U.S. Bank Stadium is an enclosed arena in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the site of the former Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The indoor stadium opened in 2016 and is now the home ground for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, as well as hosting early-season baseball games for the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gophers.
History of the U.S. Bank Stadium
The Vikings’ first home ground (from 1961 to 1981) was the Metropolitan Stadium. They moved to the Metrodome in 1982 and stayed there for thirty years. For two seasons, while the U.S. Bank Stadium was being built, they played at the open-air TCF Bank Stadium, located on the University of Minnesota campus.
The official grand opening of the U.S. Bank Stadium was on July 22, 2016. The first game to take place there was a preseason fixture with the Vikings winning their first regular-season game in the new ground against the Green Bay Packers.
The total budget for the construction of the stadium was $1.06 billion, with the state of Minnesota contributing about $348 million and the city of Minneapolis about $150 million, leaving the team and private contributors to fund the remainder.
In 2018, the U.S. Bank Stadium hosted the Super Bowl, a match which saw the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots. The ESPN X Games also took place there in the same year, as did the NCAA Final Four. The 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were set to take place at the U. S. Bank but this event had to be cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Characteristics
Originally, the owners of the Vikings wanted an outdoor stadium. However, local and state governments would only offer to fund an indoor stadium with the capability of hosting the likes of the Final Four and the Super Bowl. They also said that having a retractable roof would be too expensive. The same architectural firm that designed the Indianapolis Colts’ and Dallas Cowboys’ stadiums was commissioned for the U.S. Bank Stadium project. The design included a transparent roof and glazed entrances to allow as much natural light as possible into the area.
There has been a high incidence of bird deaths as a result of the highly reflective glass used on the stadium but suggested changes to make it more bird-friendly would cost in the region of $10 million. Currently, the seating capacity for games at the U.S. Bank Stadium is 66,860, which can be expanded up to 73,000 for concerts, special events, and soccer games.
Other events at U.S. Bank Stadium
Apart from American football games, there have been a number of soccer games that have taken place at the U.S. Bank Stadium. There were plans for a new MLS franchise to come to the region, but these did not come to fruition. There are regular baseball games involving the University of Minnesota at the arena and a lot of notable music acts have played there over the years.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings, who have been playing at the U.S. Bank Stadium since it opened, were established as an expansion team in 1960 and currently play in the NFC North division. They won one NFL Championship before the merger with the AFL. They have yet to win a Super Bowl (despite reaching it three times during the 1970s) and are often seen as the most successful franchise never to have done so.
Betting on games at the U.S. Bank Stadium
There is a great atmosphere at the Minnesota Vikings home games, with full crowds and a loud fan base. There are always many different betting options for games taking place at the U.S. Bank Stadium.
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