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In case you haven't been following the recent stadium developments in Minneapolis the Minnesota Vikings had the roof collapse on the Metrodome moving their home game last week to Detroit. They will not be able to play at the dome on Monday night when they play the Chicago Bears. Therefore; they have been getting the Gopher Stadium ready to host the team at the University of Minnesota. The main problem is how do you put 64,000 Viking season ticket holders into a college stadium that hold 50,000 people. This was their solution. Get your video cameras ready. I think there will be riots.
http://www.startribune.com/local/112007024.html?page=2&c=y
I don't think I have it in me to fight off all of the meatheads to try to get my 24th row 50 yard line seats.:smt021
Vikings announce ticket plan for Monday game at TCF Bank Stadium
All seats for Monday night's Vikings-Bears game will be first-come, first-served. Ticket holders will sit on the level where their tickets are for at the Metrodome. Meanwhile, work at the Dome was suspended.
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE and PAUL LEVY, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: December 16, 2010 - 3:27 PM
It will be first-come, first-served Monday night at TCF Bank Stadium, which will be designated general admission for fans with tickets to the Vikings-Bears game.
The ticket policy, announced Thursday afternoon by the Vikings, removes one of the team's biggest logistical headaches in moving the game out of the storm-damaged Metrodome. It practically assures that it will be played at the University of Minnesota's outdoor stadium Monday night.
The Vikings also said it has reached an agreement with the U of M not to serve alcohol at the game. The university has a no-alcohol policy in place for its football games at the stadium.
Under the ticket policy, fans with lower-level seats at the Dome will be seated in the lower level at TCF Bank, until seating runs out. Those with upper-level Dome seats will be seated in the upper level at TCF.
For those with pricey tickets, credits will be applied toward purchase of 2011 season tickets.
"The Vikings anticipate this game to be well-attended and having a valid ticket does not guarantee admittance into TCF Bank Stadium," according to a statement released by the team. "In the event that some ticket holders are turned away on game night due to capacity, only the original ticket account owners will receive a full refund."
Said Steve LaCroix, the team's vice president for sales and marketing: "This is a difficult situation with no easy solution, so we greatly appreciate our fans' patience in this process."
Meanwhile, work at the Dome was suspended Thursday following the break of a fourth Teflon roof panel that sent new piles of snow and ice onto the stadium floor.
Officials with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, meeting Thursday morning, said that the day would be spent planning how to safely remove the snow and ice on the Dome so that work crews can work on replacing the torn panels.
At the meeting was Eric Grubman, executive vice president of the NFL, who said "100 percent of our focus" is directed at holding Monday night's Minnesota Vikings game at TCF Bank stadium at the University of Minnesota.
"We're confident we'll be able to pull the game off," Grubman said.
Grubman, accompanied by Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley, said he was going to the stadium to take his first look at the two-year-old college facility. Bagley said that the Vikings have "been working diligently with the University of Minnesota and things are going well."
Grubman said that the NFL has dealt with similar situations before. In 2005, the New Orleans Saints played their entire season on the road after Hurricane Katrina battered the Superdome. In 2008, Hurricane Ike damaged the roof of Reliant Stadium in Houston, causing postponement of the Texans home opener; officials decided the remaining games could be safely played with the roof open.
"The game is going to be played there," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Chicago Tribune Thursday. "The decision has been made. If the situation changes and something unusual happens, we'll adjust. But there are no indications we wouldn't be able to play the game there. It's full steam ahead preparing the field and the stadium for a game on Monday."
Sports facilities commission officials said Thursday they could not yet say when the Dome will be ready for use again, nor what the cost will be to replace the damaged roof. A new roof for the Dome would cost an estimated $12 million to $15 million.
The commission board voted Thursday to add $1.5 million to its repair fund, to help cover immediate expenses. That figure does not represent a guess on what the total cost will be, Metrodome engineer Steve Maki said.
The board, which typically meets monthly, scheduled another meeting for next Wednesday.
Four panels of the roof have ripped in the wake of last weekend's storm that piled snow and heavy ice on the roof. The first three panels ripped Sunday morning. The last one tore Wednesday evening.
Maki said about 13 workers were on the field Wednesday when the fourth panel opened up and let loose a cascade of snow and ice. They were immediately directed off the field. No one was on the roof or working on the panel when it came down, he said.
"I'm not sure what happened, but it did rupture without warning," Maki said.
"I was present last night when that great boom occurred ... and I saw Steve mobilize his troops out of the way of harm," said commission board member Paul Thatcher.
On Thursday morning the Metrodome field was half-covered with plywood planks to protect the turf against the hydraulic booms set in place to help with repair efforts. Yellow bands were strapped to the underside of several roof panels that were identified as possibly needing additional support.
Officials said they didn't know how many additional fabric panels, if any, were at risk of breaking. Bill Lester, sports facilities commission executive director, said that an inspection of the 28-year-old roof this year showed that it was "well within its useful life" and the cable system providing support was good.
Thatcher said he was confident that insurance will take care of most of the roof costs. The commission also has insurance to protect against lost revenue from canceled events. Officials said they do not yet know what the total loss will be.
Bobbi Ellenberg, the Dome's events service manager, said that a number of events planned for the Dome in the next few weeks are looking for other locations. Runners and in-line skaters won't be able to use the concourses until further notice, and the All American Bowl football game for small college all-stars has been moved to the Gibson/Nagurski practice field at the U. Also looking for other venues is the Jewish Federation, the Hmong New Year celebration and the Home and Landscape expo, scheduled for mid-January.
Lester said that the Dome team assigned the task of fixing the roof includes Birdair Inc., manufacturers and installers of the roof; Geiger Berger, which designed the roof; and Walter P. Moore, a Houston-based structural engineering firm that designed the first domed stadium, the Astrodome.
Maki said that the Dome will need safety certification from Geiger before it reopens to the public.
"Rest assured that we are committed to getting back into the race as soon as possible," Lester said.
Kevin Duchschere • 612-673-4455
http://www.startribune.com/local/112007024.html?page=2&c=y
I don't think I have it in me to fight off all of the meatheads to try to get my 24th row 50 yard line seats.:smt021
Vikings announce ticket plan for Monday game at TCF Bank Stadium
All seats for Monday night's Vikings-Bears game will be first-come, first-served. Ticket holders will sit on the level where their tickets are for at the Metrodome. Meanwhile, work at the Dome was suspended.
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE and PAUL LEVY, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: December 16, 2010 - 3:27 PM
It will be first-come, first-served Monday night at TCF Bank Stadium, which will be designated general admission for fans with tickets to the Vikings-Bears game.
The ticket policy, announced Thursday afternoon by the Vikings, removes one of the team's biggest logistical headaches in moving the game out of the storm-damaged Metrodome. It practically assures that it will be played at the University of Minnesota's outdoor stadium Monday night.
The Vikings also said it has reached an agreement with the U of M not to serve alcohol at the game. The university has a no-alcohol policy in place for its football games at the stadium.
Under the ticket policy, fans with lower-level seats at the Dome will be seated in the lower level at TCF Bank, until seating runs out. Those with upper-level Dome seats will be seated in the upper level at TCF.
For those with pricey tickets, credits will be applied toward purchase of 2011 season tickets.
"The Vikings anticipate this game to be well-attended and having a valid ticket does not guarantee admittance into TCF Bank Stadium," according to a statement released by the team. "In the event that some ticket holders are turned away on game night due to capacity, only the original ticket account owners will receive a full refund."
Said Steve LaCroix, the team's vice president for sales and marketing: "This is a difficult situation with no easy solution, so we greatly appreciate our fans' patience in this process."
Meanwhile, work at the Dome was suspended Thursday following the break of a fourth Teflon roof panel that sent new piles of snow and ice onto the stadium floor.
Officials with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, meeting Thursday morning, said that the day would be spent planning how to safely remove the snow and ice on the Dome so that work crews can work on replacing the torn panels.
At the meeting was Eric Grubman, executive vice president of the NFL, who said "100 percent of our focus" is directed at holding Monday night's Minnesota Vikings game at TCF Bank stadium at the University of Minnesota.
"We're confident we'll be able to pull the game off," Grubman said.
Grubman, accompanied by Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley, said he was going to the stadium to take his first look at the two-year-old college facility. Bagley said that the Vikings have "been working diligently with the University of Minnesota and things are going well."
Grubman said that the NFL has dealt with similar situations before. In 2005, the New Orleans Saints played their entire season on the road after Hurricane Katrina battered the Superdome. In 2008, Hurricane Ike damaged the roof of Reliant Stadium in Houston, causing postponement of the Texans home opener; officials decided the remaining games could be safely played with the roof open.
"The game is going to be played there," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told the Chicago Tribune Thursday. "The decision has been made. If the situation changes and something unusual happens, we'll adjust. But there are no indications we wouldn't be able to play the game there. It's full steam ahead preparing the field and the stadium for a game on Monday."
Sports facilities commission officials said Thursday they could not yet say when the Dome will be ready for use again, nor what the cost will be to replace the damaged roof. A new roof for the Dome would cost an estimated $12 million to $15 million.
The commission board voted Thursday to add $1.5 million to its repair fund, to help cover immediate expenses. That figure does not represent a guess on what the total cost will be, Metrodome engineer Steve Maki said.
The board, which typically meets monthly, scheduled another meeting for next Wednesday.
Four panels of the roof have ripped in the wake of last weekend's storm that piled snow and heavy ice on the roof. The first three panels ripped Sunday morning. The last one tore Wednesday evening.
Maki said about 13 workers were on the field Wednesday when the fourth panel opened up and let loose a cascade of snow and ice. They were immediately directed off the field. No one was on the roof or working on the panel when it came down, he said.
"I'm not sure what happened, but it did rupture without warning," Maki said.
"I was present last night when that great boom occurred ... and I saw Steve mobilize his troops out of the way of harm," said commission board member Paul Thatcher.
On Thursday morning the Metrodome field was half-covered with plywood planks to protect the turf against the hydraulic booms set in place to help with repair efforts. Yellow bands were strapped to the underside of several roof panels that were identified as possibly needing additional support.
Officials said they didn't know how many additional fabric panels, if any, were at risk of breaking. Bill Lester, sports facilities commission executive director, said that an inspection of the 28-year-old roof this year showed that it was "well within its useful life" and the cable system providing support was good.
Thatcher said he was confident that insurance will take care of most of the roof costs. The commission also has insurance to protect against lost revenue from canceled events. Officials said they do not yet know what the total loss will be.
Bobbi Ellenberg, the Dome's events service manager, said that a number of events planned for the Dome in the next few weeks are looking for other locations. Runners and in-line skaters won't be able to use the concourses until further notice, and the All American Bowl football game for small college all-stars has been moved to the Gibson/Nagurski practice field at the U. Also looking for other venues is the Jewish Federation, the Hmong New Year celebration and the Home and Landscape expo, scheduled for mid-January.
Lester said that the Dome team assigned the task of fixing the roof includes Birdair Inc., manufacturers and installers of the roof; Geiger Berger, which designed the roof; and Walter P. Moore, a Houston-based structural engineering firm that designed the first domed stadium, the Astrodome.
Maki said that the Dome will need safety certification from Geiger before it reopens to the public.
"Rest assured that we are committed to getting back into the race as soon as possible," Lester said.
Kevin Duchschere • 612-673-4455
