Minnesota politicians and civic influencers "converged on the field of U.S. Bank Stadium Friday for the formal opening" of the $1.1B project. Vikings Owner Zygi Wilf said, "This building is a testament for generations to come that Minnesota Vikings are Minnesota" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/23). The stadium yesterday opened to the general public for the first time, and fans were "showing up to the tune of 12,000 per hour for the timed-entry open house." As of yesterday, 148,000 free tickets for the weekend-long festivities "had been distributed" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/24).
Stadium officials "expected about 90,000 visitors" for yesterday's event, but "storms drove crowds, hunkered under umbrellas and rain ponchos, inside the stadium, with visitors packing entryways and spilling into the purple seating around the field." Morning and afternoon downpours "scrapped the live music lineup," but Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen said that the hope was to "restart the activities once the weather cleared" today. Stadium officials "anticipate more than 160,000 visitors passing through the stadium over the weekend, based on advance ticket counts" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/24).
