Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center) is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States.
Located at 199 Kellogg Blvd W, Saint Paul, MN 55102, it stands as a premier venue for a diverse lineup of events, including concerts and entertainment. The arena is owned by the city of Saint Paul and operated by the Wild's parent company, Minnesota Sports & Entertainment.
The arena is located on the corner of W. Kellogg Boulevard and W. 7th Street. It was built on the site of the demolished St. Paul Civic Center.
Here is a map showing the location of the arena:
History and Development
The push for a new arena in Saint Paul grew after the National Hockey League's Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas.
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Saint Paul courted the Hartford Whalers and Winnipeg Jets under Mayor Norm Coleman, but the Civic Center was an obstacle to both deals.
In order to get an NHL expansion team, Saint Paul needed to build a new arena. After several failed attempts to get funding, the state funded the project in April 1998.
Construction broke ground on June 23, 1998, and the arena officially opened on September 29, 2000.
The arena has a field size of 650,000 sq ft (60,000 m2).
The construction cost was US$170 million.
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The architect was HOK Sport (now Populous).
Project Management Consultants, LLC. served as the project manager and M-E Engineers as the services engineer.
Key Events and Moments
The arena has hosted numerous significant events since its opening:
- The Minnesota Wild played their first game at the arena on October 11, 2000, against the Philadelphia Flyers.
- Their first win at the arena came on October 18, 2000, when they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-5.
- The Wild's first playoff game at the arena was on April 14, 2003.
- On April 21, 2003, the Wild won their first playoff game 3-2 on an overtime game-winner by Richard Park.
- On April 26, 2015, the Wild clinched a playoff series at the arena for the first time, defeating the St. Louis Blues.
- The arena hosted the Vote for Change Tour on October 5, 2004, featuring performances by Bright Eyes, R.E.M.
- In 2006, the Twin Cities were selected as the hosting metropolis for the 2008 Republican National Convention, and the arena was chosen as the main venue. The convention was held there on September 1-4, 2008.
- On March 8, 2008, the Minnesota State High School League Boys' hockey tournament set a new attendance record during the AA semifinal session.
- On March 17, 2007, 19,463 spectators watched the final game of the WCHA Final Five tournament, the largest crowd ever for an indoor United States college ice hockey game.
- March 9, 2012: The Minnesota State High School League Boys' hockey tournament again set a new attendance record during the 2012 AA semifinal session.
- On January 19, 2013, 19,298 fans watched the Wild defeat the Colorado Avalanche in the first game after the shortened 2012-13 season.
- In 2023, it was announced that the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League would be based out of the arena. The team hosted its inaugural home game on January 6, 2023-a 3-0 shutout victory over the Montréal Victoire.
Various music artists have held concerts at the arena since its opening in 2000.
The Party All Night Medley (Live at Grand West Casino, Cape Town, 2013) (Live)
Seating and Amenities
In 2015, the arena began replacing every seat in the building with cushioned seating. The arena offers various amenities, including dining options, premium seating experiences, and accommodations for private events and meetings.
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The concourse areas contain hockey jerseys from every Minnesota high school on the walls, reflecting the "State of Hockey." Surrounding the arena at all four corners are "crow's nests." One features an organ and is played during Wild games. The second features a lighthouse that houses a foghorn that is blasted when the team takes the ice before games, for all Wild and Frost goals, and after a victory. The third is used for the Wild's disc jockey.
Before it opened, the arena installed an integrated scoring, video, information and advertising display system by Daktronics. The system includes a large LED circular, center-hung scoreboard with multiple displays, nearly 1,100 feet (340 m) of ribbon display technology mounted on the fascia and large video displays outside the facility. The center ice display was replaced in the summer of 2014. Of the 10 LED screens, the largest measures 37.5 feet (11.4 m) wide by 19 feet (5.8 m) high.
Accessibility and Transportation
Grand Casino Arena is nestled between two major freeways (Interstate 94 and 35E) making it easily accessible from all points of the compass.
Here are detailed directions:
- Take I-35E south and exit on Wacouta. Turn right on W. 7th Street.
- Take I-94 west to the Mounds Boulevard/Kellogg Boulevard exit 243. Turn left on Kellogg Boulevard.
- Take I-94 east and exit on 5th Street. Turn right on W. 7th Street.
- Take the airport access road and follow signs for Hwy. 5 to Saint Paul. Travel on Hwy. 5 to Saint Paul (approximately 8 miles) to 35E north.
Grand Casino Arena is easy to access from several Metro Transit bus lines and the light rail Green Line servicing the downtown Saint Paul area. Many of Saint Paul’s city blocks are conveniently connected on the second floors by five miles of an award-winning skyway system. The skyway is an above ground, climate-controlled walkway that connects the buildings in downtown Saint Paul.
Public Transportation Options:
- Metro Transit offers an online Trip Planner that allows travelers to create a custom personal schedule to travel by bus or light rail to Grand Casino Arena.
- Take a bus from your neighborhood or ride the METRO Green Line to Central Station in downtown Saint Paul (skyway access is available in the tower at the station).
Parking and Ride Services:
- Parking for the arena is available via two parking ramps, the RiverCentre Parking Ramp and Kellogg Parking Ramp, which are connected to the complex.
- Ride share services are available at designated pick-up and drop-off locations outside the stadium. Let Lyft be your ride to the action! As the Official Rideshare Partner of the Minnesota Wild and Grand Casino Arena, we're here to make getting to and from the event easy. New to Lyft? Use code MINWILD for 50% off your first 2 rides (up to $10/ride).
- Lorenz Bus Service is the Official Bus Transportation Partner of the Minnesota Wild. Bus parking for team and fan buses is available at the lot located on Fifth and Seventh Streets across from the Grand Casino Arena.
Dining Options
Many local restaurants in the area also offer complimentary shuttles if you choose to dine before or after an event. Looking for something a little more laid-back? Stop by the Bud Light Fan Zone for happy hour specials on drinks and food before the event or walk through the concourse to find Sheboygan brats, hot dogs, walleye fingers, chicken strips, cheese curds, and sinful scoops of J&R's cookie dough.
For hockey fans, walk down West 7th Street to Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub, owned by the former Minnesota North Stars hockey player. The restaurant is decked out with hockey memorabilia and has multiple televisions to catch pregame coverage. For more hockey flair, visit Herbie's on the Park. The restaurant is named after Minnesota hockey legend Herb Brooks. Popular local brewery Bad Weather is just a short walk away, or utilize their event shuttle and get a taste of their local brews, including the popular Hopcromancer.
Sustainability Efforts
The Grand Casino Arena and Saint Paul RiverCentre campus is the world's first complex to receive all three of those certifications. The road to achieving them took several years. In addition to the efforts made by staff, Grand Casino Arena has partnered with the NHL to join Change the Course, a national initiative promoting water conservation and restoration.
Naming Rights
On June 30, 2025, the Wild and the NHL announced a new naming rights deal with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe-which owns and operates Grand Casino Hinckley and Grand Casino Mille Lacs.
Future Renovations
In December 2023, Saint Paul city officials spoke on the condition of the venue, stating that it was "showing its age", and said needed renovations could cost "several hundred million [dollars]....based on similar renovations".