Vikings select architect and construction company for Eagan headquarters

The Minnesota Vikings selected Crawford Architects and Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. to design and build their new headquarters and practice facility in Eagan.

Work began earlier this month at the site, which is located off I-494 at the intersection of Dodd Road and Lone Oak Parkway on land that was previously the headquarters of Northwest Airlines.

The team hopes to break ground on the project in early August with a plan for move-in by March 2018. Since the 1980s, the Vikings have been headquartered at a 12-acre site in Eden Prairie.

"This project will not only provide a first-class training facility for our players and business environment for our staff, but it will also allow us to transform this site into an international destination and a regional community asset," said Vikings owner and President Mark Wilf, in a statement.

The new team headquarters will include a 6,000-seat stadium, outdoor and indoor practice fields, meeting rooms, a media center, and administrative offices. The complex is the first phase of a 15-year plan for the redevelopment of 200 acres of lands complete with offices, retail space, housing and a hotel.

The Eagan City Council voted unanimously last month to approve the Vikings' plans.

Crawford Architects, based Kansas City, Mo., has a history of developing athletic facilities, such as the Virginia Mason Athletic Center for the Seattle Seahawks and the Pegula Ice Arena at Penn State University.

"This new facility will continue the Vikings' ascension within the NFL, raising the bar for the team, for NFL training facilities and for human performance facilities nationwide," Crawford Architects Principal David Murphy said in a statement.

Kraus-Anderson, headquartered in Minneapolis, has recently completed projects such as the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and the Sanford Center arena in Bemidji.

"We are committed to delivering this project safely and on time and on budget, consistent with our core purpose of building enduring relationships and strong communities," said Al Gerhardt, Kraus-Anderson's chief operating officer.

Nicole Norfleet • 612-673-4495

Twitter: @nicolenorfleet