Our Story

In 2014, the votes were counted and the room held its breath. It came down to Minnesota and Portland in a tie so close you could feel the tension through the ballot sheets. It was the kind of dead heat that proves two destinations are equally worthy. In the end, Portland took 2019 and Minnesota was awarded 2020. Our turn was coming.

We rallied. We planned. We celebrated. And then the world stopped.

COVID cancelled what was meant to be our moment. The banners were never hung. The stages were never built. The welcome bags never handed out. What should have been a proud chapter in 2020 became a quiet what if.
Now it has been ten years since we earned our spot. Ten years since our opportunity was paused, not lost.
Minnesota has waited patiently. We showed up. We won our bid. We adapted when circumstances beyond anyone’s control changed everything.
It is not just about hosting a conference. It is about honoring a promise, finishing what we started, and finally giving Minnesota the stage it earned.
We tied. We waited. Now we deserve to host.