Lynn Regnier says she's feeling good about her new neighbor.

She runs a neighborhood group near the site of the new Minnesota Vikings stadium in downtown Minneapolis, and though the design won't be unveiled until May 13, "I'm hearing good things about it," she said.

Planners have talked generally about the new stadium making use of natural light and being connected to its surroundings and potentially incorporating a retractable element.

An environmental report released Monday, April 29, added new details, calling the facility "a bold, iconic, geometric structure with long sloping, angular facets that are primarily directed toward the downtown Minneapolis skyline" and saying it could make use of a translucent exterior like the one on the iconic Beijing National Aquatics Center, commonly known as the Water Cube, from the 2008 Summer Olympics.

But the key question for Regnier, executive director of Elliot Park Neighborhood Inc., is "not just what does this building look like, it's about what does it help to make happen?"

When the Metrodome was built in 1982, many hoped it would help transform the east end of downtown Minneapolis, but the domed stadium sat largely alone for its lifespan. The new stadium will be built in the same spot, though with a larger footprint.

"What I'm really confidently hopeful for is that it's going to help to spur what needs to happen down here," Regnier said. "A lot of people are excited about the possibilities."

Others weighing in echoed the need for the new stadium to feel like it's part of the community.

Cory Merrifield, founder of, said the potential of retractable doors leading out to a plaza "to me creates an environment where it's inclusive, it's part of what the stadium is, as opposed to right now where you've got the street that you block off and you put up a couple of tents and beer vendors and call it good. I want this to be well thought out; I want it to look like it belongs there, and I want it to be more of a campus as opposed to just a building in the middle of Elliot Park."

Jon Buggy, a past president of the American Institute of Architects Minnesota, couldn't agree more.

"I think what's going to make it a great piece of architecture is how well those neighborhood connections are thought about, and how well the building and the area surrounding the building works, not only game day but those many, many other days that are not game days," Buggy said.

Buggy said a good example of a football stadium that does that well is -- gulp -- Green Bay's Lambeau Field.

"When they renovated Lambeau, they made it much more integral to people's daily lives," Buggy said. "People go to Lambeau Field now just about every day of the year ... people have weddings there, people take vacations to bring their family to see the Packer Hall of Fame.

An environmental report released Monday, April 29, added new details, saying the new Vikings stadium could make use of a translucent exterior like the one
An environmental report released Monday, April 29, added new details, saying the new Vikings stadium could make use of a translucent exterior like the one on the iconic Beijing National Aquatics Center, commonly known as the Water Cube (pictured here), from the 2008 Summer Olympics.

For a sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, "it's about making the city and the neighborhood better 24/7/365," Buggy said.

Merrifield, who sits on Minneapolis' stadium implementation committee, said he's excited about the possibility of large sliding or pivoting doors.

"It feels like you're outside, but you don't necessarily have the sun in your face or have concerns about the roof collapsing."

He also said he's eager to see what planners do with the roughly 500,000 extra square feet over what the Metrodome has.

"One of the things that I can't wait to see is what do those concourses look like? Am I able to, between first and second quarter, run to the restroom, grab a beer and get back to my seat?"

The draft environmental impact statement released Monday included the following details:

-- If the 65,500-seat stadium has retractable walls, they would be at the east and west ends of the building and would either pivot or slide.

-- If the roof remains fixed, it could vary in transparency from fully transparent to opaque. If it's retractable, it could move either north/south or east/west. Officials have said they won't pay for a retractable feature unless sufficient money can be saved elsewhere in the $975 million budget.

-- The new stadium is expected to be about 100 feet higher than the Metrodome at its highest point.

-- Two configurations for the west-side plaza are being considered, one running east/west the other north/south.

-- The main entrance on the west side "features a video board behind perforated metal panels."

-- The new stadium would be connected to surrounding parking by skyway or tunnel.

-- Plans call for 8- to 20-foot public sidewalks around the building and at least 300 bicycle parking spots.

Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority chair Michele Kelm-Helgen cautioned that the report released Monday contains options that are yet to be decided.


"A lot of people have a lot of expectations," said Regnier, "but I just hope that in the end that it's about the feeling and the experience, so that when you're near it you're not overwhelmed by it and under-impressed."

Regnier said she gets off at the light rail stop near the Dome and walks to work.

"It's five blocks of nothing, really. There's this huge structure, and no doorways, and people are moving ... their head down and they're just going. Nobody's looking up, nobody's looking around. There's nothing to see. I think all of that's going to change for the better."

Interest has been so high that the team is considering a raffle system for fans and season ticket holders to get a first glimpse at the stadium design. The unveiling will be at the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis on May 13.

The number of fans to be accommodated is yet to be determined, but tickets will be limited, team spokesman Jeff Anderson said. The team is considering additional stadium-related events for season ticket holders in the summer and fall to get a glimpse.

The Vikings expect to move into their new stadium for the 2016 season.
