Dive Brief:

• The U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the $1.1 billion future home of the Minnesota Vikings, is 95% complete, the Star Tribune reported, and general contractor Mortenson is set to turn the facility over in July.
• Mortenson Construction reported to the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority at its most recent meeting that $40 million of finishes remained, including the selection of a public and special-event tent that will be erected to the west of the stadium and a $1.2 million, 10,000-square-foot "Vikings Voyage Hall of Fame."
• The stadium is the biggest public-private project in Minnesota history and is twice the size of the Vikings' former stadium.

Dive Insight:

At the MSFA meeting, Mortenson also gave the authority an update on its $4 million moisture barrier replacement at the stadium gutters. Mortenson footed the bill for the new barrier – which the contractor said has been tested and is working – after the original began to leak.

Bird advocates, who have been a constant presence at MSFA meetings in hopes of forcing more bird-friendly features related to the 200,000 square feet of glass in the stadium design, were also at this latest gathering, the Tribune reported. MSFA authorities said in the past that they were working on obtaining a deflective film for the glass but did not give an update.

There was also no discussion over the issue that almost stalled the project, Mortenson's former requests for change orders. The MSFA and Mortenson reached an agreement last month over the disputed extra when the authority and project architects put up more than $16 million to be held in escrow to cover Mortenson’s additional costs. Prior to the deal, the MSFA told Mortenson they should have anticipated any changes and included them in their original bid.