Destination Medical Center

Destination Medical Center (DMC) is a unique 20-year economic development initiative. The $5.6 billion plan is the largest in Minnesota’s history. With the expansion of Mayo Clinic and DMC growth, Rochester is a global destination for health and wellness and so much more.

In 2013, state officials determined there was a compelling interest to authorize public investments in Rochester to help support Mayo Clinic in Rochester as a global medical destination center. These leaders worked together to develop DMC and create in statute the financing tools and public governance structure necessary to carry out the global destination vision.

With more than $5 billion in projected private investments over the next 20 years, DMC will provide the public financing necessary to build the public infrastructure and other projects needed to support the vision.

Rochester Story Project:
Meet the Rochester, MN Storytellers

Destination Medical Center (DMC): In the middle of Everywhere

Rochester, Minnesota is its own special place. It spawned the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, home to those leading the way in life science discoveries and health care innovations. It’s the place people go to get better. Where developers are building an epicenter fueled by economic boom and dramatic growth. Where entrepreneurs come to find their place and discover the next big thing. The Destination Medical Center (DMC) initiative puts you in the middle of it all.

In the middle of INNOVATION, GROWTH, INVESTMENT
And so much MORE

Major Investments to Fuel the Growth
  • Mayo Clinic: $3.5 billion over 20 years
  • Additional Private Investments: $2.1 billion over 20 years
  • State of Minnesota: $585 million over 20 years

Our Public-Private Partnership

The DMC Initiative serves as a public-private partnership, combining private development by Mayo Clinic and other developers, as well as public funding from the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, and the State of Minnesota to facilitate and support public infrastructure.  DMC promotes the City of Rochester, and more broadly, the County, and the State as a world destination medical center, to assist the patients, caregivers, residents, employees, and visitors in fully experiencing Rochester as a premier destination medical center, while providing extended economic development and opportunities for the City, the region, and the State.

DMC is a Win-Win for Minnesota’s Future

  • New Jobs

    More than 30,000

    New jobs in Minnesota generated by overall DMC growth.

    Tax Revenue

    The State of Minnesota is expected to collect an estimated
    $1.9 - $2.2 Billion

    in additional tax revenues over a 20 year period.

  • Private Investment

    $5+ Billion

    In projected private investment by Mayo Clinic and other private entities over the next 20 years.

    Tax Revenue

    The City of Rochester is estimated to collect approximately
    $270 Million

    in additional tax revenues over a 20-year period.

  • New Jobs

    2,000 - 2,700

    New jobs from construction on average annually.

    Tax Revenue

    Olmsted County is estimated to collect approximately
    $218 Million

    in additional tax revenues over a 20-year period.

DMC Goals

Comprehensive Strategic Plan

Create a comprehensive strategic plan with a compelling vision that harnesses the energy and creativity of the entire region.

Attract Private Investment

Leverage public investments to attract more than $5 billion in private investments to Rochester.

Create Jobs

Create more than 30,000 new jobs, with workforce development strategies that support that growth.

Generate Additional Net Tax Revenue

Generate approximately $7.5–$8.0 billion in new net tax revenue over 35 years.

Become the Destination for Health & Wellness

Achieve the highest quality patient, visitor, and community member experience both now and in the future.

Explore an Interactive Map of Each District

The DMC Corporation has identified eight core areas that deliver a world-class destination medical center and underpin the Development Plan. These include:

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

One core theme of DMC and an important part of any great destination city is the integration of entertainment, arts, and culture into the fabric of the city. Included in the preliminary estimates of retail demand in the DMC Development District is entertainment space as a cultural arts center.

Also check out the Rochester Story Project »

Livable City, Retail, & Dining

It is estimated that 2,200 to 3,100 units of for-sale and for-rent housing will be needed in the DMC Development District. The DMC Development District is projected to contain a range of housing types: for-sale multi-family, for-rent multi-family, high-rise, duplexes, and townhomes. Preliminary estimates of retail demand in the DMC Development District from 2015 to 2039 range from 206,000 to 348,000 square feet, including entertainment space as a cultural arts center.

Hospitality & Convention

The supply of hotel rooms in downtown Rochester is expected to grow annually between 2014 and 2034. It is estimated that seven hotels totaling 1,304 rooms will enter the DMC downtown market during the period 2015 through 2034.

Commercial Research & Technology

Research suggests that a mixed-use research park would offer the best format to develop biomed-tech in the DMC Development District and create the jobs driver needed to support a larger development concept. Research also suggests a research cluster of approximately 650,000 to 1,000,000 square feet of business space, in addition to research facilities at Mayo Clinic, is appropriate.

Sports, Recreation & Nature

One element in a community health and wellness strategy is the promotion of and access to sports and recreational opportunities. Consistent with this position, sports and recreational activities are core components of the DMC initiative. Sports and recreation can include organized sports leagues, but they also include low- and no-cost activities such as biking and hiking on public trails.

Open spaces, sporting events, and recreational activities can also serve to support economic activity in the DMC Development District and Rochester by supporting such businesses as events promoters, sports leagues, bicycle and other equipment rentals and sales, and also attracting visitors for events. Open space, natural areas, and program recreational areas also support the development and values of residential projects in the DMC Development District.

Open spaces can support environmental and heritage conservation, as well as include traditional historic landscapes, such as Central Park and Soldiers Memorial Field in Rochester. They also have a positive impact on air and water quality, protect biodiversity, and reduce heat buildup from impervious surfaces in an urban setting.

Learning Environment

Learning Environment means creating an environment where learning and lifelong education, from pre-school to older/adult continuing education, are core values. The University of Minnesota–Rochester and Mayo Medical School are major assets and contribute to making DMC a dynamic and diverse learning environment.

Health & Wellness

One of the goals of DMC is to help develop Rochester to become an international attraction for those who are focused on wellness, not just coping with illness. That includes providing options for improving health and fitness, effectively managing the increase in visitors and residents, increasing the social connections that foster a vibrant community, and attracting highly trained young professionals to keep Rochester at the top in the health care field.

Transportation

The DMC transportation framework has been developed with a focus on mobility to reduce the dependency on cars and create connections to the surrounding area and region. The vision includes having more high-frequency transit, an enhanced network of bike trails, safe walkable streets, a frequent downtown transit circulator, and high-frequency shuttles from remote parking areas to provide convenient access to and around downtown.


DMC Development Plan

DMC is guided by a comprehensive, 20-year development plan that serves as a strategic business plan and framework for implementation of the initiative.

All DMC planning and implementation is done in partnership with the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, the State of Minnesota, community partners, and Mayo Clinic.