Looking for section numbers and the best seats by level? See the Grand Casino Arena Seating Chart.
It is home to the Minnesota Wild.
The Xcel Energy Center, renamed Grand Casino Arena
Grand Casino Arena is the city-owned arena at 199 Kellogg Boulevard West in downtown Saint Paul, built for hockey and home to the Minnesota Wild (NHL) and the Minnesota Frost (PWHL). It seats 17,954 for hockey. The best seats are near center ice: lower sections 103–104 and 116–117 along the benches and penalty boxes, the club sections above them, or 204 and 219 upstairs for the same angle at a lower cost.
Until 2025 the building was the Xcel Energy Center, the name it carried from its opening in September 2000. The Wild announced the change in April 2025, the naming deal with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, owner of the Grand Casino resorts, was signed on June 30, 2025, and the Grand Casino Arena name took effect on September 3, 2025, ahead of the 2025–26 season. An Xcel Energy Center seating chart still matches the room.
How the seating is laid out: 100s, club ring and 200s
The arena has three general seating levels plus a suite level. Section numbers here come from the RateYourSeats section directory and the TickPick Wild seating guide.
100 level: sections 101–126
The lower bowl wraps the rink in 26 sections. TickPick places the Wild bench in front of section 117, the visitors' bench in front of 116, and the penalty boxes across the ice between 103 and 104. Lower sections typically hold 18 to 20 seats per row.
Club Level: sections C1–C40
The club ring sits just above the 100 level and is numbered separately, from C1 to C40. Club seats include access to the club-level lounges; TickPick notes food and drink are not included in the ticket. C6 and C26 are the center-ice club sections.
200 level: sections 201–230
The upper bowl has 30 sections, with 204 and 219 between the blue lines. Rows typically hold 19 to 21 seats.
Premium and seat numbering
Seats on the glass include food and drink and lounge access. Within any section, seat 1 is next to the adjacent lower-numbered section, so seat 1 in 104 sits beside section 103. Accessible rows are at the top of most sections.
Best seats for Wild and Frost hockey
Unlike arenas built for basketball and adapted later, this one was designed around a hockey rink, so the seats line up with the ice rather than a court.
Center ice
Sections 102–105 and 115–118, along the side boards, are the premium lower-bowl seats. Rows in the middle of those sections see over the glass without losing the feel of the game; the first few rows look through the glass and the benches. For a straight-on view, 116–117 behind the Wild bench lets you watch line changes up close, while 103–104 face both benches across the ice.
The shoot-twice end
According to TickPick, the Wild shoot twice at the net in front of section 110, so the lower end sections around 108–112 see the home team attack in the first and third periods. Teams can change ends, so treat it as a guide.
Upstairs value
The 200 level between the blue lines, 204 and 219 and the sections around them, is the best value in the building for watching plays develop. The club ring (C1–C40) splits the difference: closer than the 200s and with lounge access, without glass-seat demand.
Frost games
The Minnesota Frost set a professional women's hockey attendance record of 13,316 at their home debut on January 6, 2024.
Concert seating and seats to avoid
Concert capacity depends on the stage: 12,999 for an end stage and 20,554 for a center stage, the figure Shania Twain drew in 2003 for the building's single-night concert record.
- Best overall: floor center, straight back from the stage, with a clear look at the screens.
- Elevated and close: the lower side sections 102–105 and 115–118, and 203–205 upstairs.
- Head-on value: the lower end sections opposite the stage show the whole production.
Seats to avoid
- Sections next to or behind an end stage: blocked sightlines and missing screens.
- The first rows behind the hockey benches: players standing at the boards block part of the ice.
- The top rows of the 200-level corners: the longest distance to the action at any event.
Parking ramps, Green Line and rideshare
Parking
Two ramps connect directly to the arena: the RiverCentre Parking Ramp and the Kellogg Parking Ramp. As of the 2025–26 season, event-day parking in both is first come, first served for most arena events, and the arena is cashless, including for parking. Advance reservations at other downtown ramps are sold through ParkWhiz. For the high school hockey tournament or a sold-out concert, the attached ramps can fill early.
Light rail and bus
The METRO Green Line stops at Central Station in downtown Saint Paul, and Metro Transit Route 54 also serves the area.
Rideshare
The official pickup and drop-off point is Gate 4, at the northeast corner of the arena on 5th Street, near section 120.
Bag policy and entry at Grand Casino Arena
As of the 2025–26 season, Grand Casino Arena allows purses up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches only at designated X-ray entrances, and that limit includes clear bags. Wristlets, clutches and wallets up to 4 x 6 x 1.5 inches can go through any entrance. Backpacks, coolers and large totes are prohibited; medical and parenting bags are allowed after X-ray.
- Doors: 75 minutes before Wild games, with some premium gates opening 90 minutes ahead.
- Tickets: mobile through the Wild app or SeatGeek; screenshots are not valid.
- Re-entry: not allowed.
- Payments: cashless, with cash-to-card conversion at Guest Services near section 105.
Check the arena's venue policies before you go.
A hockey building with a quarter century of history
HOK Sport (now Populous) designed the arena, which opened on September 29, 2000, as the home of the expansion Wild. Wikipedia lists its cost at both 130 million and 170 million dollars, depending on the source. It shares a downtown block, and an indoor connection, with the RiverCentre convention center and Roy Wilkins Auditorium, and sits beside the Ordway Center.
The building hosted the 2004 NHL All-Star Game, the 2008 Republican National Convention and the NCAA Frozen Four in 2002, 2011, 2018 and 2024. Each winter, the Minnesota State High School League hockey tournaments fill it; a 2015 boys' semifinal drew 21,609, a state record for an indoor hockey game. More is on the Wikipedia entry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grand Casino Arena the same as the Xcel Energy Center?
Yes. The Xcel Energy Center was renamed Grand Casino Arena on September 3, 2025, under a naming deal with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. The building and seating chart are unchanged.
What is the capacity of Grand Casino Arena?
The official hockey capacity is 17,954. Concerts hold 12,999 with an end stage and up to 20,554 with a center stage.
What size bag can I bring to Grand Casino Arena?
As of 2025–26, purses up to 12 x 12 x 6 inches at X-ray entrances and clutches up to 4 x 6 x 1.5 inches at any entrance. Backpacks are prohibited; check the current policy before you go.
Where do I park for a Wild game?
The RiverCentre and Kellogg ramps connect directly to the arena and are first come, first served on event days. ParkWhiz sells reservations at other downtown ramps.
Which end do the Wild shoot twice?
According to TickPick, the Wild shoot twice at the net in front of section 110. Ends can change, so confirm on game night.
What are the club seats at Grand Casino Arena?
Sections C1 through C40 form a ring just above the 100 level, with access to the club lounges. C6 and C26 are at center ice.