Minnesota lawmakers hear request for $5 million state grant to help host 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship

Rep. Norris and Rep. Jeff Witte introduced House File 1007, a request to appropriate $5,000,000 to Minnesota Sports and Events to help cover costs associated with hosting the International Ice Hockey Federation’s 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship in the Twin Cities.

The bill’s sponsors and testifiers said the tournament, scheduled to run Dec. 26, 2025, through Jan. 5, 2026, will stage 29 games at Xcel Energy Center and 3M Arena at Mariucci, include pre-tournament exhibition matches across seven Minnesota cities, and use training sites including the National Sports Center in Blaine. "Minnesota has 135 community based hockey associations and 30 collegiate hockey teams," Rep. Norris said, adding that "there are nearly 50,000 registered hockey players in Minnesota ages 18 and under."

Why it matters: Sponsors and witnesses told the committee the tournament will produce major visitor activity across the state and generate tax revenue that, they said, would exceed the requested appropriation. "World Juniors is expected to draw 250,000 spectators from across the country and around the world," Rep. Witte said during his remarks. Wendy Blackshaw, president and CEO of Minnesota Sports and Events, told members the organization expects the event to generate about a $75 million economic impact and deliver more than $5 million in state tax revenue based on prior event studies.

Testimony and specifics: St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter testified in support and asked lawmakers to approve the $5,000,000 grant to assist costs related to the tournament. "This is an enormous opportunity to provide an unforgettable experience and position ourselves to attract more tourism, more economic vitality, and more opportunities to host large scale events," Mayor Carter said.

Wendy Blackshaw said Minnesota Sports and Events is requesting the appropriation to cover event-related costs that remain after revenue projections, listing public safety, permitting, transportation, operations, venue expenses and local union labor among typical line items paid from event appropriations. "If we do not receive the grant...we will pay for the World Juniors with ticket revenue, and we will have to freeze our bidding on future events," Blackshaw said, warning that skipping the grant would reduce the organization’s capacity to pursue other large events.

Former U.S. player and Minnesota hockey figure Lou Nanne, testifying remotely, urged support on grounds that the tournament is a high-profile showcase for the state’s hockey tradition. "This is gonna be one of the great experiences we've ever had in Minnesota," Nanne said.

Committee questions and clarifications: Members pressed for more detail on how the $5,000,000 was calculated and how much of the estimated economic benefit would come from out-of-state visitors. Blackshaw said Minnesota Sports and Events conducts economic-impact studies with the University of Minnesota and can analyze ticket-origin data; she cited that a prior event (the U.S. gymnastics trials) showed about 60% of tickets were purchased from outside Minnesota. When asked about tax revenue estimates, Blackshaw referenced a $5,750,000 tax revenue figure derived from comparisons with gymnastics events.

Outcome and next steps: Chair Baker moved to hold House File 1007 for later consideration and to include it in a future omnibus or related bill; the committee did not adopt a final funding decision at the hearing. The motion to hold the bill over was announced by the chair as the committee’s next procedural step.

Clarifying details from the hearing: 250,000 estimated spectators for the tournament; $75,000,000 estimated overall economic impact cited by Minnesota Sports and Events; requested state appropriation $5,000,000; cited estimated state tax revenue between "more than $5,000,000" and $5,750,000 based on prior events; event dates given as Dec. 26, 2025–Jan. 5, 2026; venues listed as Xcel Energy Center and 3M Arena at Mariucci; Minnesota Sports and Events identified as a 501(c)(6) organization; examples of expense categories: public safety, permitting, transportation, operations, venue expenses, local union labor.

Ending: The committee did not vote on final passage. Members indicated interest in the event’s economic return but also noted fiscal constraints; the bill will be reconsidered for inclusion in future legislation.