Say goodbye to the “X” in the Xcel Energy Center. In downtown St. Paul, a new 14-year naming rights agreement with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe will refashion the home of the Minnesota Wild as the Grand Casino Arena, a major nod to Grand Casino Mille Lacs and Grand Casino Hinckley.
No, legalized gambling isn’t coming to downtown St. Paul, but fans can expect “digital activations” and “in-arena surprises,” said Jeff LaFrance, head of marketing for Grand Casino, in a written statement.
The switchover — including all new exterior and interior signage and the center ice insignia — will begin by Sept. 3, and fall into place by the time the Wild return for their next regular season in October, ending an era that began 25 years ago when the “X” opened its doors with Xcel Energy as its inaugural naming rights sponsor. Other details of the agreement were not immediately released Monday morning.
“Grand Casino Arena will serve as the anchor of a dynamic entertainment district that transforms downtown St. Paul,” said Craig Leipold, majority owner and principal investor in Minnesota Sports and Entertainment, owner of the Wild, in a written statement. “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, thanked Ted Johnson of Norden Strategies, a former chief marketing officer for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx, for helping to cement the deal. The agreement is “more than a name change — it’s a signal of where we’re headed as a business,” Weizenegger said in written a statement.
The Wild worked with OVG Global Partnerships as consultants on the agreement.
The X, which seats about 18,000 fans, hosts more than 150 events and 1.7 million visitors annually, including fans of the Wild and the Minnesota Frost, as well as attendees at concerts, performances and athletic tournaments. Minnesota is known as the “State of Hockey” because of its love of the game and its affection for the Wild, who skated into the capital city when the “X” opened in 2000.
Their predecessors, the Minnesota North Stars, were founded in the 1960s but left for Dallas in 1993, leaving Minnesota without a professional hockey team for the better part of a decade.
“That huge and loyal fan base always shows up every game, and that’s going to be a big draw to whomever (holds) the naming rights,” said Heather Kliebenstein, an intellectual property attorney with the Minneapolis firm Merchant & Gould, in an interview.
“Why is this important? It’s increased brand visibility. It’s awareness. And it’s prestige,” she said. “It’s a big deal to have your name on a brand like this. It’s not about direct sales. Xcel Energy wasn’t selling energy to fans.”
“It’s about goodwill,” Kliebenstein continued. “It’s about brand equity. Somebody goes and has a great time at the game, whether it’s Target Field, or Xcel Energy Center, that name is always on the tip of your tongue when you’re going to those events.”
The team announced in April that their 25-year naming rights agreement with Xcel Energy would come to a close this summer, and that other potential partners were in the wings.
Xcel Energy will continue to work with the Wild on youth sports sponsorships and other community investments, according to the utility.
This story will be updated.
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