Minnesota Design Team (MDT) is visiting the Cuyuna Lakes Region (communities of Crosby, Ironton, Deerwood and Cuyuna), on May 2-5, 2024.
Forged by the folks who mined the area, mountain bike trails worthy of global acclaim now wind through this beautiful land of red dirt and abandoned mine pits that were reclaimed by nature to create pristine lakes. MDT visited in 2010 and they have implemented our suggestions to the point where tourism is a success, but they now experience the challenges most tourism areas face.
- Resident needs vs. tourist needs/conflicts (traffic jams and overcrowded restaurants and bars)
- ATV/UTV group needs vs. mountain bike trail group needs
- The desire to develop, or improve trails and parks
- A shortage of housing
- Workforce shortage
They have an excellent school district and healthcare system and a desire to grow their industrial and commercial base.
We invite you to join us May 2-5 on this repeat visit. As their Chamber states, “There are very few times in life that you can be part of a story this big in a region this small.”
If you are interested in joining us for the visit, please complete the online application.
Questions should be addressed to visit co-leads Emily Northey, AIA or Richard Baker.
