The price tag for their new stadium continues to grow for the Minnesota Vikings, with the team announcing Friday it will commit another $10.5 million towards construction costs and equipment.

That additional contribution will be officially announced at the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority's (MSFA) board meeting Friday morning. The Vikings say the commitment brings the increased total private contributions from the team and the Wilf family since stadium legislation passed to nearly $73.9 million.

Vikings officials say the $19.5 million invested by the Vikings will go into the overall stadium budget and be used on items like plaza enhancements, food service equipment, event level space build-outs for game day entertainment and staff, retractable seating upgrades, a Club Purple deck that overlooks downtown Minneapolis and other things.

"We appreciate the Vikings continued commitment to making this project successful," said MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen. "The increased private dollars give us the opportunity to maintain the iconic stadium design and ensure that the building can operate as a world-class facility."

The team says the total contribution from the Vikings and the Wilfs now stands at $551 million, or approximately 52% of the now $1.061 billion total project budget. The public contribution toward the project remains at $498 million.

"Our focus remains on providing a first-class experience to our fans," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. "When the process is over and we open this building in 2016, we want to say we did what we could to ensure the best game day experience possible."

 

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