Proudly referred to as “The State of Hockey” Minnesota pays homage to the sport in many ways—one being Hockey Day Minnesota.
Created in 2007, Hockey Day Minnesota is a collaboration between The Minnesota Wild, FanDuel Sports Network, and Minnesota Hockey. Hosted in a different city each year, the event includes concessions, concerts, and of course—hockey games.
TRAFFIC FLOWS
Hockey Day Minnesota is a volunteer committee effort, with all proceeds benefiting the hosting city. With over 15,000 attendees and 16 high school teams playing hockey games over several days, this event requires meticulous planning—from shuttle coordination and park-and-ride logistics to managing parking for VIPs, event staff, and fans. With Alliant’s proven expertise in managing traffic for large-scale events, we were excited to take on this challenge. Our top-tier parking management experience ensured everything went off without a hitch, providing a seamless experience for attendees, teams, and staff. It was another opportunity for us to make a significant impact on a high-profile event.
As a hockey fan, project manager Nick VanGunst was ready to give back to the community in this unique way. “This event goes from am to pm, with very fluid timings of when teams and guests are arriving and leaving. We had to be flexible when designing our plans, ensuring that no matter the time of day, guests could get to the event efficiently and safely.” This was accomplished through a high-level map hosted on the Hockey Day Minnesota website showing park-and-ride locations, and detailed parking maps used by staff managing traffic onsite.
Another factor considered was the weather and probability of snow. Contingency plans were created in case of a snowstorm, including plowing portions of the parking lot and organizing backup parking. This ensured sufficient parking was guaranteed no matter the weather.
ALLIANT ASSIST
This event is no small undertaking. The committee and volunteers who run it prove their love of the game. 2025 was a hugely successful event, and we’re excited about the prospect of participating again next year.
Reach out to Nick VanGunst to learn more about Alliant’s participation in Hockey Day Minnesota.