12 July 2023
In downtown St. Paul, the Xcel Energy Center has a new general manager and executive director.
Minnesota Sports and Entertainment announced July 12, 2023 that marketing director Kelly McGrath had been promoted as the new general manager and executive director of the Xcel Energy Center. The city’s premier concert venue doubles as the home of the Minnesota Wild. McGrath, who grew up in White Bear Lake, joined the organization in 2000 as the director of sales for the Wild. She lives in Stillwater with her husband Wayne Petersen, who serves as director of community relations and hockey partnerships for the Wild. (Courtesy of Minnesota Sports and Entertainment)
Minnesota Sports and Entertainment announced Wednesday that marketing director Kelly McGrath had been promoted to manage the X, the city’s premier concert venue, which doubles as the home of the Minnesota Wild.
McGrath, who grew up in White Bear Lake, joined the organization in 2000 as the director of sales for the Wild. In 2005, she became director of sales for the X, and in 2008 oversaw marketing for the venue.
That role further expanded last year when she was named director of marketing and communications for all MSE-managed facilities, including the St. Paul RiverCentre, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, TRIA Rink, the restaurant Herbie’s on the Park and the event venue 317 On Rice Park.
Among her accomplishments, she led successful bids to land events held by U.S. Figure Skating, USA Gymnastics, USA Hockey, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and the Minnesota State High School League, among others.
The X, which has been nominated nine times for “Arena of the Year” by concert-industry publication Pollstar magazine, hosts more than 150 major live events per year and approximately 1.7 million guests annually.
McGrath lives in Stillwater with her husband Wayne Petersen, who serves as director of community relations and hockey partnerships for the Wild.