Panels on the exterior of U.S. Bank Stadium are to be replaced over the next two years to address to problems that include leaking, under the terms of a settlement announced Friday.
Home to the Minnesota Vikings since its 2016 opening, U.S. Bank Stadium features a design that includes the use of black zinc panels that form its exterior. A total of 250,000 square feet of the exterior will be replaced over the next two years at a cost of $21 million, the result of a settlement between stadium owner the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) and eight firms that were involved in the stadium project.
Under the terms of the settlement, the cost of the repairs will be paid for by general contractor M.A. Mortenson Co. and seven other firms that were involved in the stadium’s design, engineering and construction. Plans call for the new paneling to have a similar look and feel to what is currently on the building, while being designed to repel water. Furthermore, a second waterproof membrane will be added to the venue’s shield before replacement panels are installed.
Officials from the parties involved in the settlement, including Mortenson vice president John Wood and MSFA chairman Michael Vekich, billed the agreement as the best way to ensure that the problem is addressed and help keep U.S. Bank Stadium in good condition for the long run. More from the Star Tribune:
Wood said the leaks weren’t substantial. Water wasn’t gushing into the building, and it could easily be mopped up.
“Nonetheless, it gave everyone reason to be concerned,” he said. “We could see some repetition of these problems.”
Vekich said when he arrived in the summer of 2017, the panels had been reinforced, but questions remained about whether that would be enough to address the leaks long term….
The mediated settlement came out of closed-door talks with the Mortenson Co., architect HKS Inc., M.G. McGrath Inc., Custom Drywall Inc., TRI-Construction, Larson Engineering Inc., Thornton Tomasetti Inc. and Studio Five Architects.
The Vikings were not a party in this settlement. Repair work is to take place in a fashion that allows U.S. Bank Stadium to remain open throughout the process, including for Vikings home games and other events.
Image courtesy U.S. Bank Stadium.