Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images
Over the offseason the Minnesota Wild made it official. The arena in which they play was going to have a new naming rights sponsor for the first time in history.
You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who has stopped calling the MN Wild home rink “The X,” but it is now officially Grand Casino Arena (although sports gambling remains banned in the state). Those naming rights brought in an influx of cash, but really only represented an exterior facelift.
The team now has its sight set on renovations within the building, and planning is already underway.
Big changes coming to MN Wild home ice
Grand Casino Arena opened for the inaugural season of the Minnesota Wild. That taking place in 2000, puts the venue at the ripe old age of 26. With little done to progress the building forward in that time, owner Craig Leipold is ready to make renovations.
St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and @mnwild owner Craig Leipold announce agreement for $600 million in renovations to Grand Casino Arena, Roy Wilkins Auditorium and RiverCentre. But it includes asking for $200 million from state. pic.twitter.com/dNKleIqeNc
— Rob Olson (@RobOlsonFOX9) March 3, 2026
The project, which rings it at $600 million, is set to be split between the franchise and state of Minnesota. $200 million of the bill is something the team is hoping local government will approve.
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her was present with Leipold to make the announcement on Tuesday. The expectation should be that a deal is able to be struck.
Beyond just the MN Wild utilizing Grand Casino Arena, that venue along with Roy Wilkins Auditorium, is heavily booked throughout the year by a multitude of different groups and events.
Leipold still spending on Minnesota Wild
It has been a pricey period of time for the Minnesota Wild owner. Craig Leipold inked superstar Kirill Kaprizov to an NHL record $136 million deal in September. He has also been reported as one of the new minority owners in the Minnesota Twins.
Leipold’s reported net worth is around $3.6 billion. He has invested handsomely in the MN Wild over the course of his ownership, and now has tentacles into the local baseball team too.
With stadium renovation plans set for the Wild, it’s logical that asset would only grow. It remains to be seen how deep he gets into the weeds with the Twins, but someone spending on the product is more than the baseball fans have seen in decades.
Mentioned in this article: Craig Leipold Grand Casino Arena
More About:Minnesota Wild
Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google.