New Retractable-Roof Stadium Planned For Arden Hills
ARDEN HILLS, Minn. (WCCO) -- Ramsey County officials and the Minnesota Vikings have announced an agreement to build a new 1.6 million-square-foot retractable-roof stadium in Arden Hills.
The plan for the multi-purpose stadium will be officially announced Tuesday at the new site -- the former Twin Cities Army Ammunitions Plant property.
Ramsey County Commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega, Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, Vikings Hall of Famer Bud Grant, Vikings legend Jim Marshall and head coach Leslie Frazier will be in attendance at the 3 p.m. news conference.
The agreement reached by the team and the county calls for a $884 million stadium and an additional $173 million for on-site infrastructure, parking and environmental costs. The total project will cost $1.06 billion.
The Vikings will commit $407 million to the project, 44 percent of the stadium costs and 39 percent of the overall costs. The state has committed $300 million to the project.
The county's $350 million share will be financed with a half-cent sales tax increase.
The team and county are working with legislators and MnDOT to pinpoint costs and funding options for off-site road improvements, estimated to be $7 million per year.
"Reaching an agreement with Ramsey County as our local partner is a major milestone in our efforts to finalize a long-term stadium solution, and we are pleased to have found such a strong and forthright partner," said Zygi Wilf, Vikings owner and chairman, in a release.
"While we certainly appreciate the proposal by the City of Minneapolis, as well as the recent efforts by Hennepin County, we believe the Ramsey County site offers the most benefits to our fans, the team and the state and is the ideal site for a new stadium."
Wilf said Ramsey County was a better option than rebuilding on the existing Metrodome site, even though the infrastructure is already there. The team and the county say they shouldn't have to pay for road upgrades.
The 260-acre site will include an estimated 21,000 parking spaces, which will provide ample space for tailgating.
Mark Wilf, Vikings owner and president, said now that a local partner has been determined and a site has been chosen, they will focus on working with lawmakers and Gov. Mark Dayton to pass a stadium bill that would secure the future of the Vikings in Minnesota.
He said the new stadium would support 13,000 full and part-time jobs, including 7,500 construction jobs during the three-year construction period.
