Fresh turf coming to Vikings stadium for second time since opening
For the second time since its opening, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis is in line for a new playing surface.
The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority is seeking information from contractors that could be chosen to swap out the synthetic turf next year. The stadium is home to the Minnesota Vikings, prep sports championships and other premier sporting and entertainment events.
Specifications published by the authority say the replacement project will start in spring of 2024 and last about six weeks. No cost estimate is listed.
The turf was previously replaced in 2019, which was just a few years after the stadium opened. The prior replacement was slated to cost more than $1 million.
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The stadium’s versatile use ranging from football games to monster truck rallies to concerts means the turf is often under pressure. The authority wrote in planning documents that the removal or covering of the surface reduces its lifespan.
“These conversions are time constrained as events are scheduled very densely. In combination with the high degree of general use, this puts a very high premium on the durability of our playing surface’s safety and performance,” the memo says.
Minnesota lawmakers approved legislation this year to pay off public debt from the stadium’s construction 20 years ahead of schedule.
A separate fund exists to cover ongoing upkeep.