Headwaters Bar and Restaurant is a great place for dinner before a Wild or Swarm game as well as most of the concerts in the arena. I had Chef Harper give me a tour of the restaurant.

Thanks for your question. Soft pretzels are sold in many locations throughout the arena. Regular size soft pretzels are sold near sections 115, 126, C8 and 209. Large soft pretzels are sold at all draft beer portables on the lower and upper levels. The Victory Knot (a 2-pound soft pretzel topped with sea salt and served with 3 dipping sauces) is sold at the Davanni's Pizza stand near section 108.

You probably know that Justin Bieber recently played KDWB's Jingle Ball in December at Xcel Energy Center. We would love to have him back, but we don't currently have anything scheduled. If you sign up for our X-Press list, you will be among the first to know when we announce a new show.

We do not allow outside beverages in the arena, but it is OK to bring in an empty bottle. The Hockey Lodge actually sells similar Wild-branded water bottles, so perhaps that is what you saw people carrying.

We welcome all hockey fans to Xcel Energy Center!

There isn't an official opportunity surrounding the game to meet the players or get autographs. The Minnesota Wild conducts special events in the community throughout the year for this type of opportunity. You can check the Community page on wild.com for details. You'd have to inquire with the Penguins directly regarding their team.

We don't currently sell opposing team merchandise in the Hockey Lodge, but it's a good idea and we will explore that possibility in the future.

We don't have a minimum age requirement for attendance, we leave that to the discretion of the family knowing there are events - i.e. Minnesota State High School League Tournaments and some concerts that are popular among those under age 18. For many concerts that appeal to the younger crowd we provide a parent room for parents that feel comfortable with their children attending the event without them, but would like to stay close at hand for pick up and drop off.

You can find out more at this link on our website:
/arena/FamilyFriendlyFacts.jsp.

The opening acts for Bon Jovi have not been announced. We'll post this info on the Bon Jovi event page on our website once it becomes available.

The Xcel Energy Center has been consistently ranked as one of the best arenas anywhere for hockey, so I think wherever you and your son end up sitting, you will enjoy it. There really isn't a bad sightline, it just depends on your preferred vantage point. We offer some perspectives on our website under Arena Info and Seating Diagrams that are worth checking out.

Great question. The camera policy for Michael Buble is actually going to be the same as the majority of our concerts: non-professional cameras are permissible. I'm glad you like this feature on the site. I enjoy talking with our guests, too!

Go to our concert seating diagram on xcelenergycenter.com. Once there, click on section 107 (or any other section) to get a sample view.

Without question you can get to any level in the Xcel Energy Center. We have ADA seating on all levels. Since the tickets were a gift, if they are not in an accessible location we can work with guest services and relocate you to an area where you can enjoy the game. Do you have the tickets in hand already or know the specific seat location?

There will be some New Year's Eve themed activities throughout the game, but no additional events are currently planned. I've passed your note on to our marketing team though for future consideration.

Yes, all the video boards in Xcel Energy Center were supplied by Daktronics. We're glad you like them. We do, too.

I'm guessing you might have participated in the popular 10,000 Steps Program at Xcel Energy Center. Four laps on the main concourse is about a mile, so three laps would be about 3/4 of a mile.

If you or anyone out there would like more information about the program, visit this link: /arena/AtoZGuide.jsp

StubHub is not our authorized ticket seller or reseller. I discourage folks from purchasing tickets from anywhere besides our box office or through Ticketmaster because we can't guarantee those seats. Also, should you lose or misplace the tickets, there is little to nothing our box office team can do to assist you because you did not purchase your tickets through a mechanism that we have the ability to track.

That said, amenities on the Treasure Island Resort & Casino club level are available to every guest that holds a club level ticket. However, the amenities do vary by event, so if there is something in particular you are wondering about, let us know so we can confirm.
 

Thanks for the kind words. We are aware that AC/DC is looking to come this direction in the spring, and we have inquired about their availability. I don't have anything confirmed at this time, but we are just as hopeful as you that we can bring them back to Saint Paul again.

There are no age restrictions for the Treasure Island Resort & Casino Club Level.  For most shows, anyone age 2 and older simply needs a ticket for admission, but you do need a club level ticket for access to that level unless you have a dinner reservation at Headwaters Bar & Restaurant also located on club level.

In order to assist you, it would help to know which show you are referring to as every show sets up a little differently. When seats behind the stage are offered, performers know there are fans all the way around them and we can anticipate they acknowledge them during the performance.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and each summer we evaluate our staffing levels. If any hiring is needed, we typically begin that process in early August.  That allows for time to train the staff before the Minnesota Wild season begins. We currently have all of our usher positions full for the 2009-10 season, but you are welcome to contact our Guest Services department for an application. We will keep it on file should something change.

Hats that make it to the ice are collected, counted, and then the Wild Community Relations Department donates them to local children's hospitals.

The Hockey Lodge at Xcel Energy Center also offers a 15% discount on all hats the day the hat trick is scored.

The temperature in the lower bowl averages 60-65 degrees during a Minnesota Wild game; a comfortable temperature for fans that also allows us to maintain the quality of the ice.

The ice is actually very slick just after the Zambonis finish resurfacing it. But, if you are on skates, it's an entirely different ballgame. Our operations crew that walks on the ice from time to time to complete maintenance always takes extreme care.

Xcel Energy Center uses an indirect refrigeration system for the ice sheet. It's the same one utilized at most community arenas; it just has more capacity. We are usually always cooling the arena - even in the middle of winter. Large crowds at Wild home games can warm it up pretty quickly.

Now, why would you want one of those when the big show is going on out front? Ok, ok. We get it. Here’s the deal. Sometimes radio stations or fan clubs conduct special promotions to win a VIP pass or meet-n-greet opportunity, so consider contacting KDWB or the artists' fan clubs directly for details.

There is a cut-out along the north side of Kellogg Blvd., nearest the Gate 1 entrance to Xcel Energy Center. It's a convenient, covered location to pull over and drop them off/pick them up.

For most sections, the top row is numbered 26. I hope that helps and have fun at the show!

The court used for the Minnesota State High School Girls Volleyball tournament is a plastic / sport court, snap together floor. It's supplied by Midwest Courts.

We are holding dates for Michael Buble at Xcel Energy Center, but we don't have any official information to share at this time. Keep checking xcelenergycenter.com or sign up for our X-Press list to be the first to know when we announce a show.

Your question is one we get pretty often this time of year. Anyone who has celebrated their first birthday needs a ticket for Disney on Ice.

Glad you signed up for X-Press - now you'll be among the first to know when we announce shows. The Bon Jovi email was sent midday on Wednesday, Nov. 4. For most events, if a friend forwards the email, you should be able participate in the presale. Sometimes the presale is limited (i.e. Minnesota Wild Season Ticket Holders only). However, as much as possible we work with acts coming to Xcel Energy Center to provide our fans with presale access.

For the 101.3 KDWB Jingle Ball concert on Dec. 6, the rows on the floor you are referring to are the top price of $73 per ticket, plus fees.  And, we agree with you -- these are great prices for this year's stellar line up!  Enjoy the show.

Cameras are allowed, but there are some guidelines to follow. You can find them listed under Camera Policy in our A to Z Guide. I hope that helps, but if you still have questions, let me know.

I'm guessing from reading your question that you ordered your tickets through Ticketmaster. If that was the case, call Ticketmaster's Customer Service line at 800-653-8000. They should be able to assist you with alternative delivery methods.

It's a bit tricky. Our seating capacity depends on the configuration of the event in the building. For Minnesota Wild games it's 18,064, but we do have standing-room availability as well, which can take us over 19,000. For concerts, we can configure the arena to seat more than 20,000 by adding folding chairs on the floor.

 

Thanks for your question. It's one we get pretty often around here.

Fans have 2 opportunities to ride the Target Red Hot Seats during a Wild game. Fans may either register to win 2 spots on the Target Red Hot Seats at the Community Relations Booth (located behind section 125), or they can text-to-win 2 seats during the first intermission.

The Waste Management Zamboni and Bud Light Zamboni are usually reserved for season ticket holders, community and corporate partners.

Hopefully we'll see you on the ice sometime soon.

We've had a lot of great shows here, but if I have to pick my favorites they would be Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen (especially the Vote for Change show when Neil Young joined them), Bob Seger, Roger Waters, the Rolling stones, and Simon & Garfunkel.

If you are interested, we keep an updated history of events on our site: Xcel Energy Center Timeline.

When available, tours of the public areas of Xcel Energy Center are typically scheduled on non-event weekdays. Reservations are required. Tours begin at Gate 1 of Xcel Energy Center and include a 15-minute informative lecture on the many amenities of our complex. Guests are then guided through each of the four levels of the arena to see what each level has to offer.

To inquire about available tour dates or to schedule a group tour, please call Bree Oslin at 651-726-8145. The cost is $1.00 per person (children under 6 are free).

Good question. Through a donation of $50, fans may have their message in lights on the scoreboard of Xcel Energy Center. Messages will run during the second period of each Minnesota Wild home game. Requests should be received at least 48 business hours in advance of game time.

A photo of your scoreboard message will even be mailed to you after the game.

Go to wild.com under the State of Hockey tab or call 651-602-6000 for more information.