Xcel Pond Proposal

City officials in St. Paul, Minn., have plans to build, own and operate an ice rink near the Xcel Energy Arena, but they’ll need some help from the state to make it happen.

State House and Senate members are reportedly considering bills submitted March 2 to forgive about $33 million in loan debt for the arena in order to finance the 120,000-square-foot, 4,000-capacity Pond, according to the Star Tribune.

The project, estimated to cost between $35 million and $40 million, would give the Minnesota Wild hockey team a practice area, host amateur hockey and figure skating events as well as handle overflow from Xcel Energy Arena, the paper said.

City officials are reportedly optimistic the plan will be approved based on the creation of 200 jobs and early estimates that the ice rink could bring in about $4 million a year – more than the state would get in payments on the loan.

The ice rink would join Xcel Energy Center, Ordway Center for Performing Arts, RiverCentre complex and the Science Museum of Minnesota as part of the Minnesota Event District.