No fast-track for Vikings stadium pick

The Minnesota Vikings and the panel picked to build a new stadium in downtown Minneapolis say they aren't yet going to narrow the field of architects to design the place after all.

The Vikings said over the weekend that interviews with architectural firms last week went well and several contenders stood out and might be named finalists.

But the team and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority now say that they won't drop any of the five contenders to design the new billion-dollar stadium, set to break ground next year. They'd initially hoped to fast track a decision and award a contract for architectural and engineering services as soon as Friday.

That's been dropped from the agenda now, although the panel is expected to pick a legal team to add to the project manager it selected this summer.

Five architectural firms are vying for the job, including Kansas City based Populous, which designed Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium. Los Angelese based AECOM has a local affiliate, and HKS, Ewing Cole and HNTB have all worked on NFL stadiums recently.