Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

An ore carrier moves through St. Louis Bay toward the Blatnik Bridge that connects Duluth to Superior, Wisc.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

A new terminal is being built at the Duluth International Airport adjacent to the existing terminal. The project is part of a $65 million effort that is expected to be complete in 2012. Last year was the airport's third busiest in its history as more than 306,000 passengers flew in or out Duluth.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Pedestrians stand in front of the Fon-du-Luth Casino on Superior Street. Unlike Indiana's riverboat casinos, the Duluth has a land-based gaming facility.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

The city is home to the Huskies, an Northwoods League team that plays at Wade Municipal Stadium. Unlike minor league baseball league the Gary SouthShore RailCats are in, the Northwoods League are made up of collegiate all-star players who aren't paid and still have NCAA eligibility.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

ArcelorMittal's Minorca iron mine in Virginia, Minn. is about an hour north of Duluth. The operation mines iron-laden rock and processes it into taconite pellets for use in the No. 7 blast furnace at the company's Indiana Harbor complex in East Chicago.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Pedestrians stand in front of the Fon-du-Luth Casino on Superior Street.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Visitors walk along Canal Park Drive in Duluth, Minn. Residential and commercial development has replaced what was once an industrial area on Duluth's lakefront. The area has become a tourist destination.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

ArcelorMittal's Minorca iron mine in Virginia, Minn., is about an hour north of Duluth, and employs about 300 workers.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Residents and tourists explore the shoreline of Lake Superior in Duluth's Canal Park, a downtown development that was at one time all industrial, but has now become home to shops, restaurants and other businesses, as well as a maritime museum.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Houses dot the hillside of Duluth just west of the downtown area, giving residents a view of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

A bike and walking path, lower left, follows along Lake Superior's coastline in Duluth adjacent to Leif Erikson Park, right.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

A train bridge operator leaves his post on a tressel spanning the St. Louis River. The tressel rotates to allow ships to pass through the waterway.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Walkways span West Superior Street in downtown Duluth.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Charlie Stauduhar of Duluth owns the Spirit Lake Marina & RV Park in West Duluth. West Duluth is an area of the city, that because of a loss of jobs coupled with the installation of Interstate 35, has not seen new development similar to the downtown area.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Visitors check out the recently renovated Enger Tower that overlooks St. Louis Bay and Lake Superior in Duluth.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

New condominiums sit adjacent to Canal Park and the Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, Minn. The bridge raises to allow ships into the Duluth Harbor and lowers to allow foot and car traffic across to the point.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Visitors to Canal Park watch as the steel lift bridge raises to allow a U.S. Coast Guard ship to pass from Lake Superior into the harbor in Duluth, Minn. Canal Park is one of the areas the city has transformed from industry to tourism.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Spirit Mountain in West Duluth offers attractions such as miniature golf, hiking and camping, in addition to skiing in the winter.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

The Cedarglen ore carrier docks in Duluth, Minn., to take on a load. ArecelorMittal's East Chicago operations and United States Steel Corp.'s Gary Works rely on iron mined in northeastern Minnesota.

Rust Belt Resurgence: Duluth, Minn.

Mayor Don Ness, 37, talks about development of communities in Duluth, Minn. Ness, a Democrat, was elected in 2007. He is running for re-election this year unopposed.