Chris Wright spent nearly 30 years with the Minnesota Timberwolves — including 13 as president of the franchise — and nearly two decades with the Minnesota Lynx when Minnesota United FC scouted him out as their new chief executive officer.

Wright, who joined the Loons a little more than a year ago, not long after their inaugural match as part of Major League Soccer, was on hand last month to see an announced crowd of 52,000 soccer fans see the team’s final game at TCF Bank Stadium.

Come April, the Loons will play home games at Allianz Field — a 19,400-seat, $250 million outdoor natural-grass stadium off Snelling and University avenues in St. Paul’s Midway.

The Rotary Club of St. Paul hosted Wright as their luncheon speaker Tuesday at the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown St. Paul. Here are some highlights from his speech:

ON THE STADIUM

Along with the new Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, Wright has called the bowl-shaped Allianz Field dome one of the two best stadiums in the nation. “This stadium is going to be iconic in our world,” he said. “It’s a soccer-specific stadium.”

The stadium’s woven, glass-fiber polymer mesh allows its exterior to change colors — imagine purple on Prince’s birthday, green for St. Patrick’s Day and red, white and blue just because.

Why did they name one end the “Wonderwall section” of Allianz Field St. Paul? Here’s why. “Cuz maybe you’re going to be the one to save me/Cuz after all/ you’re my wonderwall…” With @MNUFC CEO Chris Wright. pic.twitter.com/bDMlYUfmTH — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 13, 2018

GOLD CUPS, RUGBY, COLLEGE FOOTBALL, DRONES?

Wright said Allianz Field will be used for more than just Minnesota United’s home games.

Next June, the stadium will host part of the Concacaf Gold Cup — the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. The U.S. men’s national team will face another team from the region as part of a double-header with two other teams on June 18.

In an otherwise civil exchange, season ticket holder and Japanese drumming group member tells ⁦@MNUFC⁩ CEO to “get a new coach.” Ouch. pic.twitter.com/8PNV1THgnP — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 13, 2018

The Loons also bid to host a St. John’s-St. Thomas college football game in St. Paul.

The stadium could host entirely different sports, too, and the rare musical event. “We’re looking at lacrosse. We’re looking at rugby,” Wright said. “We actually had a meeting the other day on drone racing. … There will be at least one concert weekend.”

The Minnesota State High School League hosts its boys and girls state tournament semifinals, championship and third-place games at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis in late October and early November, and that won’t change.

“Because of the legislative agreement and weather factors, we plan on continuing to play our semifinals and championship games at U.S. Bank Stadium,” MSHSL Assistant Director Amy Doherty, who oversees soccer, said in a statement.

The state tournament quarterfinal games, which are on neutral sites, would be a possibility at Allianz Field.

INTERNATIONAL FEEL = BIG SALES

Players from last year’s Loons team hailed from 13 countries, and given the 251 languages spoken in the Twin Cities seven-county metro, fans can expect to rub elbows with visitors from around the world.

“We could be playing against Bolivia, we could be playing against Paraguay,” he said. “It will truly be international in nature.”

That’s one reason soccer viewership is growing while interest in sports like baseball and football is “flat-lining,” Wright said. Meanwhile, sponsors and business partners like Target are shifting “millions of dollars” from NASCAR to soccer.

Target is taking millions of dollars out of NASCAR partnerships/sponsorships and signing with Major League Soccer. pic.twitter.com/X4QJPkoi7Y — FredMelo, Reporter (@FrederickMelo) November 13, 2018

The Loons cut off season ticket sales at about 14,000 to ensure there are at least 5,000 tickets available per game for everyday fans, Wright said.

ON THE $450 MILLION IN INVESTMENT

Wright said private investors have backed the stadium, the players and day-to-day operations, including league membership, to the tune of $450 million. This number has shot up as the club has invested $50 million more in Allianz Field and other investments, including a $100 million expansion fee to Major League Soccer.

“These good folks have raised $450 million to self-fund the soccer stadium, to pay the league to have the right to play,” he said.

For a guy like him, “born in a little fishing village” in England, it’s a bit intimidating to walk into a room with some of the biggest Twin Cities names in industry — the Pohlads, the Taylors, the Mortensons, the Grossmans — as well as team owner Bill McGuire, former CEO of the UnitedHealth Group.

“They are vested in this community,” Wright said. “And as much as they want to be involved in the growth of this great game, they also want to be vested in communities like this.” Related Articles Loons’ late rally falls short in 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew

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Wright said the stadium will be a catalyst for a “massive urban revitalization” in the Midway, with a new hotel and other forms of private real estate development moving into the weathered Midway Shopping Center. A “Great Lawn” that can be programmed with activities year-round is under construction between the stadium and University Avenue.

ON FAN TRADITIONS AND ‘WONDERWALL’

Along with waving scarves on corner kicks, Loons fans are known for breaking into song. A favorite verse — “Because maybe/you’re gonna be the one that saves me/And after all/you’re my wonderwall” — hails from the song “Wonderwall” by Noel and Liam Gallagher, the hot-tempered brothers who once fronted the British rock band Oasis.

Wright said that while entertainment for Timberwolves and Lynx fans was programmed and theatrical, “we don’t do that in soccer. It’s organic. The fans lead the experience.” There’s a craft beer stop beforehand, a drum band-style march to stadium, and then “our fans sing to our players.”

Why “Wonderwall”?

The song became a rallying cry in 2011 when the Minnesota Stars, a precursor to the Loons, won a league championship. The cash-strapped team had formed three months after the Minnesota Thunder folded and, evolving with time, to a rebranding as United in 2013 and entry into MLS in 2017.