Vikings stadium more than 65 percent complete

By ROCHELLE OLSON

Star Tribune Staff Writer

The new Minnesota Vikings stadium is more than 65 percent complete and the construction is costing about $1.4 million per day, the team said Monday.

Vikings officials gave journalists a behind-the-scenes tour of the new U.S. Bank Stadium, the latest inside look at the $1.1 billion project.

"To be a mere 12 months from opening what will be one of the world's most architecturally-unique stadiums is incredibly exciting," said Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf. "With the significant surrounding economic development, the involvement of thousands of Minnesota workers and hundreds of Minnesota companies, and the securing of major events, U.S. Bank Stadium is setting the bar for public-private partnerships."

More than 1,200 workers are involved with the construction, from 300 Minnesota businesses, the team says.

"The progress made on the project to date is due to the tremendous skill and hard work of over 1200 men and women who have worked on the stadium," said John Wood, senior vice president, Mortenson Construction. "Together with them and the design team, we are creating an iconic building for Minnesota and one of the best sports facilities in the world."

Seat installation will begin in August and workers will begin laying the new field in May.

The team has sold 40,000 seat licenses so far, about 80 percent of its goal of 49,000 licenses.

The stadium is slated to open for the 2016 season and the team has a clock counting down to the official opening of the new stadium.

Stadium and team officials note that the stadium project has already created a lot of private development in the surrounding Downtown East neighborhood.

"This iconic stadium has already attracted nearly $1 billion in private investment, which was one of the state's major goals for the stadium," said Michele Kelm-Helgen, chair of the Minnesota Sports Facility Authority.