Sports stadiums provide an unconventional option for holding meetings and events that attendees will enjoy regardless of whether they’re big sports fans or not. Minnesota has several sports facilities that rent out their spaces for corporate events, so planners can get creative with their choices.
U.S. Bank Stadium is home to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, and the venue also offers 1.75 million square feet of flexible space that can be used in various configurations for small to extra-large events. “We host every type of event, from networking events to large trade shows and conventions in our many spaces,” says Ann Dunne, assistant general manager for ASM Global at U.S. Bank Stadium. ASM Global is the stadium’s venue management company. “Our team works closely with the client to provide the ideal experience for the event in mind. The possibilities here are truly endless.”
In addition to a 100,000-square-foot stadium floor, the largest space at U.S. Bank Stadium is the Polaris Club, which has 20,000 square feet and can hold up to 1,000. It features an open floor plan with three bars and views of the field and Minneapolis’ Mill District. The Medtronic Club is a more cozy, sophisticated space with two fireplaces and beautiful furnishings.
The stadium’s Delta Sky360 Club is a 16,500-square-foot space just steps away from the stadium field that can accommodate up to 600. Your event-goers can take in amazing views of the downtown Minneapolis skyline from Mystic Lake’s Club Purple, a 10,500-square-foot space that also overlooks the football field. It includes an outdoor deck with a fire pit. Other meeting spaces are the 11,600-square-foot FMP Club, 10,500-square-foot Little Six Casino’s Club Gold, 4,100-square-foot Truss Bar, and 1,700-square-foot Lumen Lodge Bar.
Target Field, the home of MLB’s Minnesota Twins, offers a memorable location for corporate meetings and events. It has 15,000 square feet of meeting space with a total standing capacity of 2,700. Its Delta Sky360 Club is ideally suited for trade shows or large-scale conventions with accessible electricity and ethernet capabilities. The Carew Atrium in the Delta Sky360 Club is the most significant space available, with a standing capacity of 1,200 and a seating capacity of 300 to 500. Corporate meetings can be held in the Skyline Suites, Truly on Deck, or Thomson Reuters Champions Club. Target Field also has the Budweiser Roof Deck, Townball Tavern, and Gate 34 Experience for smaller, more intimate receptions and celebrations.
Target Center in downtown Minneapolis is home to the Minnesota Timberwolves NBA team and the Minnesota Lynx WNBA team. The 831,533-square-foot arena occupies more than a block. Originally built in 1990, Target Center underwent a $145 million renovation that was completed in 2017.
Target Center offers 160,000 square feet of meeting space with a standing capacity of nearly 5,000. The meeting spaces include six renovated restaurant and bar spaces with options for breakout rooms, arena floor access, and backstage tours. The Arena Floor is the perfect spot for larger events with a standing capacity of 2,000. The Lexus Courtside Club, Club TI, Six One Two, and Cargo all provide TV screens, a full bar, and catering for 150 to 400 guests. The Grant Thorntown Chairman’s Club is a smaller space for more intimate gatherings or breakout sessions. The center’s most unique meeting space is its Atrium, which features stunning views of downtown Minneapolis and a distinctive hanging basketball sculpture.
Over in St. Paul, Allianz Field is more than just the home of MLS team Minnesota United FC. It also has space to accommodate meetings and events of all sizes. The field has hosted everything from corporate meetings, seminars, and trade shows to fundraisers, holiday parties, receptions, and more. The Stadium Club offers the largest indoor space featuring 11,800 square feet that can accommodate up to 400 attendees, and it is perfect for conventions, trade shows, and banquets. It has two bars, 13 TVs, a 6-by-25-foot video wall, and audiovisual capabilities. The Brew Hall is a 4,100-square-foot space with garage windows that open up to the field if you want a more open-air gathering and a 60-foot bar with 96 taps. Above the Brew Hall is a 3,700-square-foot deck offering an elevated field view. Other meeting spaces include the BMW Field Club, the Upper 90 Club, and the Owner’s Suite. The Great Lawn outside Allianz Field provides 52,000 square feet of space that can be used for outdoor events like concerts, markets, festivals, runs, or clinics. For catering, Allianz Field works exclusively with Delaware North Sportservice, a globally recognized hospitality company.
“The staff at Allianz Field is tremendous,” says Tom Elmer with Convergint, a digital security firm based in Blaine. “The Allianz team helped us facilitate well over 100 registered attendees, 30 of our technology partners, and approximately 50 of our own employees. Our November [2022] symposium went off like we had done several of these events in the past, making the decision easy to return to Allianz Field for our 2023 event this September.”
Consider CHS Field in St. Paul’s historic Lowertown neighborhood for smaller events. CHS Field is home to the St. Paul Saints minor league baseball team, and it also hosts numerous baseball games for Minnesota high schools, Hamline University, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and American Legion teams, as well as more than 100 nonbaseball events each year. Corporate meetings can be held at CHS Field’s Securian Financial Club, which provides 4,000 square feet of indoor space and an outdoor deck. The club can host up to 200 people seated or 250 standing. The area has a built-in bar, and Professional Sports Catering provides all food and beverages. Rental of the Securian Financial Club includes microphones and house sound system, nine 65-inch flat screen TV monitors, and setup and cleanup for your event.
If you’re looking to take your next meeting or event outside of the Twin Cities, consider heading north to Duluth. The Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) has 250,000 square feet of meeting space available, including the 19,600-square-foot Amsoil Arena. Opened in 2010, the arena is home to the University of Minnesota Duluth men’s and women’s hockey teams and many events. The DECC also has other meeting spaces available besides the Amsoil Arena, including the 23,976-square-foot DECC Arena, 60,000-square-foot City Side Convention Center, 48,256-square-foot Pioneer Hall, 12,000-square-foot Harbor Side Ballroom, and 7,956-square-foot Paulucci Hall. The in-house kitchen and executive chef exclusively handle catering for events held at the DECC.
The best thing DECC meeting spaces have to offer is a location on the shore of Lake Superior, says Lucie Amundsen, director of communications for DECC. “Staring at 10% of the world’s fresh water to the end of the horizon does not happen just anywhere,” she says. “It calms, inspires, and gives our events stunning floor-to-ceiling views. Lake Superior and the culture it brings to our region truly make events at the DECC memorable.”
