Minneapolis Mayor Has Preferred Location For New Timberwolves Arena

Since taking over, Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have made it a priority to build the Wolves and Lynx a new arena.

Apr 12, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of the game ball on the court during a timeout in a game between the New Orleans Pelicans and Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reportedly has a preference of where he would like to see a new arena built for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx.

According to reporting from Axios on Thursday, Frey is pushing for current location of the City Center complex as the site for a future NBA/WNBA arena. Since taking over as controlling owners, Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore have repeatedly talked about the need for a new home, saying it's what the fans "deserve."

In September, Timberwolves CEO Matt Caldwell called the drive to build a new arena a "huge priority."

Target Center is 36 years old, making it one of the oldest arenas in the NBA.

While he didn't confirm that he's been pushing the idea to the team, Frey told Axios, "I really like the site." Frey mentioned the importance of giving fans easy access to the venue on foot, specifically walking down Nicollet Mall.

Talking at an event on the University of Minnesota campus in February, Rodriguez reiterated that a new arena is "very important" to the franchise, adding that they want to stay in "Minneapolis, downtown."

That sentiment fits Frey's push for the City Center complex. The site is mostly vacant. However, the area, while larger than the current Target Center footprint, doesn't currently have extra real estate to develop an entertainment district next to a new arena — and that's an element that Rodriguez and Lore are interested in providing with a new build.

Rodriguez previously asserted that wherever they build, the arena will be "mostly" privately funded.

"We're very aware of the environment, and we're leaning very, very strongly to mostly private, if not all of it," Rodriguez said. "But we hope to work with the powers to be, and that's why we pay [Matt Caldwell] the big money."

That's in contrast to the Minnesota Wild and City of St. Paul, who are asking for $200 million in state funding for renovations to Grand Casino Arena and the RiverCentre complex. Gaining legislative support will be key, and after being denied funding in previous requests, the Wild and St. Paul are at risk of being turned down by lawmakers again this spring.

The other major sporting venues in the Twin Cities were opened with significant public cash infusions, including the Vikings' U.S. Bank Stadium, which opened in 2016, the Saints' CHS Field, which opened in 2015, and the Twins' Target Field, which opened in 2010.

Rodriguez and Lore have made several innovations to Target Center since coming on board in 2021, all of them aimed at improving the fan experience. However, they admit those are band-aids to modernize the arena until a new building can be built.