Involta broke ground in September for a $10.5 million data center in Duluth:(from left) Lonnie Bloomquist of Involta; Nancy Norr of Minnesota Power; Senator Roger Reinert; Involta CEO Bruce Lehrman; DEED Commissioner Mark Phillips; County Commissioner Steve O'Neil; David Ross of the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce; Mayor Don Ness. Joe Swedberg (left), vice president of legislative affairs at Hormel Foods Corporation in Austin, visits with Dr. Zigang Dong, executive director of The Hormel Institute, during a tour by Leadership Minnesota. Bob Anderson (left), who recently retired from Boise Paper at International Falls, receives the Spirit of Minnesota Award from Jon Campbell, chair of the Minnesota Chamber Board. Current Minnesota Chamber board members Jan Kruchoski and Sanjay Kuba, and former member Russ Nelson, had a personal audience with Governor Mark Dayton at Session Priorities. Jay Timmons, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers, addresses the Minnesota Manufacturers Summit. Legislative leaders shared their views at Session Priorities: (from left) Senate Majority Leader David Senjem, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, moderator Tom Hauser of KSTP-TV, House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk.


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Aviation

Issue

How do we ensure Minnesota’s businesses and business travelers access to affordable and efficient aviation services?

Policy

Minnesota’s aviation System, which includes commercial air service and business aviation, is a vital component of Minnesota’s economy. On average, Minnesota’s aviation system generates an annual economic impact in excess of $14 billion.

Each component of Minnesota’s aviation system is important to the overall economic health of Minnesota. The approximately 33 million passengers who travel through the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport each year generate an estimated $10.6 billion in annual economic impact for the region. In addition, commercial air service that serves Minnesota’s economic regional centers also enables businesses and their employees to live in Greater Minnesota and still be able to access their customers, suppliers and co-workers anywhere in the world.

Business aviation also plays a vital role in ensuring the economic health of Minnesota. Minnesota has one of the best airports, navigational aid and associated infrastructure systems in the country. There are 135 airports in Minnesota, including seven with commercial service and 108 more with paved runways. This system enables business aircraft, owned and operated by Minnesota companies, to operate as safe and effective business tools. This allows these organizations to compete nationally and globally from nearly every community in the state.

In order to ensure that Minnesota’s aviation system can continue to help Minnesota prosper economically, Minnesota’s policy-makers should keep the following principles at the forefront of their decision-making when setting aviation policy:

  • Minnesota’s policies must promote the use of Minnesota’s aviation system.
  • Minnesota is home to the largest number of Fortune 500 Companies per capita as well as countless other successful business entities. The overall health of Minnesota’s aviation system has a significant impact on Minnesota’s economy. Therefore, it is vital that state policies encourage businesses to expand and locate in Minnesota and thus expand the use of Minnesota’s aviation system.
  • Minnesota has developed a well-earned reputation for having a world-class aviation system. It is vital that policies permit the management and oversight of this highly effective system to continue.
  • Minnesota continues to compete in a highly competitive global market. In order for Minnesota companies to compete in an efficient manner in this environment, the state must ensure that infrastructure and policies enable commercial and general aviation to provide air travel to all corners of the globe. Ensuring that the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport remains a major hub is one key way to succeed.

Business Impact

Minnesotan businesses rely on aviation to be able to easily access markets across the country, the continent and around the globe. By using both commercial air service and general aviation, Minnesota businesses are able to efficiently and effectively compete in today’s hypercompetitive global economy

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