Monster crane headed to Vikings stadium site

The world's third largest crane is on its way to Minneapolis to help build the new Vikings stadium, the team said Friday.

It will stand nearly as tall as the Hennepin County Government Center, with enough muscle to lift nearly 3 million pounds. It will be a fixture on the Minneapolis skyline for more than a year.

Here's the statement from the Vikings:

A nearly 400-foot-high crane will be making its way to the site of the new Vikings stadium next week from its previous project at a power plant in New Florence, PA. The crane, which has the ability to lift 1,250 metric tons, will be delivered to the site in 70 truckloads over 10 days beginning Monday and will take 11 days to erect.

Upon its assembly the crane will place its first piece of structural steel in late July, and will remain at the site of the new Vikings stadium for the next 15 months.

Interested in how the behemoth will be assembled? The Vikings offered this video:

Editor's Note: The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority said Monday the video link provided by the Vikings shows a CC8800 crane. The one coming to the stadium site is a close cousin, the CC6800.