Change of name for Minnesota Wild arena

Article posted by Coliseum, July 3^rd, 2025

Image: NHL and Minnesota Wild

The Xcel Energy Center home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild will change its name to Grand Casino Arena in the fall.

NHL.com said that beginning in September, the home of the Wild and more than 150 sporting and entertainment events annually in downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota will be named Grand Casino Arena.

The name change comes after the Wild struck a 14-year naming rights partnership with Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley, owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

The Minnesota Wild is a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota (US). The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference.

The 20,554-capacity Xcel Energy Center is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Completed in 2000 and often called ‘The X’ by the fans it is currently named for its locally based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy.

The name change to Grand Casino Arena comes after the previous deal with Xcel Eergy came to an end.

As part of the new partnership, all exterior and interior signage will be replaced to identify Grand Casino Arena, including the center ice insignia. All the arena’s signage will be replaced before the start of the 2025-26 NHL regular season.

Craig Leipold, majority owner and principal investor in Minnesota Sports & Entertainment, said, “Grand Casino Arena will serve as the anchor of a dynamic entertainment district that transforms downtown Saint Paul.

“The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe has been a strong supporter of and investor in this city. We are thrilled for their partnership and support of the arena.”

Ronda Weizenegger, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Casino, added, “This is more than a name change – it’s a signal of where we’re headed as a business.

“Grand Casino Arena represents the strength of tribal enterprise, and our ongoing investment in Minnesota’s future. We’re proud to partner with the Minnesota Wild to bring this vision to life. I’d also like to thank Ted Johnson of Norden Strategies for his instrumental role in making this moment possible.”

“This partnership is a dream – Grand Casino Arena gives us an incredible platform to engage fans, tell our story in bold new ways, and bring the Grand Casino experience to downtown Saint Paul,” said Jeff LaFrance, Head of Marketing for Grand Casino. “From digital activations to in-arena surprises, we’re building something unforgettable.”

The Minnesota Wild thanked OVG Global Partnerships for their strategic guidance and collaboration in securing the naming rights partnership.

The Minnesota Wild announced a new multi-year partnership with Xcel Energy on April 15, 2025, to continue to be a major community and business partner of the team. The existing arena naming rights agreement with Xcel Energy concludes after a successful 25-year partnership.

The one-of-a-kind, multi-purpose facility is home to more than 150 events and over 1.7 million visitors each year.

The world-class venue and adjacent Saint Paul RiverCentre are known for being enthusiastic about creating the best experiences imaginable for their guests, and that includes providing a setting that is a model of sustainable practices.

Their efforts have been designed to integrate into their daily operations and culture. Xcel Energy Center and Saint Paul RiverCentre have been recognized as leaders in sustainability and are certified by LEED (Gold), EIC/SES (Gold) and Green Globes. They are the only complex in the world to receive these three independent certifications.

The Saint Paul Arena Company manages the arena.

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