The Aria Event Center in Minneapolis’ North Loop has been sold to a suburban church group for $10 million.
The popular North Loop wedding venue has a note on its website saying: “We are announcing the news that our building has been acquired by a respected partner/client we’ve worked with for over three years. Due to this, we are foregoing any additional bookings.”
“We are looking forward to making the events we already have on the calendar our best yet and plan to finish the year on a high note,” the venue said.
River Valley Church, which has several Twin Cities locations, bought the event center at 105 1st Ave. N in Minneapolis on Feb. 11 for $10 million, according to Minnesota Department of Revenue documents. The two parties did a lease-to-buy agreement, with Aria leasing the property from the church for 12 months and then the church will take over full control.
Prior to it becoming an event center, the building was home to Theatre de la Jeune between 1992 and 2008.
The church approached the owners of Aria about buying the property, according to the documents, which state “The parties knew each other because the buyer used part of the building under the license agreement.”
River Valley has been leasing the building for weekly worship services on Sundays, according to the church’s website. It will also be recording a live worship album at Aria later this week.
The church plans to use the Aria space to house church operations in the future, according to the Business Journal. It also may add additional days of worship services once it fully acquires the building.
The building, which was constructed in 1889, will not be used as an event center after 2022. Hennepin County property records show it is valued at nearly $3 million.
River Valley’s other locations are in Apple Valley, Minnetonka, Eagan, Faribualt, Minnetrista, Shakopee, Woodbury, and Mbekelweni, eSwatini, Africa. A new location is also coming to Maple Grove.
The Star Tribune reports the church is known for its Christian rock bands and video sermons, and is a member of the Pentecostal Assemblies of God.
