Hopkins Public Schools and City of Minnetonka announce new name for the high school athletic center
The Hopkins High School athletic center, Lindbergh Center, has a new name – the Royals Athletic Center. This change became official when both the Hopkins School Board and the Minnetonka City Council voted to approve the new name at their respective board meetings in March.
The renaming process began last June when the Hopkins School Board voted to authorize Hopkins Schools administration to establish a committee for renaming the Lindbergh Center. A diverse steering committee composed of staff from Hopkins Public Schools and the City of Minnetonka had a series of meetings to determine a process that allowed the community to choose a new name for the center.
This process included two surveys to select a new name using ranked choice. The final survey received over 600 responses from the community, and the name Royals Athletic Center received the most votes. Other names in the running included Royals Center, the Hopkins Recreation Center, and Mni Sota Makoce Center.
“Working collaboratively to shape the future of the athletic center underscored the importance of our unique partnership with the City of Minnetonka,” said Alex Fisher, director of community education and engagement.
The Minnetonka City Council also introduced an ordinance to change the name of the address of Hopkins High School and the Royals Athletic Center from Lindbergh Drive to Royals Drive. This ordinance is expected to be approved at the city’s April 11 meeting.
“We are excited to continue to provide an exceptional recreation facility to the residents of Minnetonka and the Hopkins School District, said Kelly O’Dea, director of recreation services for the City of Minnetonka. “It is a tremendous asset to the community.”
The athletic center, which is a wing of Hopkins High School, opened in the fall of 1996 and is funded through a joint partnership between Hopkins Public Schools and the city of Minnetonka. The wing was named Lindbergh center to match the original name of the high school, Hopkins Lindbergh.