St. Paul zoning board rejects Wild's 6-story-tall banner

The Minnesota Wild's request to hang a giant banner down a side of Xcel Energy Center has received a hip check.

St. Paul's Board of Zoning Appeals on Monday denied three variance requests by the NHL team that would have allowed a nearly 6-story-tall banner to hang down the side of Xcel Energy Center for three years.

Bill Huepenbecker, senior director of planning and public affairs for the company that manages the arena for the team, said the Wild will appeal the decision to the City Council.

The Wild sought variances to city limits regarding the number of signs that can be on the outside of the arena (two), how high banners can be placed (not more than 37.5 feet above ground) and how tall the banners can be (not more than 6 feet).

The Wild's proposed banner, part of a partnership between the team and Apple, would be the third sign posted on the outside the arena, would hang 96 feet above the street and would measure 58 feet tall. The Board of Zoning Appeals voted 4-2 to deny each request.

Earlier this month, the board approved the Wild's request for variances regarding the overall size of the banner (2,900 square feet) and the length of time it would hang (three years). A citizens group, Scenic St. Paul, pointed out that city code had more restrictions regarding Xcel signs, however, which prompted the team to seek additional variances.