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Minneapolis: City of Lakes, Life, and Sport
Welcome to Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA!
The largest city in the state of Minnesota and the regional center for the Upper Midwest of the United States, Minneapolis is a stunning example of an American and global city. Minneapolis and St Paul--collectively known as the Twin Cities--is home to over 3.3 million people representing many different cultures and countries of origin, from Somali to Hmong and Swedish to the Dakota and Ojibwe nations which first settled the region. Minnesota's and Minneapolis' history is deeply intertwined with the land and the water. Minneapolis started as mill town, utilizing the power of the Mississippi to grind wheat from the plains to the west and process lumber from the forests to the north. Today, the Mississippi is just as important to the economy of Minneapolis, serving as a vital transportation and shipping route as well as a site for leisure and recreation. |
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_Minneapolis hosts a thriving sports community as well. The Twin
Cities is home to the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team, the Minnesota
Lynx WNBA team, the Minnesota Vikings NFL team, and the Minnesota Wild
NHL team. Minneapolis is also home to the University of Minnesota's
Golden Gophers collegiate teams. Minneapolis also fosters a very
healthy recreation scene. Named the most athletic city by Mens' Fitness
magazine in 2006, Minneapolis features over 770 square feet of
parkland each resident. It was also named the Healthiest City in the US
in 2011 by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Bringing the Games to the USA
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"There is this love affair with the Olympic Games
in America — there's no other country in the world that rivals it," says Rob Prazmark, CEO and founder of 21 Marketing, who has worked in Olympic marketing since the 1984 Games_. "Americans love their Olympic Games, especially when they're
here." But with such a high obesity rate, Americans tend to enjoy the Olympics from the comfort of the couch.
Bringing the Olympics back to the United States presents the opportunity to reinvigorate a nation that has been sitting down for far too long. An event featuring the greatest in sports will capture the imagination of the world and provide motivation for all people to pursue an active and healthy lifestyle. By teaming up with nonprofits such as Do (started by BlueCross/BlueShield of MN, the source of the commercial at the left), the 2024 Minneapolis Olympics will advocate for grassroots programs to help all Americans find ways to stay active and keep fit. |