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Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL-Hermantown) led a passionate fight on the Senate Floor to protect the historic home of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota.
Hauschild introduced an amendment to prohibit the use of any state funds to relocate, refurbish, or construct a U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame facility outside of its rightful home on the Iron Range.
The amendment failed narrowly on a 32-30 vote, with every Senate Republican voting against the measure except Senator Rob Farnsworth (R-Hibbing).
Senator Karin Housley (R-Stillwater), who serves as Chair of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum Board, spoke multiple times against the amendment.
“Today, we stood up for something bigger than a building—we stood up for history, pride, and the spirit of the Iron Range,” said Hauschild. “Eveleth isn’t just a city. It’s the birthplace of American hockey greatness, where generations of kids grew up skating on frozen ponds with dreams bigger than the towns they came from. More than 80 players from Eveleth alone have gone on to play professional hockey. That’s not just remarkable— it’s foundational to the story of American hockey.”
Hauschild emphasized that while behind-the-scenes efforts have been quietly underway to move the Hall of Fame away from Eveleth, it was critical to bring the fight into the public on the Senate Floor.
“Across this country, some of our most important Halls of Fame—like Cooperstown for baseball or Canton for football—aren’t located in big cities. They’re placed where the history is real and where the story began. The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame belongs in Eveleth because that’s where the soul of the game lives,” Hauschild said. “We shouldn’t base these decisions on foot traffic or marketing—we should base them on true heritage.”
While disappointed by the final vote, Hauschild vowed that the fight is far from over. “This is just the beginning. Now legislators are on notice that utilizing state dollars to move the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame will be called out. I will not stop fighting to protect the Hall, to protect our history, and to ensure that future generations know where American hockey’s heart really beats— in Eveleth, Minnesota,” said Hauschild.
