Dear GIA Conference Attendees,
Why We’re Relocating
As you may know, the ongoing labor dispute at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront Hotel has not yet been resolved. This continues to affect both our original hotel and our overflow hotel, the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel St Paul Downtown.
In addition, several other Twin Cities properties are also engaged in prolonged labor negotiations, and a number of large programs are relocating their programs at the same time as GIA. Together, these factors have limited the number of suitable venues available.
In line with our values and our commitment to supporting labor organizing, we are relocating the conference to venues that meet our needs while ensuring accessibility, COVID-19 safety, and as much program continuity as possible.
We recognize this may create some challenges for attendees, and we are deeply grateful for your patience and support.
🏙️ New Conference Venues 🏙️
The following adjacent locations will provide the home base for the new 2025 GIA conference venues:
The Royal Sonesta Minneapolis Downtown | Main Lodging and Event Space
Minneapolis Marriott City Center | Secondary Lodging
The Dayton’s Project | Event Space
Northstar Center | Event Space
All venues are within a two-block radius of each other and connected by the skybridge network. Maps and signage will be provided on-site and digitally through Whova to ensure ease of navigation.
🚌 Transportation Support 🚌
GIA will provide transportation to off-site conference sessions from the Royal Sonesta in Minneapolis. ADA vehicles will be available as needed on a request basis. If you opt to stay in Saint Paul, you’ll need to make your way to the Royal Sonesta in Minneapolis to ride on the conference shuttles. For any access support needs, please email GIA2025Access@gmail.com.
🏨 Hotel Accommodations 🏨
For general hotel accommodations, attendees may choose to remain at their originally booked hotel, while others may choose to relocate to the new block at the Royal Sonesta and Marriott City Center in downtown Minneapolis. The decision to stay or relocate is entirely up to you. Should you wish to pursue another hotel or short-term rental, please be sure to review the cancellation policy in your confirmation email from either the InterContinental or the Doubletree that you received after booking.
If you have already reserved a room at the InterContinental or Doubletree, you have 2 Options:
Keep your reservation: If you keep your reservation, you will be required to make your way to and from the new conference hotel each day, which is approximately a 25-minute drive.
Cancel your current reservation & rebook in the new GIA block:
For InterContinental cancellations, call 651-292-1900 or email reservations@intercontinentalstp.com with your confirmation number. You must cancel 24 hours before your check-in date to avoid a penalty.
For DoubleTree cancellations, call 651-291-8800 or cancel your reservation online, referencing your confirmation number. Cancellation policies may vary depending on the rate or dates of your reservation. Please refer to your reservation confirmation to verify your cancellation policy.
After you cancel your current reservation:
Please make a reservation at one of our two new conference hotels. The deadline to reserve a room at either hotel is September 29, 2025.
To book your room at The Royal Sonesta Minneapolis Downtown, call 612-339-4900 and reference the GIA 2025 Annual Conference. The Royal Sonesta is where the conference meals, keynotes, and most on-site sessions will take place, but has limited room night availability.
Or, book your room at The Minneapolis Marriott City Center online. The Marriott City Center is directly across the street from the Royal Sonesta and has more date options available.
Note: If you plan to arrive into Minneapolis prior to Sunday, October 19, you will need to book a room at the Marriott City Center as the Royal Sonesta is full over the weekend.
Note: We recommend that you check your reservation confirmation for cancellation details, as cancellation terms are not universal. The deadline to cancel your reservation at the InterContinental is 24 hours before your check-in date. After this deadline, you may be subject to the hotel's cancellation fee policy.
Looking Ahead
We are deeply grateful for your flexibility as we work to ensure that the 2025 GIA Conference remains accessible and aligned with our values. We will continue to share updates and confirmed details as soon as they are available.
Thank you for standing with us! We look forward to gathering with you in Minnesota this October for a thought-provoking and inspiring GIA Conference.
With gratitude,
The GIA Team and 2025 Conference Committee