Target Field designer among bidders

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Brian Johnson
Dolan Media Newswires

Minneapolis — The $975 million Minnesota Vikings stadium has attracted proposals from five nationally known design firms.

The bidders — Kansas City-based Populous, Los Angeles-based AECOM, Dallas-based HKS, Kansas City-based HNTB, and Philadelphia-based Ewing Cole —all are experienced hands in big-time stadium projects.

Another firm believed to have an interest in the project was Kansas City-based Crawford Architects. But Crawford dropped out of the running, said Steve Maki, director of facilities and engineering for the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority.

Crawford was a finalist for the TCF Bank Stadium design, a job that ultimately went to Populous, which then was called HOK Sport.

Populous also designed Target Field, Xcel Energy Center and other prominent sports venues throughout the world, including stadiums for the Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, among other NFL teams.

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority issued a request for proposals for the estimated $40 million to $50 million architecture and engineering contract in August and is expected to award the contract Sept. 14.

Major decisions such as A/E team selection are a collaborative effort of the team and the MSFA. Maki said the next step is to “have a conversation” with the team and decide who among the finalists should be interviewed.

The firms will showcase some of their past projects Thursday during a public presentation at the Metrodome.

“It will give the public an idea of what they have done, where they have done it,” Maki said.

The field of qualified candidates for the job relatively is narrow. Among the requirements is experience with at least one professional or college football stadium in the past 10 years.

Since 2002, nine NFL stadiums have opened and three major renovations have been completed. Three firms — Populous, AECOM, and HKS — designed or co-designed two-thirds of those projects.

Stadium construction is scheduled to begin next year and wrap up by Aug. 1, 2016.

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