The new downtown Vikings stadium might have a retractable roof in its eventual design but that amenity won’t come at the expense of baseball and other varied events planned for the facility.
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority executive director Ted Mondale told Sports Headliners that financing for the $975 million stadium was approved without including specific funding for a retractable roof. The facility was positioned as a “peoples stadium” in political campaigning and the facility must accommodate the same varied events the Metrodome has since 1982.
Those events include amateur baseball with a 100 to 150 games per year, according to Mondale. Other sports and attractions are expected to use the new stadium like the Metrodome, hosting everything from golf shows to Final Fours to rollerblading to a Super Bowl.
Mondale is not saying “no” to a retractable roof but is voicing caution. “There’s no extra public money,” he said. “It would be a nice feature to have.”
A stadium architect will be chosen soon and the facility design will follow. If the stadium is open to the elements because of a retractable roof that changes how the entire stadium is designed “right down to the footings” Mondale said, and also dramatically increases the total project cost, perhaps by close to $200 million.
Mondale expects a decision before year’s end on the retractable roof. But even without a retractable roof, it’s likely the stadium will be creatively designed to bring light and ambience into the building which is scheduled to open in 2016.
Vikings stadium executive Lester Bagley told Sports Headliners the team would like to have some kind of “retractable feature” in the new stadium. But the NFL franchise has made no commitment to increase its $477 million share of the $975 million budget to make sure a retractable roof will be included for what now is planned as a fixed roof facility. While it isn’t likely sufficient money can be found in the budget to have a retractable roof, Bagley is hoping there’s enough funding fort a retractable feature like a “window to the skyline” or doors that open to the stadium plaza.
Bagley said that the Vikings financial commitment to the stadium is the fourth largest by an NFL team in league history, and the $975 million budget is less than the cost of other new stadium projects around the country.
Mondale said the stadium authority and Vikings will look at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis as a model. That facility has a retractable roof but he said the stadium roof is open only “three to four times per year.”