Minnesota in the Running to Host 2027 World Expo

WASHINGTON — After years of preparation, backers of the United States’ bid to host the 2027 world’s fair in Minnesota will soon learn if they will achieve their goal. 

On Wednesday, the member states of the Bureau International des Expositions, the international organization that regulates world expos, will decide among bids submitted from the United States as well as cities in Argentina, Serbia, Spain and Thailand. 

Minnesota has been preparing to win the bid for 2027 with the theme, “Healthy People, Healthy Planet — Wellness and Wellbeing for All,” with a holistic focus on promoting global conversations about health and well-being following the COVID-19 pandemic.

If selected, the 2027 World Expo would be the first time the United States has hosted a world’s fair in almost 40 years, and Bloomington, the city that will serve as the site for the event, is expected to draw in more than 13 million visitors, with 90% of attendance being non-residents. 

“In addition to offering nations of the world an unrivaled forum to expand business, trade and tourism opportunities, our theme will spur conversations on cutting edge innovations in health care, green tech and agriculture — convening the global community around international health and protecting our planet,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a written statement. 

The 2027 World Expo is projected to generate 33,000 jobs, and if chosen, 17,000 of those would be in Minnesota. In addition, the expo will also create approximately $733 million in new spending over the course of the three-monthlong event. 

“I’m grateful for our partnerships with both our local government officials and our federal partners to bring this expo to the United States,” said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in a written statement. “We are ready, and we look forward to showcasing Minnesota on the global stage.”

In order to obtain the bid, the winner will have to secure top rankings from a two-thirds majority of the BIE delegates. 

“The United States is eager to host Expo 2027 in Minnesota to convene international partners to work together in pursuit of innovative solutions to some of our most pressing shared challenges for our people and our planet,” Blinken said. “I encourage all BIE member states to vote for the U.S. bid to host the Specialized World Expo in 2027 in Minnesota.”

As Minnesota is the premier health care location in the United States, the Minnesota Expo team emphasizes using the expo to focus on how to best improve the collective health and well-being of the world while acknowledging their flaws in relation to health care in Minnesota. 

“Despite its strong health and well-being rankings, the state of Minnesota also has disturbing disparities in health outcomes,” states the Minnesota World Expo 2027 website. “Every nation has shortcomings and should welcome the expertise and experience of others.”

Following a devastating global pandemic, the Minnesota World Expo 2027 team aims to facilitate open discussions about these topics while understanding they have much to learn from the international community on many fronts. 

“The formative pandemic nightmare is seared into collective consciousness,” the website states. “Lasting impacts of both the disease itself and the tremendous mental trauma it caused will be felt for generations. Let us seize this opportunity and make it a global educational moment.”

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