What to know about the U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis

The nation's top gymnasts — including two Minnesotans — land at Target Center Thursday to flip, twist, and spring for a spot on Team USA.

Why it matters: The Olympic trials are vaulting these elite athletes and the city of Minneapolis into the national spotlight.

The big picture: Officials expect the four-day event to attract big crowds — and local spending — to downtown as families and fans gather to cheer on the gymnasts.

Between the lines: While the athletes take center stage at the trials, city leaders say the broader economic impact comes from the families, coaching staff, and fans who take part.

• Hotel occupancy data won't be available until next week, but Meet Minneapolis expects 100,000 people to participate in some way.

What they're saying: Mayor Jacob Frey touted the trials as the latest in a series of "Taylor Swift and Beyoncé-like events" boosting the standing of a city still recovering from the pandemic and the 2020 riots.

• "These large-scale events that have been coming to our city have largely gone off without a hitch," he said. "The city has been coming back in fine form."

Who we're watching: St. Paul's Suni Lee, who won a gold medal at the 2020 Games, is looking to return to the team — and the podium — after health issues threatened to end her career.

• Fellow Olympian Shane Wiskus, a former Gopher and three-time NCAA men's champ who grew up in Spring Park, is competing on the men's side.

What to expect: Both are favored to return to the Games, but they will still have to edge out more than a dozen competitors to clinch one of five spots on their respective teams.

• Men compete on Thursday and Saturday, and women on Friday and Sunday.

The catch: Locals who want to cheer on the homegrown stars in person should be ready to shell out for tickets.

• Passes for all four days at the Target Center start at about $450 and are currently available on the secondary market for between $300 to $2,000.

Yes, but: Single-day tickets were available on secondary seller sites for less than $100 as of Tuesday.

Plus: Those who can't watch in person can still take part in the fun for free.

• Nicollet Mall will be transformed into " Promenade du Nord ," a Parisian street fair with local vendors, food, and live performances to honor the Paris Games. More than 1,000 gymnasts will take part in an 11:30am Thursday kick-off event.
• The "Flip Zone" outside Target Center will have demos, a parkour course, and a 20-foot "free fall" into a giant airbag.
• The full schedule of outdoor events also includes athlete performances, live music, and autograph signings by gymnastics stars outside Target Center and nearby Target Field.

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