St. Paul Reporter

Signs of economic ruin and possible collapse permeate through the Twin Cities area.

Arenas, stadiums and convention centers are all shuttered. And all those events scheduled for those venues have been canceled or rescheduled for next year.

“Not just a particular large event but the mass feeding of the economic development feeding the community. That’s where the big impact happens,” Jim Ibister, General Manager of the St. Paul RiverCentre, told WCCO station in Minneapolis.

Approximately 46% of the events at St. Paul RiverCentre have been canceled and the facility is closed until the end of the month, according to the report.

At other venues, the circumstances are the same. The Xcel Energy Centre will not have its first concert until September and the TCF Bank Stadium has canceled 65 different meetings and conferences. The Target Center does have an Aug. 29 concert scheduled but it has canceled numerous weddings, meetings, galas, receptions and corporate meetings. Two major concerts were canceled including Guns N’ Roses.

“That’s been the hardest thing. Just not knowing what the future will allow us to do,” Ibister said. “We’re not going to open up until we can do it at the highest level and keep people safe which is the ultimate thing."