As Uber and Lyft threaten to leave Minneapolis over a new ordinance that would increase driver pay, a handful of upstart rideshare companies are considering moves into the city.

Why it matters: Uber and Lyft could be bluffing about leaving — but if they aren't, as many as 8,000 Twin Cities drivers would need work, and hundreds of thousands of passengers would need rides.

What we're watching: Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the ordinance that prompted Uber and Lyft's threats, but the Minneapolis City Council will hold an override vote today.

The latest: For Texas-based Wridz — which currently operates in 19 cities, including Chicago, Dallas, and Phoenix — Minneapolis has shot to the top of its list of target expansion markets, CEO Steve Wright tells Axios.

• Empower, an Uber/Lyft alternative currently offering rides in D.C., New York, and North Carolina, is also "at the ready" to serve Minneapolis, according to a company statement.
• Pikkapp, a small Minneapolis-based startup, has had "preliminary conversations" with city officials about getting licensed, city spokesperson Casper Hill said.

Reality check: If Uber and Lyft do leave, Frey told reporters this week it's "unrealistic" to expect upstart providers would be able to fill the void in less than two months.

By the numbers: Minnesota has 10,335 rideshare drivers, and surveys suggest about one-third of the most active drivers handle nearly 70% of all trips.

• For comparison, Wridz aims for 1,000 drivers in its larger markets, Wright said.
• Cab drivers wouldn't be able to pick up the slack. Hill said Minneapolis currently has only 39 licensed cab drivers — down from nearly 2,000 in 2014.

The other side: Wright is more confident, saying he feels scaling up his company in Minneapolis would be straightforward.

Between the lines: Globally, alternative ride-hailers have struggled to differentiate themselves from Uber and Lyft, said James Hodgson of the global tech intelligence firm ABI Research.

• Pre-COVID, some companies tried undercutting Uber or Lyft's prices or paying drivers extra. Hodgson said these "land grabs" proved unsustainable.

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Kirk Cousins is leaving the Vikings after making more money playing in Minnesota than all but two other athletes —Joe Mauer and Kevin Garnett.

Between the lines: Cousins chose to bet on himself multiple times in his career, opting for short-term deals that paid him higher salaries. It could have backfired if not for (mostly) good health and continued strong play.

• But in the end, the strategy paid off.

What they're saying: In a goodbye video message, Cousins told fans, "You meant so much to my family and as a result of your impact, Minnesota will always hold a special place in the hearts of me and of my family."

What we're watching: Unless he's traded, Karl-Anthony Towns will surpass Cousins and Garnett next year and Mauer the year after.

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🌳 With warming winters, researchers are concerned that the invasive emerald ash borer has reached northern Minnesota and could ruin the largest stretch of ash forest in North America. (MPR News)

🥩 The owners of Crave are planning a Japanese-inspired steakhouse at St. Louis Park's West End. (Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal)

Investigators determined that an Edina man's Tesla wasn't involved in the hit-and-run death of a woman near Mille Lacs Lake. (KARE 11)

🏥 UnitedHealth is facing growing calls for accountability over a cyberattack that has brought chaos to the health care industry. (Axios)

🗳 All six candidates who filed to run in a special election for the open Hennepin County Commissioner District 6 seat are from Edina. (Star Tribune)

• The district also includes parts of Greenwood, Hopkins, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Shorewood, and Wayzata.

St. Paulites are loony for the city's new "laser loon" library cards.

By the numbers: The St. Paul Public Library system has created 1,736 new library accounts since launching the design a month ago, a spokesperson told Axios.

• That's a 72% increase over the same timeframe in 2023.

Catch up fast: The limited-edition cards — inspired by a passed-over state flag design — "sold out" in the days following their Feb. 13 debut, prompting the library to print another run.

Get loony: New patrons can snag the design for free at roughly a dozen locations.

• Stickers are available for current patrons to add to their card.

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