Minnesota's bid to host the 2027 World Expo fell short Wednesday morning as the Serbian city of Belgrade took the most votes, edging out Malaga, Spain by 11 votes.
Bloomington had hoped to host the event with the theme "Healthy People, Healthy Planet." Organizers estimated the Expo could attract 14 million visitors, while creating 30,000 jobs to the region.
Minneapolis Regional Chamber President & CEO Jonathan Weinhagen released a statement after the vote:
“Although we are disappointed that Minnesota was not selected for the 2027 World Expo, our region and state were extremely well received on the world stage and this effort only served to strengthen our region’s strong public-private partnerships. We were proud to carry the official bid on behalf of the United States and we greatly appreciate the support from the White House, the U.S. Department of State, the Governor’s Office and the Expo’s many corporate and business supporters. Our work together showed that Minnesota is worthy of the global spotlight. We made global connections that will continue to highlight our state as a desirable destination for tourism, business, and investment.”
Minnesota's bid to host the 2023 Expo also failed. The United States has not hosted the event in almost 40 years.
Osaka, Japan will host the 2025 World Expo.