Mayor Coleman calling for end to NHL lockout

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman will publicly call Thursday for an end to the NHL lockout.

St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce president Matt Kramer will be among business and labor leaders joining the mayor in making the appeal at the Eagle Street Grille, across from the Xcel Energy Center where the Minnesota Wild play.

The Wild home opener was to be Saturday, and Thursday was the scheduled start to the NHL's regular season play.

Talks between the NHL owners and the players' unions have stalled. St. Paul business owners, especially eateries and bars near the Xcel Center, are concerned about the cancellation of the entire season. Some businesses rely heavily on game-day patrons.

Also joining Coleman will be Adam Johnson, vice president of marketing for Visit Saint Paul; Wade Luneberg for Unite Here; Meg Hyland, a server at the Eagle Street Grille; and Sean O'Byrne, owner of the Great Waters Brewery in downtown St. Paul.

The event is one of several coordinated across the United States in cities that host NHL teams.