Minnesota's bid to host a world exhibition now has a home base. Expo 2031 Minnesota USA has zeroed in on Lakeville as its host city and secured a purchase agreement for most of the land at the southwest corner of Interstate 35 and Highway 70. If it moves forward as planned, it would be the first world exhibition in the United States since 1984, and it would put the south metro on a global stage for six months.
What Expo 2031 Minnesota Is Planning in Lakeville
Expo 2031 is an A1 International Horticultural Expo scheduled for May through October 2031 in Dakota County. The nearly 57-acre "legacy site" in Lakeville would serve as the central hub, and organizers want to build structures that remain after the event wraps up.
The concept plan from Minneapolis-based SRF Consulting includes:
- A USA pavilion
- Gardens
- A Bellagio-style fountain
- A 200-room hotel
- A convention center
- A welcome center
- A future home exhibit
- A multimedia studio
- An amphitheater
- 1,300 parking spaces
- A secret garden designed to serve as a wedding and event venue
The Expo team is also weighing higher education and healthcare uses for the site, depending on community feedback. Additional leased land to the west would be built out with five different climate zones for visitors to explore.
The Numbers Behind the Expo
Organizers project more than 6 million visitors, potentially over $1 billion in investment and more than $2 billion in economic impact. On a typical day, they expect between 45,000 and 85,000 people on site, with shuttle service carrying much of the load.
Most of the financing comes from private sources such as partnerships and sponsorships, according to Expo CEO Wendy Meadley, though the team does plan to request public funding from the state of Minnesota. The land is mostly owned by the Bloomington-based United Christian Academy Foundation, which said the sale will help it pay down debt on the property and pursue a permanent south metro campus. Meadley declined to share the purchase price but said closing is expected early next year.
What This Means for Lakeville and the Twin Cities
For Lakeville, the key point is permanence. This is not a pop-up event that disappears in November 2031. The legacy site is designed to leave behind a hotel, convention space, an amphitheater and event venues on one of the most visible corners along I-35, and the final mix could still change based on what residents say.
For the broader Twin Cities, the questions to watch are traffic management along the I-35 corridor, how much state funding the Expo ultimately requests, and what the site becomes once the gates close. Those answers will shape how south metro communities feel about the project over the next five years. For more local development coverage, see [INTERNAL LINK: relevant blog post or listings page].
Residents who want to weigh in can attend Lakeville's community open house on Oct. 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Lakeville City Hall.
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