RFP trims A/E field for Vikings project

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By Brian Johnson
Dolan Media Newswires

MINNEAPOLIS — The newly issued request for Vikings stadium architectural and engineering services says the A/E team must have experience as the primary design architect on at least one professional or college football stadium built in the past 10 years.

That narrows the field considerably, of course.

Since 2002, nine new NFL stadiums have opened and three major NFL stadium renovations have been completed, according to information from Conventions, Sports & Leisure, a consulting firm with offices in Minneapolis and Dallas.

Three firms — Kansas City, Mo.-based Populous (formerly HOK Sport), Los Angeles-based Ellerbe Becket/AECOM, and Dallas-based HKS — designed or co-designed two-thirds of those projects.

But it’s likely that local firms not in that group will have a hand in the design work, even if they’re not heading up the effort. Such was the case with Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium, the area’s most recent stadium projects.

Steve Maki, facilities and engineering director for the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, which is working with the Vikings to oversee the $975 million Vikings stadium effort, suspects that local firms will be represented.

He said it “just makes sense” to have firms close to the project site involved from an efficiency standpoint.

The folks in charge of building the new Minnesota Vikings stadium quickly are moving to put together a project team.

The authority released its request for architectural and engineering services Aug. 10 and proposals are due Aug. 30. A selection will be made Sept. 14.

Asked about the timetable, Maki said it was “important that we move this along in a prompt manner.” Construction is scheduled to begin next year and finish by Aug. 1, 2016.

The A/E team immediately will begin work after it’s on board and will play a role in selecting a project delivery method, in addition to duties such as architectural design, engineering, construction administration, and site master planning.

Maki said it hadn’t been determined when a project delivery method would be selected.

For the estimated $40 million to $50 million A/E contract, the project team is looking for experienced firms and personnel who have done this type of work before and know how to put projects together, Maki added.

“All of them I am sure have been busy … anticipating the release of this RFP and getting ready for it,” he said.

The A/E team will join a growing list of project team members, which already includes Madison, Wis.-based Hammes Co. (MSFA’s owner’s representative), Jim Cima (Vikings’ senior project manager) and Kimley-Horn and Associates (environmental consulting), among others.

Plymouth-based SRF Consulting Group and St. Paul-based American Engineering Testing are part of the Kimley-Horn team. Bloomington-based Braun Intertec also has done some stadium-related environmental testing.

David Oxley, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies-Minnesota chapter, said local design and engineering companies were excited about the project.

The investment of time and money to put together a proposal for a contract that large is no small task, which might discourage some firms from pursuing the work, he said.

But there’s “a whole lot of firms, medium and small,” that will look to team up and be involved in the project, he said.

HOK Sport/Populous teamed with Minneapolis-based HGA on the Target Field project, and it worked with local firms Architectural Alliance and Studio Hive on TCF Bank Stadium.

Golden Valley-based Mortenson built both stadiums.

Other firms that vied for the University of Minnesota stadium design work were Kansas City-based HNTB (with Minneapolis-based RSP Architects) and Kansas City-based Crawford Architects (with local firms Miller Dunwiddie and Studio Five).

In 2006, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, the forerunner of the authority, hired San Francisco-based ROMA to work on Vikings stadium-related planning issues. Two years later, the commission brought on HKS and Mortenson to work on preliminary design and construction management issues, respectively.

Representatives of the team and the authority will interview finalists for the A/E package as soon as Sept. 6 and 7. Criteria include “overall qualifications, relevant experience with comparable facilities, references and proposed fee structure,” the RFP noted.

HOK Sport/Populous’ NFL stadium work since 2002 includes Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix (home of the Arizona Cardinals), Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and Reliant Stadium in Houston.

Ellberbe Becket/AECOM designed the Lambeau Field renovation in Green Bay and Qwest Field in Seattle (now CenturyLink Field), and HKS designed the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Dallas and Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The Vikings stadium project is a joint effort of the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority. Money sources include the team ($477 million), the state ($348 million) and the city of Minneapolis ($150 million).

The stadium will be built on a portion of the Metrodome site in downtown Minneapolis.

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