The new home of American National Football League (NFL) franchise the Minnesota Vikings has been completed six weeks ahead of schedule in Minneapolis.
Contractor Mortenson Construction has symbolically handed over the keys to the U.S. Bank Stadium to the Vikings and the building’s owner, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA).
Designed by HKS Architects, the 70,000-capacity stadium cost US$1.1bn (€974m, £749m) to build. The 1.75m sq ft (162,600sq m) structure features a fixed-roof design with the largest span of transparent ETFE material in the country, five vast glass pivoting doors, and the closest seats to the field in the NFL.
Other features include two concourses with 360-degree circulation and various views into the bowl; LED lighting; 2,000 HD flat screen TVs to replay the action from the field; and stairs, ramps, escalators and elevators connecting the venue’s seven levels.
A giant stylised Legacy Ship also stands outside the ground. A Vikings Stadium Consortium made up of local firms Studio Hive, Studio Five and Lawal Scott Erickson Architects collaborated with HKS on the design.
As part of a partnership deal agreed with curators Sports & The Arts (SATA),
the stadium will display more than 500 original artworks and photography showcasing the history of Vikings and Minnesota sports.“Mortenson Construction has done a phenomenal job keeping us ahead of schedule while building the most amazing stadium in the United States,” said Michele Kelm-Helgen, chair of the MSFA.
“This is an incredible feat by HKS, Mortenson Construction, the MSFA and the Vikings, as well as the hundreds of subcontractors and thousands of Minnesota men and women who worked on this project over the last two and a half years,” said Vikings owner Mark Wilf.
“U.S. Bank Stadium was designed with the fan experience as the number one priority, and to accomplish this milestone ahead of schedule is a testament to the talent and dedication by so many.”
The stadium was built in two-and-a-half years, with more than 8,000 workers committing more than four million hours to the project.
The final cleanup of the site is now taking place before the grand opening ceremony is held on 22 July. The first sporting event the venue will host will be a friendly fixture between football sides AC Milan and Chelsea on 3 August. Two weeks later Metallica will become the first band to perform there.
The stadium has also been announced as the home of the 2018 Super Bowl. The Vikings recently put forward a proposal to build
new headquarters with training facilities and a 6,000-capacity training stadium in north-east Eagan, Minnesota.
