Minnesota.

MINNEAPOLIS

Luxury hotel opens. The upscale Le Meridien Hotel opened recently in the Theater District in downtown Minneapolis, which will host ASAE's annual meeting and exposition August 14-17. The 21-story, 255-room hotel is the first Le Meridien property to feature the company's Art + Tech design that includes guest room amenities such as a 42-inch plasma TV paired with a cutting-edge multimedia system and high-speed Internet access through ISDN lines. The hotel offers more than 22,000 square feet of meeting space, including a ballroom that can accommodate up to 750 people for a reception or 500 for a banquet. The luxury hotel is part of a retail and entertainment complex anchored by a GameWorks, a Hard Rock Cafe, and a 15-screen cinema. The complex is attached via skyway to the Target Center Arena and the City Center shopping mall.

Airport expansion continues. Virtually every aspect of the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is being improved through a $3.1 billion project. In 2002, two new Lindbergh Terminal concourses opened, as did the expansion of Concourse C. An eight-story parking ramp at the Humphrey Terminal opened, as did new cargo facilities. A fourth runway is under construction and scheduled for completion in late 2005.

ST. PAUL 

New excursion yacht debuts. A new excursion yacht debuted this spring on St. Paul's Mississippi River. The Paradise Lady, a 96-foot, 150-passenger yacht moored on Raspberry Island on the downtown riverfront, is available for a wide variety of entertainment and themed cruises throughout the day.

Landmark Hotel gets major renovation. Downtown St. Paul's historic Saint Paul Hotel will be completely remodeled through a multimillion-dollar project. The 94-year-old hotel will stay open during the renovations that are set to begin this summer and wind up early next year. The appearance of the hotel's 254 guest rooms and public spaces will change, except for the St. Paul Grill restaurant, with new furniture, wall coverings, carpeting, and other upgrades.