ST. PAUL — Business leaders and civic groups are thinking bigger after Minnesota won the chance to host major sports tournaments in coming years. In fact, they’re thinking about as big as you can get.

A 2023 World’s Fair in Minnesota would bring foreign investment, technology and millions of people to the state, the group preparing the bid said Friday. It would be the first such gathering in the U.S. since 1984.

“Think of all these countries competing for the attention of our talented young people,” said Marilyn Carlson Nelson, former Carlson CEO and co-chair of the committee preparing the bid. “I think there’s things beyond our imagination that we’re going to see here.”

The World’s Fair is more than 150 years old and brings millions to its stops, which have recently included Shanghai and Zaragosa, Spain. Nations showcase the best of what they have to offer the world in a certain theme. Minnesota will vie for a smaller event between the bigger ones held every five years.

Chicago has hosted the months-long celebration twice — the closest it’s come to the North Star state. Organizers hope to bring the fair to Minnesota from mid-May to mid-August 2023, said bid director and former Secretary of State Mark Ritchie.

That time frame will let tourists spread out from the Twin Cities to see the rest of Minnesota during their stay, Ritchie said, citing the tall ships of Duluth as one possible destination. The group hasn’t yet determined where in the Twin Cities they’d like the fair to be.

The bid, to be submitted next year, will pitch a fair themed around health and wellness. That will let Minnesota showcase its muscle as the bike-friendly home to the Mayo Clinic, Nelson said.

“I think we compete on quality of life,” she said. “I think part of the secret sauce of Minnesota is well-being.”

Minneapolis’ successful bids for the Super Bowl and Final Four prove the state can garner the private support necessary for a World’s Fair, Ritchie said. He doesn’t expect the state or federal governments to chip in any financial help.