Dec 10, 2014

Puck Drops on Minnesota Wild-Themed Restaurant by HMSHost at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International

New Humphrey Terminal restaurant features gourmet food, live hockey, and hockey sticks everywhere!

SAINT PAUL, MN —The first ceremonial puck has officially dropped for the new Minnesota Wild restaurant at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, celebrated today by a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. Hockey is a seemingly inescapable subject when visiting this part of the country; and that is a good thing! This all-original addition to the Terminal 2-Humphrey location by global restaurateur HMSHost features some of the tastiest food and coolest décor found in any sports-themed restaurant motif.

“Restaurants like the new Minnesota Wild venue introduce visitors to Minnesota’s vibrant culture and help differentiate Minneapolis-St. Paul International from other airports,” said Jeff Hamiel, executive director and CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which owns and operates MSP. “I congratulate HMSHost and the Minnesota Wild on the opening of this joint venture and encourage travelers to check it out the next time they fly from Terminal 2.”

Time to “drop your gloves,” but certainly not for a scuffle at center ice… Rather, here’s a look at some of the craveable chef-inspired temptations on the MinnesotaWild’s menu that travelers can get their hands on: Bavarian Pretzel Sticks (video), Roast Beef Sliders, Maine Lobster Gilled Cheese, Mushroom Flatbread, Pan Roasted Salmon, and Old World Meatloaf.

“Opening the Minnesota Wild has been such a great pleasure; there are so many fun elements to this restaurant and our partners are top-notch,” said HMSHost Executive Vice President of Business Development Derryl Benton. “The food is fantastic and the atmosphere shouts hockey and Minnesota. Travelers will know they are in Minnesota when they visit, and we can’t wait to host them.”

Travelers will have hockey on their minds, but they won’t need pads and skates because (thankfully), there’s no ice in sight here (except in the crafty handmade cocktails); just a lot of other cool hockey paraphernalia. For starters, used hockey sticks have been collected and creatively incorporated into the construction of the bar fascia and host stand, implemented as a result of partnering with Total Hockey’s area stores for a special “drive for hockey sticks.” Total Hockey’s HockeyGreen stick recycling program incentivizes used stick recycling through a discounted price for a new hockey stick when customers trade in their used stick. Total Hockey offered an additional $10 off for every used stick, in order to gather enough sticks to use in the restaurant’s décor, resulting in 1,400 sticks collected.

Other features that will have travelers banging on the proverbial glass as they take their seat include nostalgic arcade-style bubble hockey games, live TV action, goalie helmet displays, jerseys of Wild players, and an impressive ‘State of Hockey’ hockey puck mosaic wall.

“It is really exciting to have a Minnesota Wild-themed restaurant with HMSHost in the airport. It’s such a great representation of our brand and helps showcase to travelers what this sport means to the State of Hockey,” said Minnesota Wild Chief Operating Officer Matt Majka. “Whether it is a devoted fan catching a Wild game or a business traveler just passing through, the Minnesota Wild restaurant will be there to welcome travelers to Minnesota with the opportunity to watch great hockey and enjoy a great meal.”