MNUFC Owner Bill McGuire Invests $170M in St. Paul's Midway
Bill McGuire, owner of Minnesota United FC, has invested $170 million into St. Paul's Midway neighborhood. The specific uses for the capital have not yet been disclosed. The investment is expected to act as a catalyst for further redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the area located between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
This investment is part of a larger, long-planned development called United Village, built on a 34.4-acre site at Snelling and University avenues. The project's first phase was the construction of the $250 million Allianz Field, home to Minnesota United FC, which opened in 2019. McGuire's new capital infusion targets the development of the remaining parcels around the stadium. The area, historically blighted and in need of environmental remediation, includes the former "bus barn site" and parts of the old Midway Center shopping complex. Development has been slow to follow the stadium's opening, delayed by the pandemic, 2020 civil unrest, and rising construction costs. Phase 1 of the new construction is already underway and includes a four-story office building (the "TreeHouse"), two restaurant pavilions, a hotel slated for a 2027 completion, and a one-acre public park featuring a sculpture garden. A fully-inclusive playground, PK's Place, and a 33-foot-tall loon sculpture titled "The Calling" have already been unveiled. The development aims to create a walkable, mixed-use district with public green spaces, restaurants, and retail to serve the surrounding neighborhood and visitors. Future phases may include a music and arts venue and housing, though initial ideas for a movie theater have been discarded. Bill McGuire, the former CEO of UnitedHealth Group, purchased the state's professional soccer team in 2012 when it was the Minnesota Stars FC of the North American Soccer League. He rebranded the team to Minnesota United FC and assembled an ownership group that includes prominent Minnesota business families like the Pohlads and Taylors to help elevate the club to Major League Soccer.
