The United States of America submitted today a letter of candidature to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) to organize a Specialised Expo in the State of Minnesota in 2027.
The letter, from Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, was handed to the Secretary General of the BIE, Dimitri S. Kerkentzes, by Brian Aggeler, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission to the OECD, marking the formal entry of the United States into the 2027 Specialised Expo candidature process.
Official U.S. Candidature Submission
The submission of the letter of candidature by the United States represents the culmination of months of planning and inter-agency coordination within the federal government, led by the Department of State in close collaboration with the White House and the Minnesota Expo bid committee. The candidature letter formally commits the United States to pursuing the hosting of a BIE-recognized Specialised Expo in Minnesota and obligates the U.S. government to fulfil the procedural and substantive requirements of the BIE candidature process.
The proposed Specialised Expo in Minnesota would be held under the theme “Healthy People, Healthy Planet: Wellness and Well-Being for All,” a theme that positions the expo at the heart of global conversations about public health, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to wellness resources—topics of profound relevance in the post-pandemic world. The expo would be organized by a dedicated organizing committee with support from all levels of government in the United States.
Proposed Host Site: Bloomington, Minnesota
The proposed host site for Expo 2027 Minnesota is the Bloomington area in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan region. Bloomington offers world-class convention and event infrastructure, extensive hotel accommodations, and close proximity to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the United States with extensive domestic and international flight connections. The Twin Cities metropolitan area provides the cultural, educational, and logistical resources necessary to successfully organize and deliver a World Expo of international stature.
Minnesota’s candidature builds on the state’s genuine strengths as a global leader in healthcare and life sciences. The Mayo Clinic, based in Rochester, Minnesota, is one of the world’s preeminent medical centers and serves patients from more than 140 countries. Minnesota is also home to major medical device and pharmaceutical companies and leading research universities—all of which would contribute to the substantive program of a health-focused World Expo.
Next Steps in the BIE Process
With the letter of candidature formally received, the BIE will register the United States as an official candidate for the 2027 Specialised Expo. The U.S. bid committee will work with the BIE’s Candidature Monitoring Committee to develop and submit a comprehensive candidature dossier covering all aspects of the proposed expo, from venue specifications and logistical infrastructure to the thematic program, international participation strategy, financial guarantees, and sustainability commitments.
The BIE General Assembly—representing the organization’s 170+ member nations—will ultimately vote to select the host of Expo 2027. The Minnesota bid committee will engage in active international outreach during the candidature period, presenting the strengths of the Minnesota candidature to BIE member nations and building support for the U.S. bid among the global expo community.