

United already is working to host an MLS all-star game, CONAFAC Gold Cup matches and U.S. “It can also be illuminated and is also architecturally super interesting and will really be a unique stadium in the world. “It was a key design element for fan comfort, so it will wrap all the way around the stadium,” Huber said. The signature element of the project is a laminated mesh that will allow light to shine through the outer walls while blocking wind and rain. This month, the translucent super-fabric PTFE horizontal façade, which is being produced in New Hampshire, will go up around the stadium.

That’s going to be one of the great things.” “You can see how the roof is going to keep that contained and push it back in. “Noisy, very noisy in there,” McGuire predicted. It is the highlight of the seating bowl, with its 34-degree angle - the steepest design in MLS - able to house 2,800 standing and screaming Loons fans. That helps us keep on track.”Īluminum platforms for the supporters’ section already are in place, with the enclosure rails scheduled to be installed in June. There’s a lot of resiliency in the workforce. “It takes a lot of guts to get up there when it’s a windy, cold day or to do anything. “They’re incredible craftsmen,” said Huber. Spring’s late arrival has been welcomed with open arms by construction workers, who were forced to work under enclosures longer than usual, even by Minnesota building standards. Paul after the heating and draining systems are installed, along with grow lights built to sweep across the field and help the grass continue to grow through late fall.Īlso, a 685,000-gallon cistern will go under the north lawn to collect rainwater and storm runoff to irrigate the landscape surrounding the stadium in the Midway Center. The Kentucky bluegrass sod is growing in Colorado and will be delivered to St. “Our critical path is to make sure we get the sod installed by the middle of October so we’re set up to have the first game here in the spring of ’19.” “We’ve got a lot of exciting things happening and it’s all tracking really, really well,” Huber told reporters during a guided tour. The Major League Soccer stadium is slated to open in February 2019, with the inaugural Loons game expected to take place in April. Huber said the $200 million public-private project is on schedule and within budget.

“The combination of architecture and functionality with the game-day experience is pretty overwhelming.” “The aesthetic is just tremendous,” said William McGuire, Minnesota United’s primary owner. There will be little separation between fans and players. The moonscape of the pitch is covered with limestone to accommodate the heavy cranes, earth movers and waste bins, although the intimacy of the 19,400-seat stadium is obvious.
