Lakes area potential fuels growth

BY RENEE RICHARDSON Brainerd Dispatch

BRAINERD — Ten counties in the state are projected for significant population growth and almost all are in metro areas, but one stands out in Greater Minnesota — Crow Wing County.

The Minnesota State Demographic Center’s projects the state to grow from 5.78 million in 2024 to 6.11 million in 2075. Along with Crow Wing County, the counties expected to have the most notable population increases are in or around the Twin Cities metro area — Dakota, Washington. Anoka, Wright, Scott, Carver, with Sherburne and Isanti counties. The other outlier, Olmsted County, is the home of the Rochester metropolitan area.

Crow Wing County stands out as the only county without a metro area expansion with an expected 18,278 people added to the county. The U.S. Census datea from 2020, listed the county’s population at 66,124.

The natural resources with abundant water, forests, habitat and quality of life along with amenities of health care, shopping and arts are all here.

“Sometimes having an outsider’s perspective is really helpful for me,” said Chris Close, senior adviser and owner at Close Converse in Brainerd.

“We are seeing way more people from across the country recognizing it. And it’s like growth begets growth. And it feels like we’re at the tipping point.”

Close referenced the Malcolm Gladwell book, “The Tipping Point,” that notes small changes can have a big impact and when a trend grows to become something bigger with more dramatic change like growth spurring more growth.

Close and Nate Grotzke, broker at Close Converse Commercial Real Estate/Business Brokerage, have monitored business trends across the lakes area for decades. Close Converse was established in 1995 and represents clients across a variety of industries in selling, buying, leasing properties in retail, office and industrial uses as well as investments in real estate. The company notes its work team represents more than 100 years of combined experience in the field. Their signs marketing properties are ubiquitous across the lakes region.

Grotzke, who has also been

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