About us Alexandria area economic development Commission

The mission of the AAEDC is promoting prosperity and optimizing opportunity in the Alexandria region.

We do this with support from the Lakes Area Economic Development Authority (LAEDA) by providing fair and equitable resources. Through joint strategic planning processes between the AAEDC and the LAEDA, core initiatives and strategies are defined to develop a shared vision of the future and to identify goals and objectives against which progress toward achieving that vision can be measured.

The vision of the AAEDC is that the greater Alexandria Area is known as the premier place to call home, build a career, and grow a business. It is a place with leading-edge technology, infrastructure, and unparalleled talent, set within a geographic area of immense natural beauty.

To ensure long-term vitality for economic development efforts in the Alexandria Area, the AAEDC sought legislative authority and received approval in 2003, to create the Lakes Area Economic Development Authority (LAEDA). The LAEDA model is the first of its kind in Minnesota to bring together communities and townships under a formal structure with designated EDA powers.