Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold is expanding his plans of renovating the Xcel Energy Center to include the construction of a 650-room convention center hotel.

The Minnesota Wild have been trying to get the state to help them renovate the Xcel Energy Center for months, and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter hoped this year that state lawmakers would put $2 million in public money into initial design and planning work.

The Minnesota Legislature could soon get pulled into a debate over public funding to renovate the 24-year-old arena.

The Minnesota Wild, which has been seeking upgrades for the team's home at Xcel Energy Center for nearly a year, is expanding its proposal to include a convention center hotel that would be the biggest such property in St.