Airport Foundation MSP, which manages the arts and culture program at MSP International Airport, has hired Ben Owen as the program's new director. 

Owen (pictured) has more than 10 years of experience in public art management for statewide public art agencies. Most recently, he was the program officer with the Minnesota State Arts Board, where he managed the Minnesota Percent for Art in Public Places program, acquiring works of art for communities throughout Minnesota using up to one percent of state-funded capital improvement projects. 

Notable examples in Minnesota include the newly developed Riverfront Plaza at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester; the Bioscience and Health Careers Center at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park; and the Wade Municipal Stadium in Duluth. 

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Ben has joined our team,” said Jana Webster, executive director, Airport Foundation MSP. “Ben’s background and experience are an ideal fit for managing the multiple arts and music programs that are ongoing at MSP Airport.” 

Prior to his work with the Minnesota Arts Board, Owen was based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he served as project coordinator for the Art in Public Places program at New Mexico Arts, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs and the state arts agency for the state of New Mexico. 

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MSP is well into its second round of new restaurant construction at Terminal 1. This week brings two new openings, Blue Door Pub and City Point Bar.

Blue Door Pub, already a well-known hotspot to Twin Cities residents, will open later this week, adding to their four street-side locations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Known for its Blucy burger (two fresh ground Angus patties with a veritable cornucopia of ingredients), Blue Door's nacho totchos and chicken wings are also crowd-pleasers. 

Happy birthday to Snoopy, the beloved cartoon character who also has his own statue at MSP. In fact, he has two.

Snoopy's birthday is Aug. 10, as the Peanuts comic strip first noted in 1968.

The Snoopy statue in Terminal 1’s main mall (pictured) remains a big draw for kids and adults alike, with selfies showing up regularly on social media channels. MSP has a second, very popular Snoopy statue located in the children’s play area near Gate C11.

The statues were among dozens made in the year 2000, shortly after Charles Schulz’s death, and displayed around the City of St. Paul -- Schulz’s hometown. In following years, other Peanuts characters received the same statue recognition.

Delta Air Lines recently announced the schedule for its new, nonstop flights from MSP to Seoul-Incheon Airport in S. Korea, beginning April 1, 2019.

The flights on newly refurbished Boeing 777s will depart MSP at 2:40 p.m. and arrive in Seoul at 5:20 p.m. the next day.

For the MSP-bound trip, flights will leave Seoul at 7:45 p.m. and arrive at MSP at 5:55 p.m. after actual flight time of about 12 hours.

More information on the flight is available at Delta’s website. 

Mark your calendar for the 2018 State of the Airport Luncheon, which is happening Thursday, Sept. 20 at the new InterContinental Hotel at MSP’s Terminal 1.

Brian Ryks, the CEO and executive director of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, will provide an update on improvements underway at the airport. Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, will provide comments via video, and Bill Lentsch, senior vice president at Delta, will speak about MSP’s role as a critical hub for Delta 10 years after its acquisition of Northwest Airlines.

Full information about the event and ticket purchases is available at this web page.