Minneapolis puts a Parisian twist on downtown events for gymnastics fans

Minneapolis is head over heels for gymnastics, Paris and the spirit of the Olympics, as 6,000 athletes and tens of thousands of fans tumble into the city this week.

Downtown is giving itself a Parisian makeover to honor the French host of the Summer Games. Organizers hope the events around the U.S. championships and Olympic trials drawing tourists from across the country will showcase Minneapolis as a vibrant, safe city.

Minnesota Sports and Events will transform Nicollet Mall into Promenade du Nord, a pedestrian street market with more than 60 vendors from across the state. It kicks off at 11:30 a.m. Thursday with 1,000 gymnasts simultaneously dancing with Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders and state sports mascots to a Prince medley — alongside a replica Eiffel Tower.

Outside Target Center and Target Field, the city will host Flip Zone, the official fan fest of Gymnastics City USA. It's the biggest fan event hosted for USA Gymnastics, complete with a parkour course and 20-foot free fall into an airbag.

"We want the gymnastics community and the fans that are coming in to be welcomed and have it be a really exciting experience," said Debbie Estes, executive management at Minnesota Sports and Events. "For many of us, it's also a project with a lot of passion and love because of the city and helping to really revitalize Minneapolis and get people downtown."

The collaboration between Minnesota Sports and Events, USA Gymnastics, the Minneapolis Downtown Council and other city organizers has been in the works for over a year. Downtown businesses, restaurants and hotels are joining in, too, with many prepping for extended hours or higher than usual attendance during the Olympic Trials.

"We were really proud to get this event. It was hard won. It shows that we are able to deliver on bigger things that are happening in our city," said Michael Clark, general manager of the Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel.

The Olympic Trials are coinciding with the Twin Cities Pride Festival and Somali Week festival, necessitating additional planning by city organizers. The Mpls Downtown Improvement District says it has been working extensively with various law enforcement partners, including the Minneapolis and Metro Transit police departments, to establish a robust public safety plan for the weekend.

"The best evidence of downtown's health and vibrancy and feeling of safety is to come down here and experience it yourself. It defies all these misconceptions about how downtown has been," said Adam Duininck, president of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

Several restaurants along Nicollet Mall will be extending Sunday hours of operation to accommodate fans on the second night of the women's Olympic team trials. Many are hoping that with a boost in business there will be a renewed appreciation for the city.

"Every time a worldly event like this comes into our town, it's a huge opportunity for all of us to showcase, you know, how beautiful this downtown is," said Elijah Fhima, maitre'd and director of operations at Fhima's Minneapolis on 7th Street. The restaurant plans to add a red, white and blue cocktail to the menu this weekend to celebrate Team USA.

Promenade du Nord on Nicollet Mall will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, featuring street performers, music and gymnastics.

The Flip Zone will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday, 3 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Both areas are free to access and have areas for fans to watch broadcasts of the trials.