Bloomington, city in Hennepin County, southeastern Minnesota, on the Minnesota River, a suburb of Minneapolis and the third largest city in the state. It is a residential and manufacturing center and contains the headquarters of a number of major corporations. Products include electronic and refrigeration equipment, lawn mowers, toys and games, and metal items. Bloomington adjoins Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. The Mall of America, the largest retail complex in the United States, opened in Bloomington in August 1992. A historical museum is in the Old Town Hall (1892), and a community college is located in the city. The North Stars professional ice hockey team plays at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Bloomington. The community, named for Bloomington, Illinois, was settled in 1843. It grew rapidly as a residential center in the 1950s and 1960s and as an industrial hub in the 1960s. It was incorporated as a city in 1960. Population 81,831 (1980); 86,335 (1990); 86,186 (1998 estimate).
