The Xcel Energy Center is a multi-purpose arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was completed in 2000 and is named for its locally based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. The stadium is home to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL) and is also used for concerts and other events. The capacity of the Xcel Energy Center for ice hockey games is 17,954.

The arena was built on the site of the demolished St. Paul Civic Center. The push for a new arena in Saint Paul grew after the National Hockey League’s Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas. 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. The Minnesota Wild played their first game at the arena on October 11th, 2000, against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The seating capacity of the Xcel Energy Center varies depending on the event with a maximum capacity of 20,554.

Home to Minnesota Wild Xcel Energy Center
Minneapolis Airport

How to Get to Minneapolis

The nearest airport to the Xcel Energy Center is Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) which is approximately 8 miles away. There are several airlines that fly from London to Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) with a flight time of approximately 9 hours. Some of the airlines that operate direct flights from London to MSP include Air France, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic.

If you are already in the US and looking to travel to/from Minnesota, then you have the choice of most US domestic airlines including Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, American Eagle, Frontier Airlines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United Airways and WestJet.

Public Transport

There are several public transportation options available around the Xcel Energy Center. The following buses have routes that pass near the arena: Bus lines 21, 3, 54, 63, 74, and 94 with bus stops only a short walk from the arena. The nearest light rail station is the METRO GREEN LINE at Union Depot Crossing which is a 5-minute walk from the arena. You could also make use of apps such as Moovit to get directions to the arena.

Rideshare services such as Uber or Lyft are also available in the vicinity with a designated drop-off zone at Gate 4, near the Michelob Golden Light Taphouse.

Minneapolis Transit Map
Minneapolis Map

Staying in Minneapolis

There are several neighbourhoods to stay in when visiting the Xcel Energy Center including Downtown Saint Paul and Lowertown and beyond the Airbnb and Sonder options, there are many hotels to choose from to suit all budgets.

Downtown Saint Paul offers many attractions and activities for tourists including the Science Museum of Minnesota, Landmark Center, and Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Visitors can explore the history and culture of Saint Paul while enjoying the amenities of a modern city.

Lowertown is a historic neighbourhood. The area offers many attractions for tourists such as Mears Park, CHS Field, and the Saint Paul Farmers’ Market.

Minnesota Wild Tickets

The Minnesota Wild sell their tickets via Ticketmaster.

The official ticket partner for the NHL is Ticketmaster.

Here are links to the main ticket resale sites. Click on the link, which will open up a new window, and you can compare the prices on the different ticket resell sites, bearing in mind that the prices shown are before the selling platform fees are added, so take time to have a read of my tips to Buying Tickets in North America.

I recommend downloading the team’s Mobile App to your phone as it contains much Gameday information for the stadium.

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