Governor Rudy Perpich established this council by executive order when the World Trade Center Commission, created by the Legislature in 1983, expired. In his executive order he stated: "This Governor's Council will continue to exist until such time when action is taken by the Minnesota State Legislature to create a permanent World Trade Center Commission and/or there is sufficient enough membership in the Minnesota World Trade Center fom which to make appointments."
The Legislature created the World Trade Center Board in 1984, and in 1987 reworked the entity into the World Trade Center Corporation, governed by a board of directors.