Allianz Field construction has concluded, as construction manager Mortenson has turned over the St. Paul facility to Minnesota United FC.
Primary construction on the soccer-specific stadium began in June 2017, kicking off a process that is leading up to United’s debut at the facility this spring. The club is preparing for its home opener at Allianz Field on April 13, when it will host New York City FC.
Allianz Field features several distinct design features, including an exterior skin made of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), a 360-degree roof canopy, and exclusive use of LED lighting. The $250 million, 19,400-seat stadium is intended to be the anchor of a larger 35-acre development in St. Paul’s Midway area, with the surrounding amenities expected to be built out over the next several years. It is also accessible via the MetroTransit Green Line light-rail line, reflecting modern MLS trends for transit and access.
Kansas City, MO-based Populous handled the design of Allianz Field, with Minneapolis-based Mortenson serving as the construction manager. United announced the completion of construction on Wednesday.
“Allianz Field truly represents the next generation of MLS stadiums,” Bruce Miller, senior architect at Populous, said in a press statement. “From the elegant glow of the translucent exterior skin to the complete seating bowl enclosure and 360-degree canopy, this stadium sets the bar as one of the most intimate and intimidating atmospheres in soccer around the globe.”
“This has been an amazing journey, and all of the men and women who worked on this project are extremely proud of what has been accomplished,” Greg Huber, Mortenson Project Executive, said in the statement. “Construction extended across 20 months and we worked through two tough winters; the fact that we were able to stay on schedule is a testament to all of the people who had the commitment and passion to build this incredible stadium. And we are all excited to see that it has already transformed the area and is providing the catalyst to reinvigorate and further redevelop the historical Midway.
“We set an aggressive set of workforce goals that promoted involvement of small businesses and a diverse workforce, and all of these goals were met or exceeded,” Huber added. “Over 650,000 hours of on-site work was performed by 2,020 individual craft workers, with 33 percent of the those work hours being performed by minority craft workers and another 11 percent by women. $46.5 million was paid in direct wages to the construction workers themselves. Over 90 percent of the work came from local companies, which is an incredible achievement. This is a Minnesota-made facility for a Minnesota team and a Minnesota brand — and it’s going to be a Minnesota icon.”
“When we were awarded the MLS expansion franchise, our objectives included the building of a great stadium that would be a home for our team and its fans, a testament to the World’s Game, an asset for our community, and a catalyst for economic development in the area,” Dr. William McGuire, United Managing Director, said in the statement. “That has been fully realized, and we thank Mortenson, Populous and all of the businesses and individuals involved in the construction of this magnificent stadium. Allianz Field is extraordinary: beautiful and unique, environmentally-sensitive, intimate and fan-oriented, and true to the sport of soccer and those who love the game. It is arguably the finest soccer stadium in North America. Furthermore, it is already providing an impressive economic boon to the community and our citizens. We are proud of what has been accomplished to date, and together look forward to what is yet to come – starting with our first home game on April 13 and extending to every event that follows.”
United will arrive at Allianz Field after spending the past two seasons at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.
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