Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium nearly complete
From the ground breaking ceremony on December third of 2013 to the keys being handed over to the Minnesota Vikings on June 17th of this year, U.S. Bank Stadium took approximately two and a half years upon start to completion. On Friday, all major construction came to a close and the stadium has now been declared ready for use.
Nestled on the east side of Minneapolis, U.S. Bank Stadium is a unique personification that is as much a tribute to the Vikings as it is a modern architectural marvel. The construction of the stadium is setting new standards for sports facilities. At a cost of $1.1 billion, U.S. Bank Stadium was built for far less and much quicker than its similar counterparts and has far exceeded the established goals of the project.
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As of Friday the team announced that the stadium is “substantially complete,” which in the world of construction means, “ready for play” and only minor construction is left. Mortenson Construction was in charge of managing the project, completing construction on the 1.7 million square feet structure six weeks ahead of schedule. The stadium was originally scheduled for completion on July 29th.
U.S. Bank Stadium hosts the largest transparent roof in North America and houses the largest operable doors in the world. Both engineering feats for Mortenson Construction, taking them to new heights.
Vikings’ team owner, Ziggy Wilf, in a press release stated:
“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 Vikings’ new home will be a premier NFL stadium providing a premier fan experience, including unmatched technology and the closest seats to the field of any venue in the league. The stadium will feature 2,000 HD flat screen televisions and enhanced and increased concession areas. Unique to U.S. Bank Stadium are the two concourses with 360-degree circulation with views of the field.
Upcoming events include the Vikings official ribbon cutting ceremony on July 22nd and the free public open houses on July 23rd and July 24th along with a weekend long family festival. The first sporting event will take place on August 3rd, when AC Milan takes on Chelsea.
Not until August 28th, week three of the preseason schedule, will the Vikings call U.S. Bank Stadium their home. They will get their first regular season home game in week two versus the Green Bay Packers on September 18th.
More than 8,000 different workers put in work on the project and put in over four million hours of labor to complete it. And let us not forget that one man paid the ultimate cost and lost his life during construction, after he fell from the roof. In closing, I’d like to pay tribute to to Jeramie Gruber of Faribault, who sacrificed his life in a place where so many will have the time of theirs.
– Miles Dittberner, is a Managing Editor at cover32 and covers the Minnesota Vikings. Like, follow and upvote vikings32 on on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit.
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