From the top of the arena to your bottom, literally, St. Paul's largest gathering place is loaded with material to mute the masses and improve the quality of sound. More than 1,100 black nylon and cloth rectangular blankets line the ceiling and upper level of the arena bowl, capped by a 6-inch halo of insulation.
Acoustic tiles coat the triangular steel towers at each corner.
Perforated green metal walls in the upper concourse are backed by 2 inches of insulation. Instead of plastic, every seat in the arena is covered with padded cloth, except for the leather seats in the suites. Sound designers say the system accounts for time differences between the video and its accompanying audio to reach eyes and ears in the audience. There's no standard for comparing sound quality inside Xcel Energy Center with other large houses, such as the Metrodome and Target Center, Chandler says, because the sound can vary widely within each building. Still, he says, Xcel Energy Center will excel simply for its newness.