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Kathy Ross Wild 651-602-5736

Minnesota Wild signs lease for new practice facility at Wabasha Center in Downtown Saint Paul

Saint Paul, Minn. – The partners of Go Wild, LLC, the joint venture between Hempel Companies and the Saint Paul Port Authority, today announced that the has executed a lease for a practice facility at Wabasha Center in downtown Saint Paul.

“The Minnesota Wild’s commitment to this project is the catalyst for an exciting and vibrant new downtown development in the City of St. Paul,” developer Randy McKay of Hempel Companies said. “We know that upon completion, the Wabasha Center will become an exciting new attraction to visitors to Saint Paul and the State of Hockey. In the coming weeks we will be announcing additional tenants for the facility. The expected completion of the project is in fall of 2017.”

The project, which will include an NHL-standard ice rink that the Minnesota Wild will use as their practice facility, also will be open to area teams, figure skaters and groups for ice rental.

“We are excited to welcome the Minnesota Wild as our first tenant. Because of their involvement, we are seeing increased interest in the rest of the building, from a variety of tenants who all have the potential to add to the vibrancy of downtown Saint Paul,” added Lee Krueger, Saint Paul Port Authority president.

The development project is majority owned by Hempel Companies with minority ownership interest held by The Saint Paul Port Authority. The partnership finished the interior demolition and asbestos abatement this past summer and has selected RJM Construction to lead the final phase of construction.

“We are excited to have finally secured a site for a practice facility, and we couldn’t be more pleased that it will be located in downtown Saint Paul,” said Minnesota Wild owner and chairman Craig Leipold. “A dedicated practice facility is a critical component to our team’s success, and will play a significant role in revitalizing an important asset in our city while also helping to grow the great sport of hockey. I’d like to thank Mayor Chris

Coleman, the Saint Paul Port Authority, and Hempel Companies for their leadership, dedication and creative vision towards making this project a reality.”

The Saint Paul Port Authority began the redevelopment efforts of Wabasha Center in 2014.

“This is terrific news and further evidence of the momentum throughout the city of Saint Paul,” said Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. “With the recent revival of Palace Theatre, this corner of downtown holds incredible opportunity. I look forward to seeing this site transformed into a home for the Minnesota Wild and a destination for visitors and residents alike.”

“A project of this magnitude brightens the spotlight on Saint Paul. It is through the tireless efforts of a diverse group of stakeholders, including the City, the Port Authority, private developers and a major league sports team, that we are bringing life to a vacant building. The Wabasha Center of the future will be an energetic hub welcoming residents, workers, tourists and sports enthusiasts all year round,” Krueger said.

The property originally was built in 1963 by Dayton’s and occupies 2.25 acres with 529,053 sq. ft. building space.

About Hempel Companies Over the years, the Hempel team has earned a reputation for a dynamic and fresh vision on real estate investment and development. Their approach, coupled with a proven track record of successful turnaround strategies, breathes new life into premier properties and sites in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Hempel specializes in turnaround projects and new and re-use development properties with a focus on retail, office and hospitality.

About Saint Paul Port Authority The Minnesota Legislature established the Saint Paul Port Authority in 1932 to manage commodities transportation on the Mississippi River. In 1957, the Legislature expanded the Port’s powers to redevelop inland. Today the Port Authority has 21 business centers – including four river terminals – throughout Saint Paul. Over its nearly 83-year history, the Port has redeveloped more than two square miles of Saint Paul into productive and prosperous jobs centers. That’s 3 ½ times the size of downtown Saint Paul. For their part, private businesses have invested nearly $200 million in Saint Paul neighborhoods since 1995 as a result of Port Authority redevelopment projects. This current project is located in the former Macy’s Saint Paul building.

About the Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild is a thriving National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that began play in 2000. Its parent company, Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE), is a premier sports and entertainment provider with several different avenues of business operations headquartered in downtown Saint Paul, Minn. Its subsidiary, the Saint Paul Arena Company, manages the state-of-the art , home ice of the Wild, and the Saint Paul RiverCentre, which includes the Legendary . MSE also owns the Iowa Wild franchise in the American Hockey League (AHL), the primary development affiliate of the Minnesota Wild based in Des Moines, Iowa. Driven by a mission to “Create a Greater State of Hockey,” MSE and the Minnesota Wild Foundation also strongly support community causes, primarily in the area of pediatric giving. For more, visit wild.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.