The Downtown Duluth Waterfront wraps around the western tip of Lake Superior, where foreign and domestic vessels sail right past your storefront. Our vibrant commercial hub is a strategic location for retailers, service providers, and businesses of all kinds. Our two largest employers – Essentia Health and St. Luke’s Hospital – employ more than 10,000 healthcare professionals and draw more than 750,000 patients and visitors from outside the region each year.

6.7 million visitors each year
Each year, more than 6.7 million tourists provide an economic impact of $780 million dollars. The Downtown Waterfront has 12 hotels, more than 50 restaurants, and a variety of popular attractions such as the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, Great Lakes Aquarium, S.S. William A. Irvin, The Depot/Lake Superior Railroad Museum, and Bayfront Festival Park. Numerous outdoor activities draw visitors to our shores and keep Duluthians engaged, and for that, we were recognized as Outside Magazine's Best Places to Live 2014.

Unprecedented development
Ongoing, major construction is proof that the Downtown Duluth Waterfront is an ever-expanding hub for business success. Since 2005, more than $300 million have been invested in projects from medical district expansions and hotels to theatres, condos, and building rehabilitations. Some major projects downtown include the headquarters of clothing retailer Maurices, Duluth Transit Authority Multimodal Transportation Center, and the reconstruction of Superior Street.

Growth in high-income households and a built-in customer base
A recent study of demographic characteristics and retail sales potential for the GDC by McComb Group, Ltd., projects a 23% increase in households with incomes over $150,000 by 2015. Duluth’s Downtown Waterfront is a great place to do business and continues to get even better.

More than 18,000 workers converge on Duluth’s Downtown Waterfront every day, creating a hub of activity. The McComb Group put the 2010 spending potential by employees at $123 million.

The energy of 25,000 college students
Five colleges and universities within a few miles of Duluth’s Downtown Waterfront means a well-educated, competent, and motivated workforce that equals high productivity and a stronger bottom line for your business.

High traffic and plentiful parking
The average daily traffic volume on Interstate 35, through Duluth, is 59,000 vehicles. This traffic, along with major traffic arteries from all directions, feeds into the Downtown Waterfront. There are nearly 15,000 parking spaces located throughout the district in ramps, lots, and on the streets. Additionally, we operate a parking program that allows businesses to offer free ramp parking to their customers.

Economic and relocation assistance
Downtown Duluth is a leading organization in helping businesses secure assistance from a variety of private and public development agencies.

Ready sites and low occupancy costs
While the Downtown Duluth Waterfront continues to attract more and more businesses, there still are attractive storefronts and office spaces available. Many of these spaces are available at square-footage costs that are lower than the national average.

Extensive Skywalk System
The Downtown Waterfront is weatherproof when you want it to be, thanks to 3.5 miles of skywalk that allow pedestrians to travel all across the downtown in climate-controlled comfort.

 

 

Downtown Duluth Skywalk Backlit Display Advertising
Use our backlit advertising program to make an impression on the professional workforce of 18,000 and the millions of visitors who travel our fully enclosed Skywalk system that spans 3.5 miles. The backlit panels provide multiple impressions daily to a concentration of executives, managers, small business owners, downtown workers, shoppers, diners, event attendees, and visitors.
www.downtownduluth.com/skywalk

Event Season Sponsorship
What better way to get exposure for your business than with a season sponsorship of Downtown Duluth. There are three levels of season sponsorship, and each offers your business marketing exposure throughout the year at our events. Additionally, depending on the level, you will receive tickets to our networking events and a presence on our website and other marketing materials.
www.downtownduluth.com/event-season-sponsorships

Movies in the Park Sponsorship
Be a part of this wonderful summer series. This valuable marketing opportunity will put your brand in front of approximately 2,500 each week, July through August!
www.downtownduluth.com/movies-in-the-park

Get Downtown Sponsorship
Local businesses are what make the downtown special. Partner with us in a weeklong event devoted to celebrating our downtown restaurants, retailers, and breweries. Two levels of sponsorship are available.
www.downtownduluth.com/get-downtown

Annual Celebration Sponsorship
Each year our membership gathers at the DECC for our Annual Dinner meeting. Be a part of this fantastic networking event join in the celebration of another year’s success and get inspired for the new year. Four levels of sponsorship are available.
www.downtownduluth.com/annual-meeting

Eat Downtown Sponsorship
The Eat Downtown Duluth Restaurant Week is truly 12 days and nights of celebrating the abundance and variety of our Downtown Waterfront restaurants. As a sponsor, your name and logo will be included in marketing materials and our website, exposing your company to thousands of people who take advantage of these wonderful meals at great prices. You can choose from three levels of sponsorships.
www.downtownduluth.com/eat-downtown