Hot saunas, cold slopes, cool beers

Bloomington, Minnesota has everything to offer the international traveller.  From first-class hotels, to the best of the best in shopping at Mall of America with tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes, visitors will find something for everyone to see and do. In Spring 2015 Bloomington is more exciting than ever with new openings and big celebrations. Here are some highlighted events to give you reason to visit Bloomington, Minnesota and the Twin Cities in Spring 2015:

THE LITTLE BOX SAUNA

The Little Box Sauna is coming to Mall of America and Radisson Blu as part of the Creative Place-making Project in the South Loop in Bloomington, MN.  It is a new kind of "mobile hot spot" that creates a visible small-scale space for socializing within the large expansive spaces within the urban fabric.

The sauna will travel through the Bloomington community during the cold months of February and March of 2015, with one-week stops at each host’s parking lot to create a hub where employees and visitors can socialize in a way that is new to the community, based on Finnish and other cultural traditions of group sweat. It will hold 8-10 people, has an indoor shower and change area.  Visitors will be able to make online reservations. Follow the construction process of and learn more about this new attraction on their blog at www.littleboxsauna.wordpress.com.  

HYLAND PARK SKI JUMP

The 100 year tradition of ski jumpers flying off the hill at Hyland Lake Park Reserve will soon have a new twist: ski jumping all summer long.

Over the next 18 months, the Minneapolis Ski Club and Three Rivers Park District will spending significant amounts for improvements to the Bloomington ski jumping facility, which will make the park into one of only about 20 year-round ski jump training centres in the country.

"As reliable snow continues to elude us here, having facilities where jumping can be reinforced year-round — that really is the linchpin to kicking up ski jumping another level," said Tom McDowell, a Three Rivers spokesman. "This will put us on the map nationally."

More than 200 skiers a year use the facility. It regularly hosts regional, national and international events and more than a dozen Olympians have jumped there over the years. See link for more details http://www.startribune.com/local/290697351.html

SURLY BREWING CO.

The Surly Brewing Co. has opened the new $30 million-plus Destination Brewery, as well as a beer hall which is open to the public. The beer hall has a new restaurant and outdoor dining area to come later. Now in full production, Surly’s new complex fills more than 100,000 barrels annually which is triple the capacity of the original Surly complex in Brooklyn Centre and way more than any other brewery in town.

Omar Ansari, Founder and President of Surly Brewing Co., started the enterprise in January of 2004 after proposing the idea to his parents and wife, Becca.  Nick and Doris Ansari allowed him to convert the family abrasives business into a brewery, a totally new idea in Minnesota in an era when Twin Cities area breweries were few and far between.  Read more of the brewery’s story at http://surlybrewing.com/about/our-story/

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The Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau markets Bloomington, Minnesota, and is home to Mall of America and near St. Paul and Minneapolis attractions and attracts domestic and international visitors. Bloomington is located ten minutes from Minneapolis and St. Paul, and 5 km from the MSP International Airport.  Bloomington, MN is also a premier destination for meetings and conventions. Bloomington has 37 hotels with free parking and shuttles to the airport and Mall of America®. We are connected to light rail and have no taxes on clothing or shoes! Mall of America features world-class shopping at more than 520 stores. Visit bloomingtonmn.org for more information and learn about The Big Ticket™, the 3-day attractions pass.

Further information and images are available by contacting:

Georgina Evans-Phillips

Cellet Marketing and Public Relations

08456 020 574

[email protected]