>> CATHY: NEXT WEEKEND, TASTE OF MINNESOTA RETURNS TO MINNEAPOLIS WITH MUSIC, FOOD, AND BIG CROWDS WITH BIG APPETITES.

THE TWO-DAY EVENT HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE NICOLLET MALL, A LOCATION THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CORNERSTONE FOR DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION BY GROUPS INCLUDING THE MINNEAPOLIS DOWNTOWN COUNCIL.

SO WE DECIDED TO CHAT ABOUT THE COMING FESTIVITIES WITH THE COUNCIL'S CEO AND PRESIDENT, ADAM DUININCK.

SO FOR THOSE OF S WHO REMEMBER, THIS LONG-TIME EVENT STARTED AT THE STATE CAPITOL IN ST. PAUL, MOVED TO MINNEAPOLIS.

OBVIOUSLY IT WORKED WELL ENOUGH THAT IT'S COMING BACK, RIGHT?

>> YEAH, SUPER EXCITED.

WE EXPECT IT TO BE BIGGER, BETTER, MORE ENHANCEMENTS, GREAT MUSIC, WHICH IS A CORNER STONE OF IT.

GREAT FOOD.

KIND OF COMBINES TO ME EVERYTHING THAT'S EXCELLENT ABOUT DOWN DO YOU KNOW R TOWN FROM CULTURE, MUSIC, FOOD, HOSPITALITY, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY PEOPLE DRIVING PEOPLE DOWNTOWN WHICH IS WAS WE WANT TO DO ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS.

>> Eric: I THINK WHAT I HEARD LAST YEAR WAS THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE WATER AND THERE WAS SOME CHOKE POINTS FOR ENTRANCING?

>> YEAH, WE HEARD LOT OF THAT PED BACK TOO AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR VENDORS AND OUR PLANNERS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN THE BEST POSITION POSSIBLE TO ANSWER SOME OF THAT.

I THINK THE LOGISTICS OF THE EVENT ARE IRONED OUT A LITTLE BIT BETTER TOO.

IT'S GOING TO BE SPREAD OUT OVER A FEW MORE EXTRA STREETEDS AND BLOCKS.

MORE SPACE FOR THE VEIN VENDORS.

THERE'S A FAMILY FUN ZONE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A ZIP LINE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE, A LOT FOR PEOPLE TO DO.

>> Eric: JIMMY AND TERRY AND MORRIS DAY, I MEAN, YOU GOT THE ROYALTY OF MINNESOTA MUSIC.

>> YEAH, BIG MINNESOTA THEME, MAR TINA MCBRIDE AND JACOB DYLAN AND THE WALLFLOWERS.

JIMMY JAM AND TERRY LEWIS.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME LOCAL FLAVOR AS WELL.

EXCITED ABOUT ALL THE PERFORMERS.

A LOT OF GREAT LOCAL ARTISANS AND VENDORS TOO.

WE'VE BEEN RECRUITING THEM, MAKING SURE WE HAVE A GOOD RETAIL PRESENCE FOR PEOPLE THAT WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF SHOPPING.

>> Cathy: AND WHAT ABOUT FOOD?

>> ANDREW ZIMMERN IS THE LEAD CHEF AND THE LEAD ORGANIZER AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER OPTIONS BESIDES HIM.

EVERYTHING FROM FOOD TRUCKS TO HIGH QUALITY CUISINE.

THE TASTE OF MINNESOTA TOUCHES THE FOUR SEASONS AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF OTHER RESTAURANTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CLOSE IN PROXIMITY OF THE.

>> Eric: AS FOLKS DON'T COME DOWNTOWN AS OFTEN TO WORK, I WONDER IF THIS IS A WAY AMONG THE SEVERAL STRATEGIES TO REPLACE THEM WITH FOLKS COMING IN FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

>> YEAH, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE'VE LEANED INTO AS AS A DOWNTOWN COUNCIL.

ARTS, EBT CONTAINMENT, NIGHT LIFE, VENTS, BOTH SPORTING EVETS, BUT CONCERTS, MUSIC AND SO FORTH.

THOSE ARE REALLY WHAT'S DRIVING THE DOWNTOWNS THAT ARE THRIVING.

WE HAVE GREAT CONCERT VENUES.

WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE ART SCENE IN THIS CITY.

PROUD TO LIFT IT UP.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE SCHEDULE FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER, WE HAVE OVER 18 THND EVENTS.

1800 EVENTS.

MORAL EVERYONE WALHOFEN, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO JUST WEEKLY EVENTS AT THE COMEDY CLUB OR AT FIRST AVENUE AT SOME OF THE SMALLER VENUES.

THAT'S WHAT REALLY KEEPS DOWNTOWN HUMMING.

WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO LEAN MORE INTO RESIDENTIAL TOO.

JUST ABOUT 60,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN DOWNTOWN NOW.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE MORE HOUSING CHOICE OPTIONS FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE THERE TOO.

IT'S A GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> Cathy: AS YOU GET PEOPLE TO COME DOWN, THOUGH, TO EXPERIENCE SOME OF THESE EVENTS, DOES IT HELP REALLY THOUGH BOLSTER THOSE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE EMPTY BUILDINGS?

>> THAT'S THE HARD PART.

9 CONSISTENCY PART IS THE HARD THING.

SO EITHER FLEXIBILITY AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE BUSINESSES SO THEY KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE BUSY AND WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE A SLOWER DAY.

SO WE SEE SOME OF THE SKYWAY RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS.

BUT TUESDAYS THROUGH THURSDAYS ARE SOLIDIFIED AS WORK DAYS.

>> Eric: HOLLY DAZZLE, >> WORKING ON THAT ONE.

THAT'S THE PLAN.

IT'S NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED.

BUT RAISING SOME RESOURCES.

>> Eric: WELL, WHO ARE WE GOING TO ELL?

>> I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

I MADE A PLEDGE IF IT DOES HAPPEN, WE'LL BE STRESSED AS ES.

SO I PROMISE TO MAKE GOOD ON THAT PLEDGE.

>> Cathy: WHAT ABOUT TICKETS TO GET INTO TASTE OF MINNESOTA?

>> TICKETS AREN'T REQUIRED.

THEY ARE REQUESTED SO THEY CAN KEEP A TRACK OF A HEAD COUNT.

BUT WE SUGGEST THAT YOU DO SO.

WE EXPECT OVER 100,000 THERE OVER THE TWO DAYS.

>> Cathy: AND WHAT ABOUT SECURITY?

BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THIS.

>> LET ME TELL YOU, SAFETY IS CORNER DISOWN OF WHAT WE DO.

THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT WHICH IS ALSO URNED THE DOWNTOWN COUNCIL.

WE HAVE AMBASSADORS ON THE STREET.

OUTREACH, M.P.D., EXTRA SECURITY RESENCE.

DOWNTOWN HAS THE SAFETIEST PART OF THE CITY FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

CRIME HAS EITHER DECREASED R HELD STEADY IN EVERY MAJOR CATEGORY.

>> Eric: THANKS FOR COMING