First Look: Vikings New Stadium

[spuwho]

We have discussed at length what is happening at EverBank Field, here is what is happening at the Vikings new home, US Bank Stadium.

Per Computerworld:

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3103444/mobile-wireless/first-look-vikings-stadium-caters-to-connected-fans.html

First look: Vikings stadium caters to connected fans

A striking vessel of steel and glass, the new home of the Minnesota Vikings is designed for fans with smartphones. The infrastructure and apps are in place: The stadium is blanketed with wireless access points built into handrails and a distributed antenna system to boost mobile coverage, and a Vikings stadium app keeps ticket-holders connected. Fans can order food and drinks from their seats, figure out which restrooms have the shortest lines, and watch instant replays on their own devices. Before they arrive, visitors can view parking availability, determine the least-congested entrance gate, and manage digital tickets.



The stadium's slanted roof is designed to shed snow and inspired by regional qualities, including the jagged geometry of ice flows colliding on frozen lakes. The structure reaches 270 feet high at its west peak and slopes down to 205 feet on the east end.



Designed by Dallas-based HKS Architects, the stadium will host Super Bowl LII in 2018 and the NCAA Final Four in 2019. To boost wi-fi coverage, there are 1,300 CenturyLink access points installed in slim, proprietary "clamshells" that are built into the stadium handrails.



The stadium, which seats 66,200 people, is designed to accommodate all fans on their devices at one time, but actual use is more likely to hover at about 30,000 fans during a regular season Vikings game. Burstable bandwidth will be tapped for events such as Super Bowl LII, when seat capacity is expandable to 70,000.

"Theoretically, all 66,000 of us at a Vikings game could jump onto the Wi-Fi," said John Penhollow, vice president of corporate & technology partnerships with the Minnesota Vikings.

"We can't get away with having you come in the building and only getting one bar or two bars on your phone. It needs to work, and you need to use it," said Penhollow of the neutral-host distributed antenna system from Verizon. "It simply just means that it shouldn't matter who your carrier partner is, whether it's Verizon or AT&T or Sprint or T-Mobile, you should be able to come into the building and have a great, powerful signal."

The Vikings' mobile app lets users stay on top of team news, stats, video clips and podcasts. New features, tied to the completion of the stadium, include tools to download tickets, watch instant replays, get driving directions, and navigate the stadium. The app integrates functionality from Ticketmaster, Aramark, point-of-sale solution Appetize, seat-upgrade tech Experience, loyalty company Skidata and content app developer Adept.

The Vikings app also allows fans to order food and drinks from their seats and select express pick-up service rather than waiting in line to order at concession stands. In the future, fans will be able to have food and beverage orders delivered to their seats.

It even directs you to the bathrooms with the smallest line.



Two giant LED video boards are positioned above the end zones -- as low as possible so fans don't have to look far away from the action on the field. They're "very, very low to the field, about as low as we could possibly push it without getting a call from the league office," said the Vikings' Penhollow. The west video board (pictured) measures 120' x 68' and ranks as the 10th largest in the NFL.



To maximize the natural light in the stadium, the designers used ETFE (ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene) for the roof structure. Transparent ETFE is designed to let in light, like glass, but it's a lighter and more economical material than glass. It's also self-cleaning, according to the stadium. ETFE is used on the entire south side of the stadium's roof and 60% of the total roof surface (248,000 square feet).



The exterior of the 1.75 million square-foot stadium is made from zinc metal panels, which will patina over time, and 200,000 square feet of glass and glazed curtain wall. The Minneapolis skyline is reflected in the stadium's glass-paneled exterior. U.S. Bank Stadium is tied into the city's existing skyway system, which includes more than eight miles of enclosed, climate-controlled walkways connecting the downtown area.



A striking design element is the Legacy Gate, which is made up of five of the world's largest glass doors that range from 75 to 95 feet tall. Each door extends 55 feet across and contains 10 smaller doors that can be used in bad weather. Hydraulics control the massive Legacy Gate doors, each of which weighs 57,000 pounds.



The marquee side of the ship's sail advertises the first sporting event to be hosted at the nearly complete stadium: Chelsea and A.C. Milan will face off at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 3 as part of the 2016 International Champions Cup.



Contractors put the giant Gjallarhorn in place at U.S. Bank Stadium in late July. On July 22, Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer became the first person to sound the Gjallarhorn inside the new stadium.



U.S. Bank Stadium was designed by the Dallas-based firm HKS Architects, which also designed Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Pictured, left to right, are HKS architects Lance Evans, associate principal; John Hutchings, sports principal-in-charge; and Bryan Trubey, EVP and director of sports and entertainment.

[Adam White]

That's very pretty. I guess all the tech stuff is interesting - it's nice to know you'll get a good mobile phone signal anywhere in the place - but the best thing is all the glass. It looks like it will keep it from being too gloomy - a real problem with indoor sports arenas.

[Kerry]

Was the article correct...they only expect 30,000 people per regular season game?

[Snufflee]

Was the article correct...they only expect 30,000 people per regular season game?

No, they expect 30K per game to use the WiFi system

[02roadking]

Nice. When we went to Minneapolis a few years back for the game, that we almost won, the stadium did seem dismal. Quite the improvement. Actually stunning to me.

[Kerry]

Was the article correct...they only expect 30,000 people per regular season game?

No, they expect 30K per game to use the WiFi system

Thanks, I went back and read it a second time and you are correct.

[BridgeTroll]

Nice. When we went to Minneapolis a few years back for the game, that we almost won, the stadium did seem dismal. Quite the improvement. Actually stunning to me.

The old dome was literally a dump.  The new stadium will look really nice... with a large smattering of green and gold 

[Snufflee]

While it is an impressive looking facility with impressive technology.. what is the debt service the taxpayers are going to be paying?

[CoastalJax]

Don't love the outside, but the inside is very nice.

The technology integration is great. That should be one of the next projects for Everbank.

[spuwho]

Per Wikipedia

It is the first fixed roof stadium built in the NFL since Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions, opened in 2002. As of March 2015, the overall budget was estimated to be $1.061 billion, of which $348 million is coming from the state of Minnesota, $150 million from the city of Minneapolis, and $551 million coming from the team and private contributions. U.S. Bank Stadium is scheduled to host Super Bowl LII on February 4, 2018, the 2019 NCAA Final Four and the ESPN X Games in 2017 and 2018. On June 15, 2015, the Vikings announced that U.S. Bank had acquired the naming rights to the stadium. The naming deal is worth $220 million over 25 years.


It kinda looks like a Jawa Sandcrawler from Star Wars to me.

[Adam White]

It kinda looks like a Jawa Sandcrawler from Star Wars to me.

Totally.

[Adam White]

While it is an impressive looking facility with impressive technology.. what is the debt service the taxpayers are going to be paying?

Don't expect an answer.  For the most part, those here who express progressive political views seemingly don't apply such views to the very obvious ripoff of corporate billionaire welfare that is the NFL, because football.

I just think it's pretty. Is that a crime?

[Snufflee]

While it is an impressive looking facility with impressive technology.. what is the debt service the taxpayers are going to be paying?

Don't expect an answer.  For the most part, those here who express progressive political views seemingly don't apply such views to the very obvious ripoff of corporate billionaire welfare that is the NFL, because football.

I just think it's pretty. Is that a crime?

Not a crime at all, as I said I am impressed with the facility and a football fan to boot, but I lived in San Diego for 17 years and eventually turned on the stadium issue when common sense took over from the promised panacea of a new stadium and hosting Super Bowls again became obvious that if we stayed in SOCAL not only would I be paying for this, my grandchildren may be paying for this too. When you have a city with many of the same financial problems as Jacksonville it floors me that you can even discuss 700M plus of tax payer dollars going to fund this pie in the sky idea.

[Adam White]

While it is an impressive looking facility with impressive technology.. what is the debt service the taxpayers are going to be paying?

Don't expect an answer.  For the most part, those here who express progressive political views seemingly don't apply such views to the very obvious ripoff of corporate billionaire welfare that is the NFL, because football.

I just think it's pretty. Is that a crime?

Not a crime at all, as I said I am impressed with the facility and a football fan to boot, but I lived in San Diego for 17 years and eventually turned on the stadium issue when common sense took over from the promised panacea of a new stadium and hosting Super Bowls again became obvious that if we stayed in SOCAL not only would I be paying for this, my grandchildren may be paying for this too. When you have a city with many of the same financial problems as Jacksonville it floors me that you can even discuss 700M plus of tax payer dollars going to fund this pie in the sky idea.

Trust me, I'm with you guys. I think the whole thing is a racket and I agree with MMR that a lot of people who should know better seem to turn a blind eye to this sort of thing.