INSIDE THIS ISSUE: DECEMBER 2018 Holidays at the MOA ..........................................................................1-2 Highlights of MSCA Over 30 Years.........................................................3 2018 Minnesota Election Results .........................................................4 Rising Star: Lucky Cricket ...................................................................5 Minnesota Marketplace ........................................................................6 2018 State of Retail – Tournament of Champions................................6 Member Profiles ....................................................................................7 Twitter Highlights ..................................................................................8 MSCA Leadership AND What’s Hot/Not? ................................................9 Special Thank You ...............................................................................10 MSCA 2018 Schedule of Events ..........................................................10 Corporate Sponsors ............................................................................11 Enhancing Our Industry & Advancing Our Members FEATURE ARTICLE HOLIDAYS AT THE MOA by Dan Jasper, MOA CREATING NEW TRADITIONS Mall of America recently installed a new parking ...with 100 Embracing ‘the bold north’ mystique of Minnesota – as guidance system in the two massive parking ramps as percent of skate well as our love for all things outdoor – Mall of America well as the surface parking lots. Designed and installed by rental proceeds is creating a new tradition this holiday season. SKATE Park Assist, the new system is easy to use and understand. THE STAR is a custom-built ice rink located at the North As guests approach the ramps, they will see large digital benefitting the entrance of the Mall. Presented by UCare®, the 12,000 signage displaying the number of open spaces on each Boys & Girls square-foot ice rink will open to the public beginning level. Once on the desired level a series of colored lights Clubs of the Saturday, December 8 and will remain open through indicate if there are open spaces. To increase convenience, Twin Cities. January 27. Mall guests can access parking information prior to leaving home from their computer or mobile device. Built around the iconic star sculpture at the North entrance to the Mall, Skate the Star will be free and open The Mall’s digital wayfinding directories, app, mobile to the public during select hours. Guests are welcome to website, Wi-Fi and social media platforms are all use their own skates, or skate rentals will be available for interconnected to offer seamless service to the millions of $5 with 100 percent of skate rental proceeds benefitting guests expected throughout the holiday shopping season. the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. The unique skating venue, built by local company Minnesota Ice, will Although the holiday shopping season is just underway, also be available for private and group functions. Mall team members are currently meeting to begin planning for the 2019 season to create an even better New this year, Mall of America created a unique Holiday experience for MOA guests and build on the traditions Cottage lounge and interactive experience. The Holiday that have been so well received. Cottage, located on Level 3, North, offers unique selfie photo ops, an oversized fireplace, relaxing furniture and Ellie, an interactive, hologram elf. Ellie the Elf offers gift suggestions and fun interactions with guests like dance videos or selfies that you can send to your email for sharing with friends and family. The Mall’s social media concierge team members are also located in the Holiday Cottage to offer guests assistance and gift suggestions. USING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE Several technologies have been put into place to enhance the guest experience and ease some of the anxiety that may sometimes surround the holiday shopping season. PAGE 2 DECEMBER 2018 CONTINUED: HOLIDAYS AT THE MOA MOA HOLIDAY DÉCOR BY THE NUMBERS whimsically change colors and ‘dance’ to various holiday songs Mall of America team members – with a little help from the elves – throughout the day begin to decorate the 5.6 million square foot property after closing • New this year, the Holiday Cottage includes great #selfie photo on Halloween night and finish just in time to take the Thanksgiving ops that feature 444 leaping reindeer, 2,500 falling snowflakes and holiday off. When guests arrive at Mall of America on Black one hologram elf named Ellie Friday, they are greeted with a magical transformation that sparks • Finally, over Black Friday weekend Mall of America welcomed imagination and harkens to fond childhood memories. more than 500,000 guests • More than 100 exterior trees are adorned with ice-blue LED lights • Two 44-foot tall trees stand majestically in the Rotunda and serve as a joy-filled backdrop for family photos, selfies and the many performing groups during the annual Holiday Music Festival. Each tree boasts 385 branches and more than 32,000 LED bulbs • Giant ornaments – each weighing between 200-300 pounds – hang in the primary court areas • More than 400 holiday trees are placed throughout the Mall, each lovingly fluffed to perfection • The more than 4,000 live poinsettia plants serve to add a refreshing splash of color for Mall guests • Seven 11-foot tall nutcrackers greet guests who enter the Mall’s north door • SantaLand spans 5,000 square feet and features a magical forest, oversized toys and a special Santa machine that snows and dispenses keepsake Santa coins for kids young and old • Larger-than-life toy installations – including a giant View Finder, Robot, Toy Car, Rocking Horse, Red wagon, Jack-In-The-Box and Rocket Ship – can be found throughout the Mall • The Enchanted Snowflake Experience features 12 massive snowflakes suspended over SantaLand which come to life and CELEBRATING RADIANCE AT THE RIDGEDALE CORNER SHOPPES. @rsparch.com HIGHLIGHTS OF MSCA OVER 30 YEARS 1988 1989 19 92 Founded Retail Report Golf Event 1994 1993 1993 Member of STARRSM Awards Founded the Year originally called the The Caring Tree Awards of Excellence 501(c)3 founded in 1990 1995 1998 2000 Hired Lobbyist Firm Committee Self-Managed Faegre Baker Daniels LLP Member of (formerly Faegre & Benson LLP) the Year 2008 2005 2002 Rebranded Hall of Fame Professional MSCA Showcase 2010 2011 Third Learning Thursdays Sessions PAGE 4 DECEMBER 2018 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE 2018 MINNESOTA ELECTION RESULTS MSCA thanks those who voted in the Mid-Term elections. See the election results below. 2018 MINNESOTA ELECTION SCORECARD U.S. HOUSE OF U.S. SENATE REPRESENTATIVES MINNESOTA MINNESOTA HOUSE OF SENATE REPRESENTATIVES U.S. SENATE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 1 AMY KLOBUCHAR(DFL) 60% JIM HAGEDORN 50.1% JIM NEWBERGER(R) 36% DAN FEEHAN 49.9% CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 2 U.S. SENATE SPECIAL ANGIE CRAIG(DFL) 53% TINA SMITH(DFL) 53% JASON LEWIS(R) 47% KARIN HOUSLEY(R) 42% CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 3 DEAN PHILLIPS(DFL) 56% REPUBLICANS MAINTAIN DFL TAKES CONTROL CONSTITUTIONAL ERIK PAULSEN(R) 44% CONTROL OFFICES ( ) ( ) * CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 4 (R) 34 (DFL) 33 R 59 DFL 75 BETTY MCCOLLUM(DFL) 66% * ONE SEAT WON BY 4 VOTES, THERE WILL BE AN AUTOMATIC RECOUNT GOVERNOR GREG RYAN(R) 30% WALZ/FLANAGAN (DFL) 54% CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 5 QUESTIONS? CONTACT US JOHNSON/BERGSTROM(R) 42% ILHAN OMAR(DFL) 78% Sonnie Elliott Dave Johnson ATTORNEY GENERAL JENNIFER L. ZIELINSKI(R) 22% Principal - FaegreBD Consulting Partner - Faegre Baker Daniels LLP +1 612 766 8630 +1 612 766 7506 KEITH ELLISON(DFL) 49% CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 6 [email protected] [email protected] (R) DOUG WARDLOW 45% TOM EMMER(R) 61% IAN TODD (DFL) 39% Tom Freeman Emily Nachtigal SECRETARY OF STATE Director - FaegreBD Consulting Advisor - FaegreBD Consulting CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7 STEVE SIMON(DFL) 52% +1 612 766 8155 +1 612 766 6852 COLLIN PETERSON(DFL) 52% JOHN HOWE(R) 44% [email protected] [email protected] DAVE HUGHES(R) 48% Donovan Hurd STATE AUDITOR CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 8 Advisor - FaegreBD Consulting JULIE BLAHA(DFL) 49% PETE STAUBER(R) 51% +1 612 766 8876 PAM MYHRA(R) 43% JOE RADINOVICH(DFL) 45% [email protected] IMPORTANT DATES KEY ISSUES END OF NOVEMBER 2018 November Budget and Economic Forecast Released FOR 2019 SESSION JANUARY 8, 2019 Legislature Convenes FEBRUARY 19, 2019 Governor Releases Budget Proposal g Biennial Budget g Elder Abuse END OF FEBRUARY 2019 February Budget and Economic Forecast Released g Federal Tax Conformity g Opioids MID-MARCH 2019 – MID-APRIL 2019 Anticipated Committee Deadlines g Transportation and Transit Funding MAY 20, 2019 Legislature Adjourns MAXIMIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP! If you would be a dedicated and hard-working addition to one of our eight committees, then take a look at our committee page for your chance to contribute CLICK HERE to this great organization! COMMITTEES LOOKING FOR YOUR HELP IN 2019: PROGRAM, TO LEARN MORE! RESEARCH AND NEWSLETTER! Committees meet at all sorts of different times throughout the year, so find the one that fits your interests and schedule the best. PAGE 5 DECEMBER 2018 RISING LUCKY CRICKET STAR by Suzanne Jones, MID-AMERICA REAL ESTATE – MINNESOTA, LLC IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD THE BUZZ ABOUT ANDREW ZIMMERN’S NEW RESTAURANT CREATION, LUCKY CRICKET, THEN YOU MIGHT BE LIVING UNDER A ROCK. No really, it’s all the buzz! Chef Zimmern has brought his brilliant culinary idea full circle and might I add, it is