Contacts: Mark Remme (507) 290-1452 [email protected] Leah Wong (612) 269-7986 [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Windstream Communications Completes Minnesota Headquarters Relocation To RBC Plaza in Downtown Minneapolis MINNEAPOLIS (December 18, 2014) — Windstream Communications, a leading provider of advanced network communications, officially relocated to Downtown Minneapolis’s RBC Plaza on Dec. 5. Windstream, which formed as a spinoff of Alltel’s landline business and merger with VALOR Communications in 2006, relocated its Minnesota-based office and will occupy 7,000 square feet of RBC Plaza. They moved 20 employees downtown initially with plans of having the total number of employees in the office increase to 30-35 by the end of 2015, according to Windstream Director of Business Services James Kempski. The move coincided with several core values Windstream holds in terms of business growth, client prosperity and employee satisfaction. The Fortune 500 company, based out of Little Rock, Ark., has more than 14,000 employees nationally and provides services to all states in the continental United States. And it expects to continue growing its business in Minnesota. “There are many opportunities & organizations in downtown Minneapolis,” Kempski said. “Moving downtown was not only important to attract the best talent but to be closer to the customers we work with. Windstream in Minnesota is in major growth mode & a focal point in our region as we are adding the appropriate resources to support the Minneapolis market. The space we have at the RBC Plaza will both attract top talent & allow us to support the growing technology needs of the Minneapolis’ business community.” Windstream’s move to RBC Plaza comes at a time when the building is wrapping up a major renovation. Construction merging RBC Plaza and the retail space previously known as Gaviidae Common II has created additional space and amenities inside the 539-foot, 40-floor skyscraper. A new conference center, fitness center and breakout areas are being added to RBC Plaza to help accentuate the working environment for current tenants while enticing other companies to move in. It’s working, as Hessian & McKasy and Norton Rose Fulbright have also signed on as new tenants, while Fish & Richardson recently announced it will be moving its national headquarters to Minneapolis and will office out of RBC Plaza. Subway, Sprout and Fresh Market are also expected to open in the skyway level of RBC Plaza soon. Kempski said the building’s renovation played a big role in Windstream picking its office space location. The financial investment being put into the building—plus the working relationship Windstream developed with the facilities management team, Cushman & Wakefield—played a role in the final decision, Kempski said. “They were investing so much into the building— similar to Windstream in this marketplace—it aligned very nicely,” Kempski said. “The facilities they are providing in this building are top notch, the interior & exterior look wonderful which will be completed soon. That and the location is centrally located, easy for employees who live in either North Branch, Blaine, Eden Prairie or St Paul with multiple highways being accessible. All of those items factored into what we’re looking for.” Kempski said another reason Windstream decided to move downtown included the company’s desire to give back to the community. He said Windstream is excited to be involved downtown and continue its philanthropy in Downtown Minneapolis through their local “Community Outreach Committee” that plans volunteer work & participating in events. As part of the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s 2025 Plan, one of the key initiatives is helping business grown, develop and expand in downtown through the year 2025. Bringing in new businesses to share in the overall success of the Central Business District is a key element in achieving the 2025 Plan’s goals. Proximity to clients, a strong transportation system, entertainment and dining options, the attraction of top talent and being part of a centrally-located business hub are all selling points attributed to why large and small, old and new businesses choose to do business downtown. “It’s exciting to see Windstream Communications decide to relocate its local office into the heart of Downtown Minneapolis,” said Steve Cramer, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council and Downtown Improvement District. “This move once again demonstrates the incredible benefits our downtown businesses enjoy thanks to the Central Business District’s connectivity, great amenities and an environment conducive to incredible growth potential.” Windstream is already feeling the benefits of their relocation to downtown. “The move is going great,” Kempski said. “We have a wonderful facilities team internal that does a lot for us. Windstream is investing in the Minneapolis market and the RBC Plaza is the ideal location for us to grow and meet the needs of the business community.” Other recent successes involving business growth in Downtown Minneapolis include: The launch of BeInBusinessDowntownMpls.com, a website that outlines the benefits of businesses relocating or retaining their office space in Downtown Minneapolis, including company success stories, resource guides and more. Aimia, a global leader in brand loyalty programs for airlines, hotels, healthcare and other businesses, announced this fall it will relocate its U.S. headquarters to Minneapolis. It will bring 350 employees downtown to occupy 50,000 square feet of butler Square. Be the Match is currently constructing its new 240,000 square-foot headquarters in the North Loop neighborhood of Downtown Minneapolis—900 employees will move into the building in 2015. Calabrio moved 173 employees to downtown last year in the North Loop neighborhood, occupying 30,000 square feet in the Wyman Building. CenterPoint Energy announced in May the purchase of a new 100,000 square-foot facility on Nicollet Mall, which will include more than 300 employees working in Downtown Minneapolis. Valspar Corp. announced in September its decision to remain downtown and move 270 corporate employees back into its former headquarters in Downtown East. Weber Shandwick announced in April it will relocate and bring more than 200 employees to downtown in 2016. It will lease approximately 45,000 square feet of office space in the Marquette Building. Wells Fargo announced plans in May to construct two, 15-story office buildings in Downtown East near the new Vikings stadium. About 5,000 Wells Fargo employees will work in the new 1.1 million square feet of office space. Xcel Energy is constructing a new building on Nicollet Mall that is planned to open in 2016. The building will work in concert with the company’s current location across the street and create a new Xcel Energy campus downtown. About the Minneapolis Downtown Council: Founded in 1955, and one of the oldest central business associations in the nation, the Minneapolis Downtown Council (MDC) is a membership-based entity that works to create an extraordinary downtown. The MDC’s collaborative developments of Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan was designed to help downtown businesses, community leaders and citizens build on downtown assets and implement future goals. For more information, please visit DowntownMpls.com. About the 2025 Plan: The Downtown 2025 Plan is a vehicle to help leaders and citizens build on Downtown’s assets and guide Downtown Minneapolis’ development. This includes initiatives to double downtown’s residential population, transform Nicollet Mall into a must-see destination, create a compelling and walkable environment around the clock, lead the nation in transportation options, end street homelessness, forge connections with the University of Minnesota and more. For more information on the 2025 Plan and its initiatives, visit 2025plan.com, BeInBusinessDowntownMpls.com and MinneapolisIdeaExchange.com. The 2025 Plan is a Minneapolis Downtown Council initiative established in 2010. ### .