OpenDoors: This is Called A "Telling Fact"

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

This is Called A “Telling Fact”

It’s not too difficult to guess what the top tourist attraction is in the state of Minnesota. It’s that behemoth version of a standard suburban shopping mall, the Mall of America. Forty-five million people visited that hellhole in 2004.

But try to tell me what the No. 2 attraction is…

Go on, take a guess.

OK. Stop babbling.

It’s Cabela’s, the retail paradise for hunters. It attracted four million people in 2005.

I find this funny.

———

For those who care, here are the top 10 Minnesota attractions, with attendance:

Mall of America: 45,000,000
Cabelas: 4,000,000
Metrodome: 2,656,820
Grand Casino Hinckley: 2,000,000
Target Center: 1,850,000
Minnesota State Fair: 1,632,876
Valleyfair: 1,400,000
Xcel Energy Center: 1,337,803
Science Museum of MN: 1,100,000
Minnesota Zoo: 992,963

Posted by Aaron on October 26, 2005 9:22 AM

Comments:

Wow...it's surprising that Valleyfair was so low on the list! My mom and I used to camp at the Jordan KOA, and spend a week at Valleyfair! Of course, back then the big mall was the one in Burnsville!

Talk about telling....I'm old.

Brad :-)

FuelGuyFSD
October 26, 2005 11:37 AM

I laughed when I saw that number 5 was the Target Center. What a waste! I can't believe people would actually want to see that after shopping in the stores. I guess I'm biased since I used to work at one. Anyway, I enjoy your blog!

Sarah
October 26, 2005 11:41 AM

...so what are the REAL attractions here? Any votes?

jon d
October 26, 2005 1:03 PM

Heh.. malls...

rob
October 26, 2005 8:01 PM

They just built a Cabela's in Rogers, MN. THat place was PACKED when I went home last weekend. They even have people parking in the field next to it. IT'S INSANE!

Smitty
October 26, 2005 10:23 PM

Yet the smaller regional shopping centers thrive. Even more amazing is that on any given day, during peak shopping season, MOA is the fourth largest "city" in Minnesota!

What makes up the rest of the list, everything you can see at Mall of America. With the exception of guns and an abundance historical information of real value.

It's all at THE mall!

Andrew
October 26, 2005 11:06 PM

What about Prince's place? Paisley Park?

Sarah
October 27, 2005 9:41 AM

How did Grand Casino Hinkley make the list and Mystic Lake didn't? I'd be surprised if Hinkley outranked them.

SparklesMpls
October 27, 2005 3:19 PM

Sarah: I believe Prince has closed Paisley Park.

What about the Boundary Waters? Voyageurs? The Saloon? I think this list is bunk.

Byf
October 27, 2005 6:47 PM

How about the Mary Tyler Moore statue? I have seen more bears near this statue just this week alone:
http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2005/10/obligatory-tourist-photo.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32314432@N00/52473013/

Sarah
October 28, 2005 8:46 AM

I wonder where the 11,582 lakes rank on that list. I think it's bunk, too.

Ben2
October 29, 2005 11:10 PM

Oh you crazy critical thinkers. Guess I should have cited my sources. This list was obtained from the State of Minnesota's Office of Tourism. It was compiled by "Individual contacts and web research done by Nemer Fieger" in October 2005.

There isn't any way it's perfect. Many places don't monitor attendance (like lakes), and others (perhaps Mystic Lake Casino) didn't give numbers to Nemer Fieger.

State parks are included in the list. Gooseberry Falls is the top ranking among them, with 546,458 visitors in 2004. Overall, it's No. 13 on the list.

Aaron
October 31, 2005 9:55 AM