Central is a defined community in Minneapolis that consists of six smaller official neighborhoods around the downtown and central business core. It also includes the many old flour mills, the Mill District, and other historical and industrial areas of downtown Minneapolis. It also includes some high-density residential areas surrounding it, excluding areas east of the Mississippi River. Businesses and government buildings are based in the Central area include the corporate headquarters of the Star Tribune, Target, US Bancorp, the Hennepin County Government Center, Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis City Hall, and the broadcast facilities of the Minnesota CBS station WCCO-TV.

Hennepin County Government Center is the courthouse and primary county government administration building for Hennepin County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is located in downtown Minneapolis, the county seat of Hennepin County. Before its construction, the Hennepin County government offices were housed in the Minneapolis City Hall-Hennepin County Courthouse. The building was opened in 1974 and occupied in stages in 1975.