Wild rename their arena, trade for an all star
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 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 Minnesota Wild would also like to thank OVG Global Partnerships for their strategic guidance and collaboration in securing this fantastic naming rights partnership.
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has acquired right wing Vladimir Tarasenko from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for future considerations.
Tarasenko, 33 (12/13/1991), recorded 33 points (11-22=33), six penalty minutes (PIM), and 133 shots in 80 games for Detroit last season. For his career, the 6-foot-1, 218-pound native of Yaroslavl, Russia, has collected 662 points (304-358=662), 70 power-play goals (PPG), 51 game-winning goals (GWG) and 2,412 shots in 831 games across 13 NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues (2012-23), New York Rangers (2023), Ottawa Senators (2023-24), Florida Panthers (2024) and Detroit (2024-25). Tarasenko has totaled 73 points (49-24=73) in 121 career Stanley Cup Playoff games and is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion (St. Louis, 2019; Florida, 2024).
A four-time NHL All-Star Game selection (2015, 2016, 2017, 2023), Tarasenko has reached the 30-goal mark in six seasons, including a career-high 40 goals in 2015-16, and the 70-point mark in four seasons, including a career-high 82 points (34-48=82) in 2021-22. He was named to the NHL Second All-Star team following the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons and was a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 2016-17. His 262 career goals and 553 points with St. Louis each rank fifth in franchise history, while his 291 assists with the club ranks seventh. Tarasenko has represented Russia at multiple international competitions, including the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and three IIHF World Championships (2011, 2015, 2021). He was originally selected by St. Louis in the first round (No. 16 overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft.
Press Releases Courtesy Minnesota Wild
