In 1998, after searching 29 cities nationwide, Minneapolis-based ReliaStar (now ING Service Center) made the decision to expand its financial services company to Minot, ND with a new service center employing 400 full-time workers. In February 2000, the company expanded its Minot work force from 450 to 600 workers thanks to the financial assistance provided by the City of Minot's MAGIC Fund. MLT Inc., a Northwest Airlines Corporation company, was offered one of the most aggressive incentives packages at the time and it soon followed suit by coming to Minot in 1999 and a year later expanded their workforce to approximately 600 as well.