The US Bank Stadium, which will be the new home for the Minnesota Vikings, will be substantially complete by July 29, 2016, according to the team’s executive director of communications.
During an update for nearly 100 Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce members at the Vikings’ training facility, Winter Park, Jeff Anderson also stated that options regarding the future of Winter Park continue to be considered.
Anderson revealed that approximately 60% of the new stadium is complete, with US$500m in work completed. The project will run to a total cost of US$1.08bn.
The design includes 200,000ft2 of glass throughout the building; concourses that run 360° around the building; five pivoting glass doors on the building’s west side that will be the largest in the world; and a clear retractable roof with ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) panels.
Plastic-like ETFE can be treated to be translucent. The stadium will have the largest span of ETFE material in the USA, and about 60% of the roof will be clear, Anderson said.
Park space is also planned near the stadium, with a plaza near the front door and another adjacent park planned as part of the Wells Fargo mixed-use development in downtown Minneapolis.
The stadium will host the 2018 Super Bowl LII and the NCAA Final Four for college basketball in 2019. The 65,000-seater stadium can be expanded to accommodate more than 70,000 spectators for the Super Bowl.
The new stadium will offer 50% more concessions; Vikings paraphernalia and exhibits throughout the building; suite seating close to the sidelines; and 2,000 TVs throughout the building.
