MLS expansion club Minnesota United yesterday at a ceremonial groundbreaking for their new stadium released "updated plans," including that the privately financed, $150M stadium will "seat 19,916, with future capacity able to increase to 24,474," according to Andy Greder of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. The stadium will have "four clubs and 25 suites, with the closest seats 15 feet from the pitch and the farthest at 145." Although there have been hang-ups with construction, Minnesota United Owner Bill McGuire said that the team is "'confident we can get it done' in time for a grand-opening game" during the '18 season. MLS Commissioner Don Garber attended the groundbreaking and said that the design is the stadium's "greatest attribute." The stadium’s stands will "remain enclosed, but new renderings show a new material that’s less transparent than seen in previous drawings." The new rendering also shows a north side that is "no longer covered." The elevated hangout will have a "manual clock and scoreboard that’s an ode to setup at United’s former stadium at the National Sports Center" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/13). Stadium developers said that Xcel Energy "began working on power lines at the site a few weeks ago, and major construction will start after the ground begins to thaw." McGuire: "It will be spring when the big dig will occur out there." In Minneapolis, Jessie Van Berkel notes several pieces of the project still "need to be figured out ahead of construction, including a key land use agreement" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 12/13). Also in Minneapolis, Nick Halter noted McGuire "needs a slice" of N.Y.-based RD Management's land "if he wants to build his stadium in the north-south configuration that he prefers." McGuire said that "good progress was being made on a deal" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/12).
