A Wild Time

Official Review by Blake Benzel, Stadium Journey Correspondent

0 Comments  |  1 of 1 people found this review helpful

St. Paul, Minnesota’s Xcel Energy Center is home to the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and the NLL’s Minnesota Swarm. It was built in 2000 as the home for the Wild and is part of the Saint Paul RiverCentre, which also houses the Legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

Food & Beverage   5/5

The X has multiple options for dining on each of its levels. There is the staple fare of hot dogs (or Wild Dogs, as their footlongs are called), nachos, pizza, beer etc. at their multiple concession stands, each with its own portion of the food served, which are scattered throughout the arena.

On the lower level, at section 120 of the lower level, is the Iron Range Grill. The grill offers 40 flat screen TVs, with a wide variety of hamburgers, soup and sandwiches, as well as a full bar serving liquor, beer and wine.

In addition to the grill, there is the Headwaters Bistro on the Club level. Near section C23, the Headwaters Bistro has hot and cold sandwiches, fresh soups, salads and wraps as well as sweets for those looking to indulge. Headwaters also has three express carveries – one on the Club level, one on the Suite level and one in the Genmar Fishing Lodge.

The arena has drink stations scattered throughout each level, as well as stations serving primarily beer. The majority of the drinks will run you $6.50 or less and the servers are always amicable in both their mixes and their demeanors.

Atmosphere   5/5

If you’ve never experienced a hockey game at the Xcel Energy Center, then you haven’t truly experienced a game. The crowd is not only always engaged, but also has some of the most knowledgeable hockey fans in the league. The hockey talk begins on the walk into the arena, with fans buzzing in anticipation, and continues throughout the evening.

When the X pops, there’s nothing like it and you find yourself high-fiving and slapping the backs of people you’ve never met before that evening. Whether it’s the customary “Let’s Play Hockey” before the drop of the puck or the State of Hockey theme, there are many things that take place during the game to keep you engaged and excited.

The team concept that the Wild has been built on carries over to the games as well, as the team goes out of its way to make sure that the fans genuinely feel like they are part of something – something that has gone a long way towards building the team’s rabid fan base.

Neighborhood   5/5

If you’re going to the X and are looking for places to eat, you have a wide variety of options. Surrounding the arena is a vast array of bars and restaurants for all occasions and tastes. You can find pizza, sushi, pub food, Americana and other food of all shapes, prices and sizes, all within walking distance.

Here are three of the more notable choices:

Tom Reid’s Hockey City Pub: Founded by former Minnesota North Star defenseman and current radio announcer Tom Reid, his Hockey City Pub boasts an atmosphere like Cheers – where everyone knows your name. A favorite hangout of players after the game, Reid’s offers a variety of Minnesotan walleye, gourmet burgers and sandwiches, as well as appetizers, soups, salads and wraps.

Pazzaluna Urban Italian: Pazzaluna offers a more trendy environment, complete with the increased price tag. But you get what you pay for, with spectacular Italian fare such as Saffron Risotto with Chicken and Seafood Linguine, as well as Sirloin Diavola, handmade Gnocchi and many other tasty treats. With a bar fully stocked with great Italian wines and a great selection of spirits, beers and appetizers, Pazzaluna is one place you don’t want to miss.

Alary’s Bar: Lovingly called the only Chicago Bears bar in Minnesota, Alary’s is a dive for sure, but if you’re looking for a good time without any of the bells and whistles, this is the place for you. It is definitely not family friendly, as the waitresses and bartenders are dressed in a way that would put Hooters to shame, but a full bar and an assortment of bar games will ensure that you have the time of your life while you’re there.

Fans   4/5

As I mentioned, you’d be hard pressed to find a group of more knowledgeable fans anywhere. This can be both good and bad news, as the fans tend to ebb and flow as the team does, but when the fans are on – man are they on. With the idea of “Minnesota Nice” as the stereotype, fans are more than willing to engage in conversations and spontaneous celebrations throughout the game. I have found, however, that on more than one occasion some fans will watch the game a little too seriously, with so much objectivity that they seem to have a hard time enjoying it.

But, that all fades away when the Wild score a goal and Joe Satriani’s “Crowd Chant” hits the speakers, with the fans chanting in unison with the song. When the team’s rivals come to town, the crowd’s intensity ramps up another notch. Favorite players, such as Todd Bertuzzi and Mattias Ohlund are booed at every touch of the puck.

Say what you want, but there’s nothing more gratifying than joining in with 18,000+ other fans in a chorus of boos to show your displeasure at an opposing player.

Access   5/5

With the Minnesota bus system, it doesn’t get much easier to get to the X. Throw in the wealth of parking around the arena and you’ve got yourself one accessible arena. Parking varies, from $5 to $20, depending on where you park, but there are so many options available around the arena to park, that you’re never walking more than a handful of blocks.

Return on Investment   4/5

While you can’t always say that the Wild will win, you can always say that you’ll have a blast. Between the fanfare of the “Let’s Play Hockey” to the intermission games to the puck wall to the high school jerseys hung around the arena, the Xcel Energy Center is a tribute to the rich history of the sport of hockey in Minnesota. For through-and-through fans of the sport, it doesn’t get much better, and for those still wanting to learn there’s no better environment. You can always expect a capacity crowd, as the Wild have sold out every home game in their history, but typically have rush tickets available before the game.

If you’re going, make an evening of it. Go hit up a restaurant in the surrounding area before the game, take in the game, then go visit Tom Reid’s or one of the numerous sushi bars surrounding the arena for a night cap and, hopefully, some interaction with some of the team.

Extras   5/5

My goodness, it’d be easy to use hyperbole here and talk up the arena and its surrounding area until I’m blue in the face. But the fact is that there could not be a more perfect location for the Xcel Energy Center. You’ve got a library, you’ve got a theater, you’ve got restaurants and bars – everything you could possibly want all within a radius of a few blocks.

Final Thoughts

Let’s just put it this way. If you’re a hockey fan and you’re in the Twin Cities, you’re doing yourself a disservice not seeing a Wild game. While you might not see the celebrity sightings of Los Angeles or New York, there aren’t many teams whose players have gone out of their way to be as accessible as the Wild’s. You’ll be in line at Cossetta’s, just kitty-corner to the X, and you’ll run into a player, or you could be having a drink at Tom Reid’s and meet the man himself.

You can take your Target Center or your Metrodome– for a sports fan, there’s not a better experience in the Twin Cities than the Xcel Energy Center.

Was this review helpful? YES / NO