Minnesota Vikings, Wells Fargo ordered to settlement conference about alleged photo-bombing signs

A federal judge has ordered the Minnesota Vikings and Wells Fargo into an April 26 settlement conference in their dispute over the bank's placement of signs on their two new bank towers near U.S. Bank Stadium.

U.S. Magistrate Janie Mayeron issued an order Wednesday telling both sides to show up with full negotiating power and be prepared to work into the night. The case is on an expedited track.

The lawyers who "will actually try the case" and "each party, armed with full settlement authority" must be present at the settlement conference, Mayeron said in a two-page order setting the date.

"This means each party must attend through a person who has the power to change that party's settlement posture during the course of the conference," she wrote.

The Vikings want Wells Fargo to remove signs raised 18 inches on the rooftops of their two 17-story towers near the new stadium. The team says the signs violate a hard-negotiated agreement allowing the bank to paint 56-by-56 foot logos on the rooftops.

The Vikings say the signs essentially "photo bomb" the image of their new $1.1 billion stadium when viewed from above in images relayed throughout the world. Wells Fargo countered that the elevation of the signs is of little significance. The bank also says the signs are within the bounds of their agreement with the Vikings.

At first view, the dispute is over 18 inches. What's truly the issue, however, is potentially millions of dollars in advertising and the marketing scope of both Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank, which paid untold millions to the Vikings to host its logo on the new stadium.

Both Wells Fargo and the Vikings have invested millions in the renaissance of the Downtown East neighborhood. Wells Fargo put $300 million into the mixed-use project under construction by the Ryan Companies and will welcome 5,000 workers daily to the new towers.

The Vikings are paying $600 million for the new stadium.

Mayeron told the parties to come on April 26 planning to spend "the entire day and evening, if necessary."

Before then, the magistrate told both sides to speak in person or on the phone before Tuesday for a "full and frank" discussion of settlement.

If they can't agree, she wants each side to submit a confidential letter by April 19 detailing and analyzing their settlement positions.

The signs, which aren't visible from the street, were allowed to remain in place for now under an order from Judge Donovan Frank after a hearing earlier this year. But in allowing the signs to remain, Frank also said he found Wells Fargo's assertion that the height of the signs doesn't impact visibility to be "inconsistent" with their assertion that the signs are important.

Rochelle Olson • 612-673-1747

Twitter: @rochelleolson