St. Paul mayor, Minnesota Wild unveil $600M renovation plan for downtown arena complex

St. Paul, Minnesota Wild unveil $600M renovation plan for downtown arena complex

St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the Minnesota Wild have reached a framework agreement on a $600 million renovation plan for Grand Casino Arena, RiverCentre, and Roy Wilkins Auditorium, setting up a major funding request at the State Capitol this legislative session. Her and Wild owner Craig Leipold spoke about the multi-phase project at a Tuesday morning news conference at Grand Casino Arena.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and the Minnesota Wild have reached a framework agreement on a $600 million renovation plan for Grand Casino Arena, RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium, setting up a major funding request at the State Capitol this legislative session.

Her and Minnesota Wild Owner Craig Leipold spoke about the agreement at a Tuesday morning news conference at Grand Casino Arena, home to the Wild and several Minnesota State High School League Tournaments, including this week's Boys' State Hockey Tournament.

"This framework represents a new, sustainable approach to funding critical downtown infrastructure. This agreement will not raise property taxes, this is a good deal for our city," Her said. "The Grand Casino Arena, RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium are vital gathering places for cultural events, conventions and sports, and they drive economic activity across our state."

Grand Casino Arena complex funding plan details

What we know:

The proposal calls for extensive upgrades to the arena complex, with costs shared by the state, city and the Wild.

The total project is estimated at $600 million, including $450 million for the Grand Casino Arena and $150 million for the RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium. 

Under the framework, the city plans to finance $162.5 million for the arena by using a half-cent sales tax extension, while the Minnesota Wild will privately fund $162.5 million. Another $75 million for the Roy Wilkins Auditorium will be funded through a partnership between the city and the Wild.

The city and the Wild are also seeking $200 million from the State Legislature, with $125 million for the arena and $75 million for the Roy Wilkins Auditorium and RiverCentre. The Wild has agreed to cover any project overruns and will continue managing the arena with an extended lease. Her said city officials are also hoping to extend and already existing half-cent sales tax to help cover funding.

The complex hosts more than 400 events annually, bringing about 2.1 million visitors to St. Paul that generates $383 million in economic activity. March is one of the busiest months of the year for the complex, between Wild games, high school state tournaments and other events.

"The arena complex including Grand Casino Arena, River Centre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium is the economic engine of our city," Leipold said. "Grand Casino Arena is beyond its planned, competitive lifespan. Roy Wilkins is an auditorium, it’s 94 years old, built before the internet, before television or even FM radio. It’s an exciting time in St. Paul right now."

The backstory:

In March 2025, city leaders and team officials went to state lawmakers asking for $384 million in state funding to pay for half of a planned $769 million renovation project.

That pitch came up short and city officials later revised their plan, downgrading the project to a $400 million renovation with only a $50 million ask in state funding. But that revised request also failed to make its way into the budget.

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What we don't know:

A timeline for the renovation has not yet been announced, and additional details about the legislative proposal have not been released.

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