Questions and Answers

What is DMC?

With Mayo Clinic at its heart, Destination Medical Center (DMC) is a 20-year economic development initiative to position Rochester, Minnesota, as the world’s premier destination for health and wellness.

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. DMC represents the largest economic development initiative in Minnesota and one of the largest in the United States.

For more info, visit our What is DMC? page.

Who is involved with DMC?

DMC is built upon collaboration with a variety of supporters, partners, and stakeholders. Organizations and community members working together and sharing ideas play a vital role in making DMC a reality. They include the State of Minnesota; Olmsted County; the City of Rochester and other local jurisdictions; Mayo Clinic; Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc.; Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce; Rochester Downtown Alliance; Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau; the University of Minnesota–Rochester; a mix of arts, cultural, and civic groups; and many more.

What is the DMC timeline?

The DMC Development Plan—a 20-year development plan that serves as a strategic business plan and framework for implementation of the initiative—was adopted in April 2015. DMC is transitioning into the implementation phase with three priorities identified as Discovery Square, Heart of the City, and Transportation.

What kinds of projects are involved in DMC?

The DMC vision is: “To provide the ideal patient, companion, visitor, and community member experience to become the world’s premier destination medical community.” Downtown Rochester will be an epicenter of the growth in development and services to create a vibrant, world-class destination community. The growth will be centered around key DMC development areas: Livable City/Retail/Dining; Sports, Recreation, & Nature, Hospitality/Convention; Commercial Research and Technology; Health and Wellness; Learning Environment; Arts and Culture/Civic/Entertainment; and Transportation.

What are the public investments in DMC?

A total of $585 million was allocated by state statute for this initiative. It breaks down as follows:

  • State of Minnesota – $410.6 million
    • After an initial $200 million of private investments, and with required local matching contributions, the State will pay $2.75  annually for general infrastructure and $0.45 for transit infrastructure for every $100 of private money spent to continue to build Rochester as a global medical destination.
    • Sales Tax Exemption for Public Infrastructure Construction Materials: $14 million
  • City of Rochester – $128 million
  • Olmsted County – $46.4 million

Public dollars will not be used to pay for Mayo Clinic buildings and/or programs.

How does Minnesota benefit from DMC?

DMC represents the largest economic development opportunity in Minnesota and is one of the largest in the country, creating thousands of new jobs and generating billions in new tax revenue.

Jobs: Thousands of new jobs will be created in Minnesota from direct growth of Mayo Clinic and DMC, from indirect and induced impacts of visitation and spending, and from construction.

Tax Revenue: Significant new state and local revenue will be realized over a 20-year period.

Economic Development: DMC promotes Rochester and the State of Minnesota as a desirable location for start-up businesses, keeping them—and the jobs they bring—here.

Minnesota as a Global Center for Health and Wellness: DMC elevates Rochester and Minnesota as a global medical destination that provides patients a welcoming, comfortable, and engaging environment to receive the most advanced medical care in the world.

How does DMC address transportation?

The transportation goal for DMC is to develop mobility and transit solutions to support the growth the DMC initiative will generate. Developing transportation solutions will involve a comprehensive assessment of current transportation needs and how to accommodate a more multi-modal approach to improve travel for patients, visitors, community members, and employees into the future.

Among the highlights in the DMC Development Plan’s transportation proposal is the City Loop, a bicycle route around downtown Rochester that would tie into the existing trail network and other proposed bicycle routes. The City Loop offers connections to each DMC District; ties visitors, community members, and employees to nature, culture, and entertainment; and provides a place for visitors of all ages, interests, and abilities to have fun within steps of their downtown lodging.

Does DMC support sustainability and energy efficiency?

One of the DMC’s guiding principles is for it to be a model for sustainability that will strive to implement ecological urban design and building practices to improve and enhance the environment and quality of life.

Among its goals, the DMC sustainability framework aspires to uphold energy efficiency by reducing total energy use through conservation and efficiency solutions. The energy efficiency target cited in the DMC sustainability framework plan is a 25 percent reduction in total energy use. It is expected the energy reduction goal will be achieved by employing both conservation (behavioral change) and efficiency (technological change) solutions.

The DMC sustainability framework also looks at clean energy and carbon emission-reduction goals.

DMC sustainability goals will be updated periodically along with the DMC Development Plan, as required by the DMC legislation. These updates present opportunities to make improvements, as well as incorporate “lessons learned” and new sustainability goals.

What about historic preservation?

The preservation of significant landmarks and districts is an important part of a city’s historic fabric. One of the common areas of interest within the DMC initiative is historic preservation. An example of DMC’s commitment is support of the historic Chateau Theatre, where the DMCC board of directors and the Rochester City Council approved capital improvement funds to protect the building, make enhancements and support interim use.

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