DMC Plan Overview

The DMC Economic Development Agency (EDA), working with various stakeholder organizations and City of Rochester staff, is charged with implementing the DMC Development Plan over the next 20 years.

View & Download Development Plan

View & Download the 5-Year Development Plan Update.

Current Priorities

Discovery Square is a keystone to the DMC economic development strategy and represents the future of biomedical research, education and technology innovation.

  • Discovery Square borrows from Mayo Clinic’s integrated care model to create an integrated district founded in the principles of translational medicine.
  • Discovery Square will be a new address for the future of biomedical, research, education, and technology innovation. Discovery Square is a keystone to the DMC economic development strategy.
  • Discovery Square is anticipated to be one of the largest drivers for job growth as it positions Rochester to attract medical innovators and researchers with the ultimate goal of commercializing new medical discovery and businesses throughout the city and the state.
  • As a “Silicon Valley of Medicine,” Discovery Square brings doctors and researchers together in this one-of-a-kind campus to explore and bring innovative new discoveries to patients faster.

View map & images of this district View Discovery Square highlights View Schematic Design highlights

Heart of the City creates a true center of the city, a cross-roads where Mayo Clinic, commercial, hospitality, retail and residential meet.

  • The Heart of the City extends and enhances Peace Plaza to create active experiences and engaging gateways to the other sub-districts.
  • We know when patients and their families come to Rochester, they spend 70 percent of their time away from Mayo Clinic. It’s essential that there are ample entertainment and leisure-time activities for them.

View map & images of this district  View Schematic Design highlights

View Phase One Schematic Design

Transportation develops 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 a plan to accommodate a more multi-modal approach to improve travel for residents and visitors into the future.
  • DMC and the City of Rochester are working closely together to define the future of transit for Rochester.
  • Among the highlights in the transportation proposal are 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, residents and workers to nature, culture, and entertainment, and provides a place for visitors.

View Integrated Transit Studies

Integrated Transit Studies Executive Summary

Mobility Hub Presentation

Link Bus Rapid Transit System Project Website

Phases of the DMC Plan

Where We Started

A few years ago, Mayo Clinic and community members began to brainstorm and discuss what would make Rochester a Destination Medical Center. Ideas percolated and representatives from Mayo Clinic, the City of Rochester and area businesses came together to give initial structure to the DMC brainstorming. Their work, along with the Rochester Downtown Master Plan, was the foundation for DMC. Conversations included the intent to provide, “Hope, health and hospitality for every person, every day.”

Legislative Phase

Rochester residents and city and state leaders saw the potential for DMC. In 2012, Rochester voters reauthorized $20 million in sales taxes toward DMC development.

In May 2013, the Minnesota Legislature passed legislation that included the finance tools and governance necessary to fund the public infrastructure for DMC. The legislation provided for $585 million in public investment, over the next 20 years, to support $5–$6 billion of private investments, over that same time period—all aimed at securing Rochester and Minnesota as a global medical destination.

Governance Phase

The DMC legislation, signed into law by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton in May 2013, outlined the structure and overall organization for the public-private partnership among Mayo Clinic, the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, and the State of Minnesota.

The legislation called for two bodies to be created:

  • The DMC Corporation is an oversight body that approves the DMC Development Plan and specific funding requests for the DMC.
  • The DMC Economic Development Agency (EDA), a private nonprofit economic development agency, contracts with the DMC Corporation Board to act as its staff, working with the City of Rochester and other stakeholders, to develop and execute the DMC plans and strategy.

From June 2013 to February 2014, two groups and their boards were organized, started their work and now meet regularly. Bylaws, articles of incorporation, contracts and funding systems have been completed. For more information on the DMC Corporation public meetings, view the Calendar of Events.

Planning Phase

The year-long effort to plan and assemble the DMC Development Plan started in March 2014. The DMC Economic Development Agency (EDA) hired four planning firms with expertise in master planning, transportation, infrastructure, market research and fiscal economic analysis to work on the DMC Development Plan.

The DMC Development Plan includes multiple forms of information to build the full DMC vision: community input, market-based research and economic fiscal impact analysis.

Throughout the process, the DMC EDA led a comprehensive community engagement process. During the planning phase, community members were informed about the progress of the DMC planning efforts and had the opportunity to share their ideas at public forms and at Community Conversations, which were public input sessions around DMC’s core areas of focus. Additionally, DMC volunteer ambassadors informally gathered ideas from across the community.

In March 2015, the DMC Development Plan was adopted by the City of Rochester. The DMC Corporation adopted the DMC Development Plan in April 2015.

Implementation Phase - Where We Are Now

The EDA, working with stakeholder organizations and City of Rochester staff, is charged with implementing the DMC Development Plan over the next 20 years at the direction of the DMC Corporation Board.