St. Paul Business Owners, Mayor: 'Stop the Lockout'

Today would have been the opening day of the hockey season, but because of the lockout, the first two weeks were canceled.

This morning St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman joined business leaders in front of the Xcel Center asking the NHL to end the lockout.
It's been two weeks since the league started cancelling games.

So far three home Wild games have been canceled, which could have brought in an estimated $3 million to St. Paul businesses.

Meg Hyland, is a single mom, who is struggling to pay for her kid's hockey costs.
Hyland works as an event planner at Eagle Street Grille and says without the games her pay has been cut dramatically.

"Hours have been cut, business has gone down dramatically, We're just hoping this can end soon, or we can get some of the St. Paul residents to rally around businesses," said Meg Hyland.

Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub also said their business would be devastated if the strike lasts much longer.

The mayor admits the players and owners don't have to listen to him or the business owners, but he hopes to remind them of the community that fills the Xcel every home game.
"We hope they both understand there's a bigger community that's at risk here," said St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

The wild's regular season opener was supposed to be Oct. 13.