Xcel Energy Center, Sports arena in Saint Paul, United States
Xcel Energy Center is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, serving primarily as home to the NHL team Minnesota Wild. The facility features four clearly separated spectator levels with seating for 17,954 visitors during sporting events and concerts.
The arena opened on September 29, 2000, and replaced the former Saint Paul Civic Center through a partnership between the NHL franchise, the city, and the state. During the first game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Darby Hendrickson scored the first goal in the new venue.
The suite level displays jerseys from Minnesota high school hockey teams, making the close connection between the arena and local hockey visible. This exhibition reminds visitors that hockey runs deep in the region and is practiced by many young players.
The facility has multiple atrium entrances with glass exterior walls that let daylight in and allow visitors to glimpse the ice surface while walking through. The wide corridors on all levels make orientation and access to seating easier.
The first regular season goal in the arena was scored by Darby Hendrickson, a Minnesota native, during the opening game against the Philadelphia Flyers. This moment is considered by many fans as a symbolic beginning of the arena in the community.
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