Chris Winkler may be Wisconsin-born, but he’s lived in the Twin Cities for three decades.

Two of his three kids went through the youth hockey programs here. Winkler has been a Minnesota Wild season ticket holder for 10 years.

“We’ve really embraced Minnesota,” he said.

And doing so, he noticed something was missing. In his travels for work for his asset management company, the 54-year-old had been to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Heck, even the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame stood out. So when Winkler got connected last winter with local hockey legend and Hockey Hall of Famer Natalie Darwitz, the sales pitch was simple.

“I can’t believe I live in Minnesota, where everyone eats, sleeps and breathes hockey, and they don’t have a Hall of Fame.”

“That’s the same response that 99 percent of Minnesotans have,” Darwitz said.

Darwitz and others are now planning on rectifying that, with Darwitz becoming the CEO of the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame (MNHHOF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Late last month the group announced plans to break ground in June 2026 on not only a Hall of Fame museum but also a 120,000-square-foot interactive community hub. The $70 million project will include a 30,000-square-foot museum with a great hall and five exhibit wings, a sunken ice rink, a performance hall, a hockey-themed restaurant and a bar.

The grand opening is slated for May 2028, with the inaugural class coming sometime after that.

It’s an ambitious undertaking, and Winkler, the CEO and president of development partner Consumer Science North, acknowledges there are key questions yet to be answered.

Where will it be located? The plan is somewhere in the Twin Cities footprint, with a site potentially being announced in the next 60 to 90 days. Winkler said they’ve looked into the feasibility of multiple sites and are in “deep discussions” on one in particular. He did also note, however, that since their announcement, several cities have approached them for consideration.

How will it be funded? The plan is for a mix of corporate sponsorship, private investment and third-party funding, though Winkler didn’t disclose how far along they are — or who the main potential investors are. He said they’ve had multiple discussions with the Minnesota Wild, but that they’re not current partners. The MNHHOF is talking with a bank regarding some debt financing, as well.

“We’re in a good spot,” Winkler said. “The hockey community is really embracing it.”

Darwitz said the MNHHOF has received support from the Herb Brooks Foundation, with Brooks’ daughter, Kelly Brooks Paradise, leading the way. She also said the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto has been an important liaison, offering guidance and foundational support. More than 100 men and women are part of an “ambassador program” for the project, from Neal Broten to Ryan McDonagh to Taylor Heise to Lou Nanne.

The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame is in Eveleth, Minnesota, but this will be a standalone, separate museum for the “State of Hockey.”

“Every state has got some kind of proficiency that they’ve excelled at — something they’re known for,” Nanne said. “We’ve got a number of things here, but one of the things … is a hell of a legacy in the development of hockey players. The growth of the game has been unbelievable throughout the state. If you look at the leagues in every category — with players playing in the NHL to college, minor programs, the state high school tournament, which is unique — there’s so many things to highlight about the game itself in Minnesota and its successes.

“It only makes sense to have this.”

There are a few main employees of the nonprofit, including Darwitz, president Andrew Heydt (the Wild’s former director of team operations) and vice president of partnerships Amy Hamilton. Three others members of  Consumer Science North’s staff — chief real estate officer Mike Breese,  CFO Dan Winkler and Steve Baima — are also key figures. Baima is the project lead and first connected Darwitz and Chris Winkler last winter, getting the ball rolling.

Chris Winkler has been considering the idea since 2022, when he trademarked the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame and scooped up domain names like mnhhof.com.

This certainly served as an unexpected next chapter for Darwitz, who was told in June 2024 that she wouldn’t be returning as PWHL Minnesota Frost general manager shortly after they won the inaugural Walter Cup championship. When Darwitz was approached by Winkler’s staff in the winter, she jumped at another chance to be involved in the game.

“Life is funny that way: one chapter prepares you for the next,” Darwitz said. “I look back and chuckle where my career has taken me, from player, then behind the bench to general manager. I think everything prepares you for the next phase. If you asked me four or five years ago, would I be in this spot? I don’t know if I would have been.

“As hard as it is to go through the public media spotlight, I think what happened with the PWHL prepared me for the spot I am in. I think that happens for a reason. I’m super excited about this project. The sport has given us so much. Life is really full-circle on what we can give back.”

Darwitz said the Hall won’t have its first inductions until after the building is open, and they’re not sure how big the inaugural class will be. There are plenty of qualified candidates. Nanne said John Mariucci would be his first pick. Darwitz said they don’t want the first class to be big so they can keep it “special.” They’re working on putting together a selection committee and criteria, though it sounds like you won’t have to be from Minnesota to get in (for example, Nanne seems like an easy choice, too).

Besides an annual Hall of Fame gala/induction, Darwitz said they want to host jamborees and college/high school spotlight games. There will be a concert venue in the complex, as well. “A diehard hockey fan can even get married there,” she quipped.

“Not only do we want a brick-and-mortar museum, we bleed hockey, so what more of a way can we impact the community?” Darwitz said. “We want to grow the game. We’re biased that we feel we have an amazing thing with the sport of hockey. People are going to get behind this and want this to happen.”

(Renderings courtesy of the MNHHOF)