Judge tells Wells Fargo to take down signs near stadium
A federal judge has ordered Wells Fargo to remove rooftop signs from two new office towers near U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings sued Wells Fargo late last year claiming the raised illuminated signs violated an agreement that Wells Fargo would have only flat, painted signs atop the office buildings.
The team claimed the bank tried to muscle in on the $1 billion stadium's image, and the signs were a "material deviation from the roof signage" agreement the two parties signed in early 2014.
The Vikings said in 2013 that they feared a prominent display of a brand near the stadium could diminish the value of the stadium's naming rights, particularly in aerial images broadcast during televised games. Neither the team nor U.S. Bank have disclosed how much the firm paid.
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U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank gave Wells Fargo 30 days to remove the signs, and ordered the bank to pay the Vikings' attorneys' fees.
In his ruling issued Thursday, Frank pointed out that the Vikings received significant public funding for the stadium, and Wells Fargo collaborated with the city of Minneapolis on the office towers. Frank said neither side "seems to comprehend the possibility that spending vast time and resources on this litigation might disserve the public interest."
In a statement, the team says it's pleased with the court's ruling.
Wells Fargo said it's disappointed but proud of its "$300 million community investment" in downtown Minneapolis, according to a statement. The bank says it's considering options.