State to open new 'concierge' service to lure businesses

Gov. Mark Dayton announced Wednesday a new multi-agency initiative to help businesses expand or locate to Minnesota.

The Minnesota Business First Stop will connect businesses with the resources they need in state government. During a news conference Wednesday, Commissioner Mark Phillips of the Department of Employment and Economic Development said the project is modeled after a hotel concierge.

"We take that business in, much like a concierge at a hotel would, and make all of the arrangements, set meetings, make contacts, coordinate." Phillips said. We intend to ... follow up and making sure that things are done properly."

The initiative is another piece of Dayton's jobs agenda for the 2012 session. He earlier released details of a proposed tax credit and a bonding bill aimed at putting unemployed Minnesotans back to work. This latest initiative does not require legislative approval.

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