Minnesota Vikings to play two seasons at TCF Bank Stadium MINNEAPOLIS -- Next season will be the Minnesota Vikings' last in the 31-year-old Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and fans of the purple and gold can look forward to blue lips and red cheeks as they shiver through two seasons of old-school, outdoor football. Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said Friday that the team plans to play at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, while the team's new stadium gets built at the Metrodome site in downtown Minneapolis. With the offseason officially under way, Around the League will examine what's next for all 32 teams. Team officials and the state authority overseeing construction convened at the dome Friday to finalize the deal for Minneapolis firm Mortenson Construction to earn $12.5 million to build the new stadium. That fee could reach $15 million if the firm meets performance incentives, but could be lowered if the construction lags.
Mortenson also built the Minnesota Twins' Target Field, and TCF Bank Stadium on the university campus. The Vikings had hoped to play only one season at the outdoor stadium, which is about a 10-minute drive from the Metrodome. The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority had looked into starting construction while the Metrodome still stood, but authority chair Michelle Kelm-Helgen said that proved too difficult. Plans now call for the Metrodome to be torn down in February 2014 and for the new stadium to be ready to open by July 1, 2016. "The Vikings are operating under the assumption that 2013 is our last season in the Metrodome," Bagley said. A spokesman for the University of Minnesota didn't immediately respond to a phone message Friday. It won't be the Vikings' first time playing at the campus stadium. The team played the Chicago Bears there in a cold, snowy December 2010 game, a week after the Metrodome's snow-heavy roof collapsed during a blizzard. But those two seasons will be the team's first played outdoors since the Vikings abandoned Bloomington's Metropolitan Stadium at the end of the 1981 season.
The plan is for the new, $975 million stadium to be enclosed. But Bagley said that Mortenson would help the Vikings build cost estimates for potentially including a retractable roof, wall or window, or some combination of those three. "The Vikings are very interested in a retractable feature," Bagley said. He said a decision on that is likely within 90 days. Mortenson's fee amounts to 1.7 percent of total construction costs. Senior vice president John Wood said the company's initial bid to the authority was 1.95 percent. Kelm-Helgen and Bagley said they were glad to be able to hire a Minnesota firm, but that Mortenson was competitive with the firms from other states that bid for the work. Mortenson said the project would generate 7,500 jobs for Minnesota construction workers; Kelm-Helgen said it would be "the largest construction project the state has ever seen." Dallas-based HKS Architects is designing the stadum. Kelm-Helgen said an initial design would likely be released in March.
The row numbers at US Bank Stadium vary by section and location. Sections in the 100 level average 37 rows, and the corners and end-zone sections average 42 rows. The 200 level has an average of 16 rows, and the 300 level has a 5 rows of balcony seating, followed by 18-25 rows of standard seating. Us Bank Stadium seat numbers follow a standard pattern where seat number one will always be on the right side of a section when facing the field. Another way to look at it is seat number one will always be closest the lowered numbered section adjacent to it. For example seat number 1 in section 312 will be on the aisle closest to section 311. The numbers of seats per row vary greatly by section. The Minnesota Vikings bench is located in front of sections F1-F5 and the visitors bench is located in front of sections V1-V5. We will have seat views from every section once the stadium officially opens, but we do have seat views from specific sections for you to check out. The new Vikings Stadium offers several different club seating options in the sections between the 20 yard lines.
Let us break down all the options for you. These sections are the most expensive seats in US Bank Stadium and provide access to the Delta Sky 360 Club. The club is located right next to Vikings locker room, so ticket holders will be able to see the team enter and exits the field. There is also a patio that is directly behind the Vikings bench. Other amenities include all-inclusive food and beverages, wider cushioned seats, private restrooms. The Field Club seats are located in the first 16 rows in section F1-F5. Tickets in the Valhalla Club provide access to the Medtronic Club. The club has 21 HDTVs inside the 24.944 square foot space, plus all inclusive food and beverage options. Tickets in this section also grant private entry and restrooms. Tickets in the Vikings Club, aka the Hyundai Club are some of the closest to the field in the NFL, just 41 feet from the sideline. The sections are located between the 30 yard lines, offering premium views of the action. The club area includes 25 HDTV’s, an upscale a la carte food and beverage menu with station style concession stands and plenty of bar space.
These seats also include private bathrooms. The Fire and Ice seats are located in section C1 through C10 and are the most affordable club seating option at US Bank Stadium. The sections are inbetween the 20 yards lines in the 200 level, and offer great views of the action. The clubs themselves offer full bar services, along with station style concessions and plenty of seating and HDTV’s. International Champions Cup: AC Milan vs. Chelsea FCUS Bank Stadium – Luke Bryan, Little Big Town & Dustin LynchUS Bank Stadium – MetallicaUS Bank Stadium – NFL Preseason: Minnesota Vikings vs. San Diego ChargersUS Bank Stadium – NFL Preseason: Minnesota Vikings vs. Los Angeles RamsUS Bank Stadium – Minnesota Vikings Season Tickets (Includes Tickets to All Regular Season Home Games)US Bank Stadium – Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay PackersUS Bank Stadium – Minnesota Vikings vs. New York GiantsUS Bank Stadium – Minnesota Vikings vs. Houston TexansUS Bank Stadium –