In downtown St. Paul, the Xcel Energy Center has a brand new general manager and executive director.

Minnesota Sports and Entertainment announced Wednesday that marketing director Kelly McGrath had been promoted to administer the X, the town’s premier concert venue, which doubles as the house of the Minnesota Wild.

McGrath, who grew up in White Bear Lake, joined the organization in 2000 because the director of sales for the Wild. In 2005, she became director of sales for the X, and in 2008 oversaw marketing for the venue.

That role further expanded last 12 months when she was named director of selling and communications for all MSE-managed facilities, including the St. Paul RiverCentre, Roy Wilkins Auditorium, TRIA Rink, the restaurant Herbie’s on the Park and the event venue 317 On Rice Park.

Amongst her accomplishments, she led successful bids to land events held by U.S. Figure Skating, USA Gymnastics, USA Hockey, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and the Minnesota State High School League, amongst others.

The X, which has been nominated nine times for “Arena of the 12 months” by concert-industry publication Pollstar magazine, hosts greater than 150 major live events per 12 months and roughly 1.7 million guests annually.

McGrath lives in Stillwater along with her husband Wayne Petersen, who serves as director of community relations and hockey partnerships for the Wild.