Retail and finance
Five Fortune 500 companies have headquarters inside city limits, including Target and U.S. Bancorp. Year-end parties and sales kickoffs at that scale need stations that handle a long line.
480+ corporate events · 5 years
Corporate Events in Minneapolis: Full-Service Planning
Plan Minneapolis corporate events that keep guests warm and busy from November to March. We set up AV and interactive stations at the convention center, in skyway-linked hotel ballrooms and on suburban campuses.
Corporate event venues in Minneapolis
Downtown's skyway lets guests walk between the hotel, the convention center and the arenas without a coat, and that shapes how we plan load-in and guest flow. Booking a North Loop warehouse or a Lake Minnetonka club? Send us the venue name and we'll check power, doors and winter access for our truck.
Minneapolis Convention Center
One block from Nicollet Mall, it opened in 1990. A 2002 expansion added two 99,000 sq ft exhibit halls, a 3,433-seat auditorium and 16 more loading docks.
Hilton Minneapolis
The largest hotel in Minnesota has 821 rooms, a 25,000 sq ft ballroom and 35 meeting rooms. A general session fits its ballroom, with breakouts in the meeting rooms.
U.S. Bank Stadium
Opened in 2016, it seats 66,202 and expands to 73,000. A suite or club space suits a client night around a game.
The Armory
Built in 1936 by the Public Works Administration, it has hosted sporting events, political conventions and concerts. The open floor fits a large holiday party with a row of racing simulators.
Mall of America
The largest mall in the U.S. sits in Bloomington near the airport. Hotels around it suit fly-in groups, and guests get an evening at the mall.
Minneapolis event calendar
The Twin Cities celebrate winter instead of hiding from it. The convention center's big trade shows land in spring and fall, and summer events pack into a few short months.
Winter, tents and labor rules in Minneapolis
Minneapolis rules on tents are strict, and winter changes how every outdoor plan works.
Tent permits
The city requires a permit for any tent, canopy or membrane structure, whatever its size. If the tent has lights or cords, it also needs an electrical permit from the state.
Fire permits
Some event activities need a fire operational permit. The city answers within 15 business days, so we file early.
Labor
Minnesota has no right-to-work law. Show labor rules at the convention center come from the general contractor's exhibitor kit, and we read it before we book trucks.
Winter
The Twin Cities have the coldest average temperature of any major U.S. metro. From late fall to early spring, we load in through covered docks and keep every station indoors.
Summer
Heat can surprise planners too. The record high is 108°F, so summer lawn events need shade and a storm plan.
Where Minneapolis companies hold events
Each part of the metro suits a different kind of event.
- Downtown and Nicollet Mall. The convention center, the Hilton and the skyway are here. Conferences, galas and sales meetings stay downtown.
- North Loop. Old warehouses near Target Field host product launches and client nights. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis is the area's largest employer.
- Northeast. The falls here powered the mills that gave Minneapolis its Mill City nickname. Graco keeps its world headquarters in Northeast, and riverfront spaces suit team parties.
- Bloomington. The largest suburb, with 89,987 residents, has the Mall of America and hotels near the airport for fly-in groups.
- St. Paul. The state capital across the river hosts the Winter Carnival every winter.
- Eden Prairie and Golden Valley. UnitedHealth Group and General Mills run campus events, from all-hands to family days.
Minneapolis industries and the events they run
The Twin Cities ranked eighth in the U.S. for major corporate headquarters in 2024, and each company plans a different kind of event. As your corporate event planner in Minneapolis, we also produce the day: one contract covers the venue, the program, the AV and every station.
Healthcare and medtech
UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurer in the U.S., is based in Eden Prairie. Medtronic runs its operational headquarters in Minneapolis. A flight or racing simulator gives engineers and clinicians a timed challenge at a customer meeting.
Food
General Mills started in Minneapolis and now has its headquarters in Golden Valley. An AI photo booth with branded backdrops fits a brand launch or an employee day.
Energy and insurance
Xcel Energy, Ameriprise and Thrivent are also based in the city. For their meetings and award dinners, AV and staging matter as much as the entertainment.
Team building, AV and interactive in Minneapolis
Every service below comes from the same crew, so stations, screens and staff arrive on one schedule.
Team building activities in Minneapolis
We plan simulator races and challenge formats for hotel ballrooms and campus atriums, and outdoor games for the summer months. Read about our corporate team building programs.
AV rental in Minneapolis
Screens, sound and lighting for a general session or a gala, with our technicians on site. For a long hotel ballroom like the Hilton's, projector rental in Minneapolis comes with screens sized to the room. Details are on our AV rental page.
Interactive rentals
Racing simulator rental in Minneapolis suits a winter party at The Armory or a booth at the convention center. We also bring flight and surf simulators, VR stations and photo booths. Browse all interactive event rentals.
Questions about corporate events in Minneapolis
Can we add Chicago or Detroit dates to a Minneapolis tour?
Yes. We plan corporate events in Chicago and corporate events in Detroit on the same Midwest schedule, with one quote. We have two bases, Los Angeles and Orlando, with our Orlando office and warehouse at 310 N Orange Ave, and we work across the U.S.
Do we need a permit for a tent at a Minneapolis event?
Yes. Minneapolis requires a permit for every tent and canopy, whatever its size. A tent with lights or cords also needs a state electrical permit, and we plan the paperwork with the tent company.
What are good corporate event ideas in Minneapolis in winter?
Keep it indoors and close to the skyway. A racing tournament at a downtown hotel, a VR and photo booth lounge for a holiday party or a team outing tied to the Winter Carnival all work in January and February.
Where can we hold an off-site meeting in Minneapolis?
Downtown, the Hilton's 35 meeting rooms take breakouts next to a general session in its ballroom, and the skyway keeps guests indoors all winter. For a fly-in group, Bloomington hotels near the airport and the Mall of America cut the ride from the terminal. Send the headcount, and we'll suggest rooms and plan the program.
When is the best time for an outdoor company event in the Twin Cities?
June to early September. Book a summer picnic or lawn party for July or early August, before State Fair week.
Can you add interactive to our booth at the Minneapolis Convention Center?
Yes. Send the show name, booth number and booth size. We follow the general contractor's forms for power and move-in, and our operators run the stations during show hours.
How do you quote a Minneapolis event?
Every Minneapolis event gets a custom quote. The venue, the season, the number of stations and hours, AV needs, tent permits and travel from one of our two bases shape it. Read how we quote, then send your brief.
Plan your Minneapolis event
Send us the date, the venue and the guest count. We'll check the venue's dock and power, the season and our crew's calendar, and reply right away.
Tell us about your Minneapolis event
Share the event type, date, venue or part of the metro, guest count and budget. For a convention center booth, add the show name and booth size. Or call +1 213 912 1010
