It’ll be hard not calling it “The X”, but the Minnesota Wild have announced the new name for their arena in downtown St. Paul after announcing that the renewal of their partnership with Xcel Energy meant giving up the naming rights to the arena earlier this year.
In a press release, Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, who operates the arena, announced that a 14-year partnership has been signed with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, who operates Grand Casino to rename the property “Grand Casino Arena” in Sepetember 2025.
The full press release is below…
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE), which operates Xcel Energy Center, and Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley, owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, today announced a 14-year naming rights partnership. Beginning September 3, 2025, the home of the Minnesota Wild and more than 150 sporting and entertainment events annually in downtown Saint Paul will be named Grand Casino Arena.
“Grand Casino Arena will serve as the anchor of a dynamic entertainment district that transforms downtown Saint Paul,” said Craig Leipold, majority owner and principal investor in Minnesota Sports & Entertainment. “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.”
“This is more than a name change – it’s a signal of where we’re headed as a business,” said Ronda Weizenegger, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Casino. “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.”
As part of this 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.
The Minnesota Wild would also like to thank OVG Global Partnerships for their strategic guidance and collaboration in securing this fantastic 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.
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