The Vikings are about 400 days away from opening their new building, and team CMO & Exec VP Steve LaCroix offered a preview of the facility at the ’15 Veritix Sports Facilities & Franchises conference. The HKS-designed venue is being built by Mortensen Construction and is on time and on budget, LaCroix said. He noted that the team’s preview center has had more than 9,000 appointments since it opened 16 months ago. Compelling visuals during the presentation showed the open/airy/glass structure and development plans around the facility. “There have been reports of up to $2 billion of development around the stadium since approval of the project,” he said. “This area of the city has become the hot-spot of Minneapolis.” LaCroix also offered other details:
* Videoboards will be situated low in the end zone. LaCroix: “We didn’t get into the arms race of scoreboard signage, as we wanted to preserve the views looking toward the city and maintain the look through the roof.”
* Capacity is 64,500, which is expandable to 70,000 for a Super Bowl.
* Concourses in the new building will be twice as wide as in Mall of America Stadium and will offer 360-degree circulation on lower and upper concourses.
* There will be two times the number of restrooms.
* There will be 50% more concession touch points at the facility.
* All suites include all-inclusive food and beverage. “It’s seen as real value in this marketplace,” he said.
* The facility will have more than 2,400 HD TV displays. “That’s a big order at Best Buy,” LaCroix deadpanned.
* There will be six clubs, all but one of which will be sideline-based. “We tried to bring them as close to the field as possible,” he said.
* The team is working with Daktronics about what form of board -- LED, Mesh, etc. -- will feature the state of Minnesota and the Vikings logo on the façade of the building.
