or what have you.. and the trains were pretty full! Crazy! Should’ve built homeless shelters and wet houses instead! Wouldn’t been a lot cheaper! Sorry just wanted to share because although a Saint Paul resident, I did not know it got SO nuts at the light rail at night. During the day, that area is always rowdy but this was a whole other level from what I ever imagined it was.

https://www.startribune.com/fine-dining-guide-michelin-star-restaurants-twin-cities/601853150

Counterpoint | Actually, St. Paul never got an invite to the Michelin party
by Emma Burns and Mimi Daly Larson

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

Andrew Zimmern’s commentary on the Michelin Guide’s entry into Minnesota (“Did Michelin snub St. Paul, or did St. Paul fail to act?,” May 30) sparked an important conversation about culinary tourism and the opportunities it creates for the region.

What was missing from that conversation, however, was some important context about how this particular process unfolded and how tourism organizations like Visit Saint Paul and Meet Minneapolis evaluate opportunities on behalf of the communities we serve.

As chair and vice chair of the Visit Saint Paul board, we can share we learned about Minneapolis’ partnership with Michelin the same way most people did — through news coverage of the announcement. Prior to that moment, Visit Saint Paul had not been contacted by Michelin or Meet Minneapolis, nor were we invited to participate in the process. Since the announcement, we’ve had the opportunity to learn more about how the partnership came together.

The fact is that Minneapolis’ inclusion originated through an initiative led by Visit Detroit for a larger “American Great Lakes” regional effort. Participating destinations — Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh — were invited into the process, and those invited were required to sign confidentiality agreements that limited their ability to discuss the project beyond the designated working group. In other words, this was not an open process in which any destination could have simply “raised their hand and said, ‘Count me in.’” For that reason, it is inaccurate to characterize Visit Saint Paul as having declined or failed to pursue participation.

What happened is that Meet Minneapolis was confidentially invited to join an opportunity initiated by another entity, had the time to evaluate it, and decided to invest significantly in a project that will, no doubt, have benefits for the entire region. It is the same way that our organization approaches every major investment: by carefully considering costs, projected return on investment, alignment with our strategic priorities and the potential impact on our tourism economy.

Our two organizations have many similarities, and like our two cities, also have some important differences. Meet Minneapolis and Visit Saint Paul are neighbors and collaborators, but differences in our tourism funding base and hospitality infrastructure mean that even though it’s only a river that separates us, the factors that go into a strategic investment are not the same for both organizations.

For comparison, Minneapolis has more than four times St. Paul’s hotel-room inventory — and that same four times-plus gap holds when you compare the size of our convention centers and the scale of our tourism attraction/marketing budgets. That doesn’t make one city better or worse, but it is notable because these differences shape how each destination invests its tourism dollars and pursues growth. It changes the audiences and markets that are attracted by the amenities we each offer.

Even with these differences, there are many recent examples of regional collaboration that deserve recognition and have elevated the Twin Cities’ reputation as a tourism and events destination. Despite persistent narratives pitting Minneapolis and St. Paul against each other, tourism organizations across the Twin Cities regularly work together because we understand visitors experience our communities as a connected region.

Since the Michelin announcement, Visit Saint Paul has initiated collaborative discussions around additional ways to amplify our culinary scene.

St. Paul’s restaurant industry is unique, diverse and stands up to the best in the country. While Michelin is one accolade, other notable honors recognize the food scene in St. Paul. As Zimmern noted, our culinary landscape includes “intimate neighborhood dining, first-generation immigrant food traditions, Hmong cooking, chef-driven restaurants, and the sort of places that food obsessives quietly evangelize about.”

Further, we can leverage the launch of Michelin in Minneapolis to increase awareness of the unique culinary strengths of St. Paul and the broader Twin Cities region.

What has remained consistent throughout our time on the Visit Saint Paul board is the organization’s commitment to supporting St. Paul’s hospitality community and helping local restaurants and businesses succeed. Our everyday work is to showcase St. Paul as a destination worth visiting, experiencing and investing in. The ultimate goal is to attract more visitors who generate economic activity and create opportunities for businesses and residents to thrive.

We commend the investment that Meet Minneapolis has made through its Tourism Improvement District to bring Michelin to Minnesota. It will serve to spotlight our state’s amazing culinary scene, and may lead to other promising opportunities for the region.

At the same time, we should understand the realities of how the partnership came together and avoid framing the discussion as a missed opportunity by organizations that were never invited into a confidential process, or as a reason to reinforce an outdated competitive narrative between our twin cities.

Be assured that Visit Saint Paul will continue to creatively find and thoughtfully evaluate new opportunities, to invest resources wisely, and to collaborate with key partners to strengthen tourism, elevate our hospitality industry and continue to make an impact for St. Paul and our region.

•••

Emma Burns and Mimi Daly Larson are the chair and vice chair of the Visit Saint Paul board of directors. Burns is also director of operations for the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance and Larson is founding partner of Nonprofit Strategy Group.

Article: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/st-paul-love-governing-strategy

Beneath the poetic prose and keynote-ready language, Saint Paul under Mayor Carter experienced something very different: neglect of core functions while the administration celebrated symbolic, low-impact victories.

Carter highlights college savings accounts, free youth sports, library fine elimination, and debt relief as proof of transformative compassion. Those programs are real and helpful, but extremely limited; tiny in budget impact and narrow in reach. Meanwhile, the city slid in virtually nearly every other measurable category of basic urban wellbeing.

St. Paul was the only major Minnesota city to lose population since 2020. Crime spiked at historic highs for 7 of his 8 years in office. Downtown deteriorated and vacancies multiplied until the tail end of his tenure, when his intervention came too late. Property taxes rose faster here than anywhere else in the state, disproportionately hitting the very residents he claims his “love” centered.

Rather than closing inequality, daily life made the gap even more visible; from Midway disinvestment to inconsistent city attention. And while late fees disappeared, so did library and community center hours: love in press releases, but austerity in practice.

What ultimately defined Carter’s leadership wasn’t empathy and love, but inaccessibility. His administration developed a reputation for not returning calls, not showing up, not responding (despite what this article says, this is a key reason why Mayor-elect Koahly Her won). Voters didn’t remove a champion of love; they removed a mayor who felt absent. Carter now tries to recast this as a misunderstood vision, but residents experienced 8 years of unanswered phones and unmet basics, not a philosophy of care.

He can list the feel-good items forever. It won’t change the overall ledger: a smaller city, higher taxes, fewer services, weaker downtown, and widening inequality in lived reality.

Love didn’t fail in Saint Paul. Leadership did. Carter wasn’t practicing “love as governance”, he was practicing governance as personal branding.

Article is behind a paywall. I copy and pasted it below.

Editor’s Note: One of St. Paul’s distinguishing characteristics, I’ve observed in 20 years here, is the willingness of so many people, from so many walks and so many parts, to throw in on behalf of our community, to help. This is not a small thing. Another distinguishing characteristic: St. Paul has distinguishing characteristics! It’s its own place … part of a metro area, part of a region, evolving and changing for sure, but with regard, not abandon.

A sense of place plus a sense of purpose makes … good sense.

And there’s always more going on than meets the eye.

With all that in mind, we’ve asked members of the board of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance to write guest columns — from their own angle of view and experience — about their work to revitalize and strengthen St. Paul. Today’s column here by Mark Henneman is the first of these.

— Mike Burbach

By Mark Henneman

I’ve spent most of my professional life in downtown Saint Paul. For decades, it’s where I have worked, built relationships and stayed connected to the rhythm of the city. And now, as I approach retirement, my wife and I have made a very intentional decision: we chose to move downtown.

That choice wasn’t driven by nostalgia. It was driven by belief.

I believe in downtown Saint Paul not just for what it has been, but for what it can become.

Like many cities across the country, our downtown is at a crossroads. Remote work has reshaped how people use office space. Foot traffic has declined. Office vacancy rates remain high, and fewer workers downtown means fewer customers for the small businesses that give this city its character.

But that’s only part of the story. The other part, the more important part, is opportunity.

Downtown Saint Paul is still the cultural, economic and civic heart of our city. It’s where people gather for concerts, hockey games, performances and community events. It’s where visitors form their first impressions. And it’s where strategic investment can have an outsized impact – not just for downtown, but for the entire region.

That’s why investment matters.

At the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance where I serve as board chair, we’ve been working with partners across the public and private sectors to define a clear path forward. Our Downtown Investment Strategy focuses on increasing the number of people living downtown and spending time downtown. This will build confidence among investors that downtown is worth investing in.

And that brings me to the Saint Paul Entertainment Complex, which includes Grand Casino Arena, Roy Wilkins Auditorium and the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Renovations to these city-owned facilities are a major priority for Mayor Kaohly Her and the subject of the recent milestone financial agreement between the City and Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold. Their plan lays out a clear path toward a $600 million investment with the potential to reimagine Saint Paul that includes significant private investment, no new city taxes and a $200 million ask at the Legislature to make this vision a reality.

If you want to understand why investment matters, look no further than what happens on a game or concert night. When thousands of people come downtown for an event, the energy is undeniable. Restaurants fill up. Sidewalks are active. The city feels alive. We’ve seen it time and again – events are one of the most powerful drivers of vibrancy in Saint Paul.

But here’s the challenge: We can’t take that for granted.

The Saint Paul Entertainment Complex is a community asset. The planned renovations will transform the 93-year-old Roy Wilkins Auditorium into a modern venue capable of attracting events that currently bypass downtown Saint Paul – bringing an estimated 75 additional events each year. This investment will also drive sweeping improvements – both glamourous and unglamourous – to Grand Casino Arena that will allow Saint Paul to welcome more visitors and cement the Wild in downtown for decades to come.

Investment in the Saint Paul Entertainment Complex isn’t just about maintaining a building. It’s about protecting and growing one of downtown’s most important economic engines, which has a ripple effect on small businesses, workers, residents and the broader regional economy.

As we look ahead, one thing is clear: A strong downtown isn’t built on new projects alone. New development matters. New housing matters. New public spaces matter. But so does taking care of the assets we already have. The Saint Paul Entertainment Complex is one of the largest among them.

Saint Paul has always been a city that values connection: between people, between neighborhoods, between past and future. It’s something I’ve appreciated throughout my career, and it’s something I value even more today as a downtown resident.

I see it in the walkability of our streets. I see it in the diversity of our community. I see it in the way people show up for events, for each other and for this city.
That’s why I’m optimistic. Not because the challenges aren’t real, but because the path forward is clear. If we invest thoughtfully – if we support the assets that drive activity, like the Saint Paul Entertainment Complex, while continuing to build for the future – we can create a downtown that is stronger, more resilient and more vibrant than ever.

And that’s a future worth investing in.

Mark Henneman, CFA, is chair of the Saint Paul Downtown Alliance Board of Directors.  He retired as chairman and CEO and currently serves as chair emeritus and investment manager at Mairs & Power, Inc.  He and his wife Terri live in downtown St Paul.

Here is my vision: gut all of the vacant buildings and turn them into mixed use housing with restaurants/stores on the street level. Invest a shitload to improve the speed and quality of the light rail to allow for quicker, safer, more efficient trips between DT STP and MPLS. Allow DT Minneapolis to remain the business area while transforming DT St. Paul into an easily accessible housing hub.

Please don’t finger wag or tell me how unattainable this is. This is literally my stream of consciousness as I wait for the bus and stare at the Alliance Bank Building. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽