Minnestota Tourist Attractions

Minnesota attractions visited by thousands of visitors to Minnesota every year are certain to be the Minnesota tourist attractions you will want to explore as well.

The one “all encompassing” attraction in Minnesota is the beautiful setting in which all other Minnesota attractions are located.

The lovely, and plentiful, lakes, winding rivers, dense forests, prarieland, bluff country and rolling farmland offer a most diverse experience for travelers in Minnesota.

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Attractions By City

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is located in the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. It is nearly 1.3 million acres in size and extends for nearly 150 miles along the boundary with Canada’s Quetico Provincial Park with Voyageurs National Park on the west. You will find more than 1200 miles of canoe routes, 15 hiking trails and approximately 2000 campsites. There is no more attractive spot in Minnesota to experience solitude, challenge and up-close interaction with with nature. A crown jewel of Minnesota attractions.

Minnesota’s “inland sea” is a prime vacation destination. Duluth is the gateway to the North Shore and a wonderful attraction on its own. Walk along the lakewalk on the shore of Lake Superior. Watch the aerial lift bridge and the ships as they come and go. Take a harbor cruise, enjoy the IMAX Theater and visit the Aquarium. Stay in a Duluth hotel right in Canal Park and explore the many shops and restuarants. Continue on up the Lake Superior North Shore or take the Lake Superior Circle Tour to further explore this wonderful Minnesota attraction.

There are 66 beautiful Minnesota State Parks located in all areas of the state. Here are some peeks at just a few:

  • Banning State Park is located near Sandstone and Askov about 2 hours north of the Twin Cities area. The park is alongside the Kettle River and connects to the Willard Munger State Trail. The park is a haven for birds and wildlife. It is a wonderful spot for camping, biking, hiking, and cross country skiing.
  • Blue Mounds State Park is located in southwwestern Minnesota and offers excellent rock climbing opportunities. Mound Lake offers swimming and a picnic area located on shore. There are three campground loops located near a wildlife viewing pond. Campsites also available in the winter. Thirteen miles of winter hiking trails and twenty miles of snowmobile trail are available within 10 miles of the park.
  • Itasca State Park is located amid huge stands of red…or Norway…pines and is the birthplace of the Mississippi River

Check out our Minnesota State Parks Reviews page where you can share stories and photos of your state parks adventures.

Minneapolis St Paul Regional Business Plan

Minneapolis St Paul Regional Business Plan

I recently attended a forum on restoring job growth in the Minneapolis St Paul region that was sponsored by The Itasca Project which is an employer led civic alliance focused on building a thriving economy and improved quality of life for the Minneapolis- St. Paul metro region. Some of this work can be found at www.metromsp.org where you can search all available commercial properties that are for sale or for lease. It is a joint public-private
partnership with DEED and MNCAR. MSP has long had a history of stable growth, not boom or bust like some other cities. “Steady success over recent decades renders the region less prepared to deal with data suggesting a pattern of decline. MSP’s growth rates over recent years for productivity, incomes and employment have all trailed national averages.” Venture capital firms and new business start up rankings have also declined. However, for homegrown Fortune 500 businesses, Minnesota ranks at the top.

According to the executive summary, the time is NOW to bring together multiple regional efforts utilizing 6 critical leverage points:

1) Cluster concentration of industries, functions and occupations

2) Develop and deploy human capital for economic growth

3) Develop an infrastructure of innovation and entrepreneurship

4) Increase spatial efficiency

5) Create effective public and civic culture and institutions

6) Develop and deploy information resources

The four main industry clusters include food, health, design and the arts as identified by 4FRONT, a non-profit organization established to identify, attract, nurture and recognize world-class inventors, entrepreneurs and artists.

All businesses start out small in some shape or form. Now is the time to position your business for the 21st century. Taking advantage of a buyer’s real estate market is one way to help your business grow as we see improvement in our economy. Contact us at 952-469-9444, www.cerron.com or email me at rozp@cerron.com to learn more.

Industrial Sector Is Strong

The Industrial sector of the real estate market is improving and showing signs of strength. Industrail properties are being leased and many are being sold or are under purchase agreement.

Clients in this sector have realized that there are some great values in properties and that the financing terms are quite affordable.

Many clients that we talk to report that theri business is good- which has given them the confidence to move forward with expansion of their space.

So if you are considering expanding…now is a great time. See our web site for property options- www.cerron.com

SBA 504 Refinance Program Modification – Maturities Beyond 12/31/2012

On March 30th we received notification from SPEDCO stating that the SBA has published a Press Release announcing it is lifting the date limitation on the 504 Loan Program temporary refinancing guidelines enacted under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 allowing for the refinance of existing eligible non-SBA debt. Initially the Program was restricted to loans maturing no later than December 31, 2012. With publication in the Federal Register, which is expected by April 6, 2011, SBA will begin accepting applications from small business owners with eligible debt maturing after December 31, 2012 for the refinance of the debt using the 504 Loan Program. The temporary refinancing guidelines are in effect through Sept. 27, 2012.

SPEDCO said they have received questions from some lenders based on a misunderstanding of one of the current refinance guidelines and would like to take this opportunity to make a clarification. Existing debt with a federal guarantee (for example 504, 7(a) or USDA) is not eligible to be refinanced using the temporary guidelines. Non-guaranteed conventional debt that meet the guidelines is eligible.

Here is a link to the SBA website for additional information http://www.sba.gov/

Contact APPRO Development to learn more about financial planning for your commercial, industrial, or manufacturing project. As a design build general contractor, we can help with your expansion plans!

Important information regarding electrical equipment and installation for Lakeville MN.

It is very important as a business owner to understand the new codes that Lakeville has put into place regarding electrical for equipment. Please review the link below for the latest code update.

electrical_20110330114953

As a General Contractor for the last 20 plus years APPRO Development has worked closely with the city of Lakeville to make sure our projects meet these general requirements. Please contact Appro for more information.

Safety should not be a goal but a requirement.

Many contractors will be eager to get construction projects waiting for the spring thaw off and running with the warmer temperatures approaching. It is very important to keep safety in the front of everybody’s minds.

Review your safety policies and talk with your employees and subcontractors about establishing a safe plan of action for every task they are to perform. Remind them to take into consideration the tasks that are happening around them. These are too often overlooked and can result in serious accidents. If you are elevated and working on a lift or ladder check for other traffic around you. It is good practice to set up some cones and caution tape around you to make yourself more visible to others. These extra steps only take a few minutes to perform and can be the difference between a good day at work or a trip to the ER.

As a business owner looking to find a good contractor with a proven safety record look no further than APPRO Development. It is our belief that “No Task Is More Important Than A Workers Health And Safety” and “If A Task Cannot Be Done Safely It Will Not Be Done”. It is these beliefs and the policies that we have put into place that keep our employees and subcontractors protected from accident and injury.

Winter Recreation in Lakeville

The City of Lakeville does a great job of organizing & posting up coming events. Listed below are some of the outdoor/indoor recreation schedules, maps and up coming events for the month of March.

Cross country ski and snowmobile trails

Lakeville Sno Trackers maintains the cross country ski trails in Ritter Farm Park and snowmobile trails throughout the City. Visit their website for current trail conditions.

For more information, contact Parks & Recreation at (952) 985-4608.

Ritter Farm Park map: Shows both cross country ski and snowmobile trails within the park

Snowmobile map: Shows current snowmobile trails throughout Lakeville

Lakeville Sno Trackers club information

Snowshoe rental

The City of Lakeville has snowshoes available for rent in three sizes:

  • Up to 150 lbs.
  • Up to 200 lbs.
  • Up to 275 lbs.

$3 per pair/per day
3-day minimum on weekends
$75 deposit required per pair

Pick up and return snowshoes at Lakeville City Hall, 20195 Holyoke Avenue, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Call Parks & Recreation at (952) 985-4600 to reserve snowshoes or for more information and availability.

Indoor Activities

Adaptive Art: Pottery- Saturday, March 05 2011, 9:30am – 11:00am

Stroke of Genius Pottery- Sunday, March 06 2011, 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Storytime Art- Monday, March 07 2011, 9:30am – 11:00am

Art Night Out: Handpainted Ceramic Wine & Dine Tray- Wednesday, March 16 2011, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Adult Dance Class: Foxtrot, Waltz, Nightclub- Friday, March 18 2011

Mini Masters for Homeschooled Students- Friday, March 18 2011, 9:00am – 10:30am

Pottery for Homeschooled Students- Friday, March 18 2011, 10:45am – 12:15pm

Polymer Clay Jewelry- Saturday, March 19 2011, 9:00am – 12:00pm

Triathlon Swim Training- Sunday, March 20 2011, 2:00pm – 4:00pm

Lakeville Liquors Wine Academy: Wines of Argentina- Wednesday, March 23, 2011 7:00pm-9:00pm

Don’t Waste A Good Crisis!

local government innovation

Now that we finally have an official governor, it’s time to get down to business and address the looming $6 billion deficit, or some would term spending problem our state is facing. Our state revenues are projected to increase 5%, but our spending is projected to go up 23% if you take out the education payment shift. Certainly status quo is not an option. Our legislators need to prioritize their spending and look at delivering services differently. Now is the time for reform to lead our state and nation to the next level. Many feel that reform means more regulation, but I’d argue the exact opposite. We need to focus more on results—the bottom line, the goal. Let the people closest to the problem the freedom to figure it out. Give flexibility and incentives to do the job better. I am currently on a task force that is working on a “Guide to Innovation for Local Governments”. Here is the 5 step process that I think can be applied to anything:

1) Identify the problem (what is the goal?)

2) Determine the measurable outcome

3) Investigate why traditional methods are not working

4) Identify alternative theories or assumptions to address the problem

5) Innovate and redesign

Seems pretty simple, right? It would be if we weren’t creatures of habit and resistant to change. I encourage you to be the change you want yourself to be. Have the courage to look at things differently.

Our legislators do not have an easy job. Most of the items on the table you are not going to like and we will all be affected. However, this change is necessary. Let’s make this an opportunity to do things better by prioritizing government’s role and allowing creativity to innovate.

Thinking of remodeling!

It is very important as a Minnesota General Contractor to understand the impact a winter remodeling construction can have on an office remodeling project. Construction costs are usually lower during the winter months. This can save your companies construction project time and money during the winter construction.

There are many other ways to save cost on remodeling projects. These costs can include multiple bids in all construction categories such as electrical, HVAC, plumbing, drywall, painting, ect;. Remodeling doesn’t always have to be the office it can also include warehouse and production areas.

As a General Contractor for the last 20 plus years APPRO Development has remodeled many office, warehouse and production areas and passed along savings to the building owners. Call us today at APPRO Development if you plan to remodel, build or add on this winter.

It is never too early to start the planning process for your construction project.

Whether you are purchasing land to build a new facility or addition or improving your existing facilities there are many milestones that need to be met to successfully complete your project on time and on budget. The average land purchase and construction project can take between eight and twenty two months to complete and unless you have chosen a General Contractor that has extensive experience and expertise in the building process you will find yourself in an unorganized mess that leads to bad decision making and costly oversights.

At APPRO Development we take great pride in our ability to map out the entire construction process from initial client meetings and site searches to construction documents through post construction warranty. This key event schedule lays out when key decisions need to be made and milestones completed. It is this commitment to communication and attention to detail that allows us to deliver our projects “On Time, On Budget – No Surprises”. If this is the commitment you are looking for explore our website to see the full range of Architectural and Construction Management services we have to offer.