The second con of Heroes will take place in 2023 from May 5-7 at the Gamezenter in Roseville, Minnesota.
Location and dates
Gamezenter
1975 County Road B2 West
Roseville, MN 55113
- Friday, May 5, 2023: 10AM to 11PM
- Saturday, May 6, 2023: 10AM to 11PM
- Sunday, May 7, 2023: 10AM to 6PM
While the Gamezenter does not allow outside food or drink, it does have a full kitchen as well as beer on tap available, and all Gamezenter food/drink is allowed inside. The store can get very busy and the lines can get long, so consider sneaking in an order when the kitchen opens (typically noon). They provide pagers that buzz you when your food is ready.
The center also has a full game store and on-site game library as well as opportunities to play plenty of other things, not just Marvel Champions. If you want to take a breather, you can easily do so, or perhaps head to Minneapolis for a day trip.
Con of the Rings has an excellent locally-sourced community guide for Twin Cities activities.
If you need help locating where Con of Heroes is within the Gamezenter, simply ask an employee where the event room is located.
Tickets will go on sale with advance notice.
Travel (airport code: MSP)
[Big thanks to Con of the Rings for letting us use some of this travel info, who has been hashing out events to the Roseville, MN area for several years]
Con of Heroes is in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, 9.5 miles from the state capitol and 8 miles from downtown Minneapolis. The nearest airport is the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP), located approximately 20 miles away from the convention. MSP is a major hub for Delta and Sun Country airlines.
While there is no direct mass transit link between the airport and the convention location, travel by rental car, taxi, or ride service is simple and efficient. Again, here is the address you need to get to from the airport/your place of lodging:
Gamezenter
1975 County Road B2 West
Roseville, MN 55113
For those who want to visit downtown Minneapolis or Saint Paul, there are electric train lines (Blue Line / Green Line) that run directly from the airport into the cities. For further mass transit information, visit MetroTransit.
Hotel
The convention is adjacent to several reasonable motels and hotels, but Con of Heroes has a deal with the DoubleTree Hotel Minneapolis/St. Paul North. The DoubleTree is within walking distance to the event, about .5 miles / .8 km. Check-in is after 3:00PM central.
The special convention rate is $135 per night. Book by phone using this number: 651.636.4567
Our room block is from Thursday May 4, 2023 until Saturday May 6, 2023 (check-out is Sunday morning). You have until April 14, 2023 to book the room at this rate. After that day, the block will be released.
In case you ever need it, the address of the hotel is:
DoubleTree by Hilton
2540 Cleveland Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
Currently, breakfast is included at Axels Restaurant for up to two guests per room: you’ll pick up your voucher while checking in (make sure to head to the front desk if you checked in digitally). Final breakfast details for 2023 are TBA, and any changes will be communicated on this site on the front page the week of the event.
Directions to the Gamezenter and the con room
This is a panoramic view of the Doubletree hotel and the Gamezenter: it’s basically just a stone skip away. The hotel sign is on the right of the image, the Gamezenter location is on the left.
Walk out of the side of the hotel near the restaurant (Axels), and up the hill. Turn left and go behind the building in front of you around the corner in the center of the image. The Gamezenter is on the left side at the very end.
This is the front of the Gamezenter.
When you enter, you’ll see the cafeteria/restaurant on the left (this is where you’ll buy items and order drinks/food). Head straight down the hall and to the left.
You’ll see a door in the left-hand corner: that’s where Con of Heroes is being held! The rest of the store is generally regarded as free play for patrons.
Groceries/food
There is a Walmart just several blocks away from the hotel and the Gamezenter, roughly 10 minutes walking distance.
Walmart Supercenter
1960 Twin Lakes Pkwy
Roseville, MN 55113
Here is a panoramic view of the Doubletree hotel and the Walmart. Walmart is on the left, the India Palace restaurant is in the middle, and the hotel is on the right.
Right next to it is an Aldi grocery store, which provides online ordering/pickup options. You can place the order from your hotel/on the way from the airport, then pick it up.
ALDI
2005 Twin Lakes Pkwy
Roseville, MN 55113
One of the more popular dining spots in Roseville is the County Road shopping center with Buffalo Wild Wings, which is roughly 12 minutes walking distance from Gamezenter. Right next to it is Punch Pizza and Lucky’s 13.
Buffalo Wild Wings
1777 County Road B2 W #215a
Roseville, MN 55113
In the above image, the road leading to Gamezenter is on the right, and the shopping center is on the left.
Vegan/vegetarian food options
If you need vegetarian/vegan dining recommendations, Happy Cow has a few options in the area. Do not count on the Gamezenter providing these options, as they have a limited menu for dietary restrictions (as of 2022, they can customize salads and french fries are cooked with vegetable oil [double check this to ensure it hasn’t changed], plus their pizzas can be made without cheese and/or meat).
The India Palace restaurant is a great vegan/vegetarian spot, as it’s close to the hotel (which is ideal if you’re pressed for time), and the food is excellent. Make sure to check the hours, because they do close between lunch and dinner for a short time. It has a vegetarian menu, and we have confirmed that several items are vegan as well.
Other foods for specific dietary needs can be acquired via delivery, through services like Doordash. There are a few places that provide vegan/vegetarian food, including Impossible/Beyond Burgers and vegan pizza. If you provide exact instructions in the app, many services will even deliver it right to your hotel room door. You can also opt to meet them outside or check with the front desk to see if you can have food left there.
If you’re vegan/vegetarian, do yourself a favor and go to Walmart or another nearby grocery store (see above) on the first day. Set yourself up with a few essentials in case you find yourself in a position where you’re unable to eat at a certain location. Just remember that Gamezenter does not allow outside food/drinks.
The Herbivorous Butcher also has some great vegan meat options that you can store in your fridge: and is a short ride share trip away and delivers via some apps.
“What should I bring?”
First up, check out our schedule here.
We know that travel space is a premium, especially if you aren’t checking a bag. You’re free to bring your entire collection if you like, but we’re aiming to focus on two major cycles of encounters so everyone can simply pack the contents of several story boxes, and proctor games for every single group. You are free to bring as many scenarios as you like.
2023 themes are TBA, but expect one of them to center around Mutant Genesis.
Players are free to play and bring whatever scenarios they want, but we will have these days available as themes so everyone is experiencing the same general feel each day.
Marvel Champions is also unique in that you can pack every modular set in the game without much issue if you’d rather do that; and just get your cards back at the end of a session.
As for how many hero decks you should bring, three to five is a good generalist recommendation. Three is just enough, as that way, you can ensure several combinations of heroes in four player, with very little chance of overlap throughout the entire convention. Think about packing a “sideboard” of 10-15 cards with each hero to cover unique card overlap in a bigger game.
Another suggestion is to bring four 25 card aspect decks, and four or more heroes, that way you can slot them into each hero if needed. Consider bringing sleeves as well, so that you can account for sleeving obligations if that arises. Special SWAG may require sleeving as well if you don’t want the cards to be marked (they will have different backs).
There are many convention go-ers who wouldn’t mind lending you decks, either. Don’t sweat only bringing a few decks: worst case, groups can come to an agreement where it’s OK to double-up on a few uniques. Con of Heroes will also have a table of cards that are freely available to take called SHIELD HQ. Hero and scenario packs may be available for purchase at Gamezenter, depending on stock.
Another store you can try and hit for Champions stock is:
Source Comics & Games
2057 Snelling Ave N
Roseville, MN 55113
Events
The Con of Heroes team is hosting several events throughout the convention, and will be giving away prizes, including myriad copies of previous promo cards. Our current schedule is here.
Rules
- All attendees are customers of the Gamezenter and all customer guidelines apply. This includes NO outside food or drink or third-party transactions.
- The convention planning team reserves the right to remove an attendee for 1) violating any local laws or facility rules, 2) failing to comply with the instructions of convention or Gamezenter staff, 3) endangering the physical or emotional safety of oneself or others, 4) threatening, stealing, cheating, or harassing others [including hate speech], or 5) failing to follow common-sense guidelines for mature conduct.
- On Friday the Gamezenter lot is very full to accommodate Asmodee North America employees, so please park across the street in the Salvation Army overflow lot as needed. On Saturday and Sunday, please park in the Gamezenter lot, paying very close attention to the signs. The parking lot can be confusing, and we owe it to the Gamezenter and its neighbors to be good patrons. Please double-check your parking spot.
Note that the Gamezenter is potentially implementing a paid day pass system for general play areas after April 3, 2023: the convention room will not be impacted, but it is something to be aware of.
Urgent care and COVID testing near Gamezenter
At this time there is no mask mandate for Roseville, MN. If a mask mandate were to go into place we would revisit the mask requirements with the venue.
MinuteClinic
1515 County B Rd W, Roseville, MN 55113
Drive-Thru Testing at Walgreens
2635 Rice St, Roseville, MN 55113
Con of Heroes 