The Twin Cities could end up in the running to host a future Super Bowl or NFL Draft, as the Minnesota Vikings are interested in landing the events.
Since opening in 2016, U.S. Bank Stadium (shown above) has been used as a draw for a number of major events–including Super Bowl LII in 2018, and the most recent NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four. The Vikings would like the stadium to be back in the spotlight with a future Super Bowl, and are also showing interest in bringing an NFL Draft to the region as early as 2024.
As part of this step, the organization submitted an expression of interest to the league ahead of a deadline earlier this month. Plenty of work still has to be done before a formal bid could be submitted, but the Vikings feel that they have few advantages in place–including the market’s track record of hosting major events, and a strong slate of venues in the area. More from the Star Tribune:
Touting their success at hosting Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2018, the team and Twin Cities boosters believe they have a good shot at reeling in another major NFL event, and they told the NFL they’re interested in becoming the site for the Super Bowl in 2028, 2029 or 2030. The team also would like to host the NFL draft in 2024, 2025 or 2026.
“We let them know we’re a serious contender,” said Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley. “We have a great market. We have great hospitality, venues, hotels and restaurants. Super Bowl LII was by all accounts, including those from the NFL leadership, one of the best-organized and -operated. And the Final Four last year was exceptional. So we’ve done a great job on these major events.”
But long before a formal bid is submitted, Twin Cities organizers already are talking about how to raise money to attract and put on these major sporting events. More than $52 million in private funds was raised for Super Bowl LII.
“We have a very engaged corporate community,” said Melvin Tennant, president and CEO of Meet Minneapolis and executive director of Sports Minneapolis. “But we certainly understand that they’ve been asked to do a lot in recent years.”
Super Bowl sites have been determined for 2020-2024, but the NFL has not made announcements for games in later years. The NFL Draft, meanwhile, has become a sought-after event since the league began moving it around in 2015 after years of staging it in New York. Nashville hosted the 2019 draft, with Las Vegas (2020), Cleveland (2021), and Kansas City (2023) on the docket for future years.
Image courtesy Minnesota Vikings.