A closer look: Hover over image to use the zoom controls in the lower-left corner.

Super sized for access

U.S. Bank Stadium has six levels of seating, clubs and suites (compared to three in the Metrodome), with a concourse up to twice as wide as those in the Metrodome. The concourse is open with limited obstructions, so fans can always see the playing field while walking it, similar to Target Field. There will be 979 restrooms, more than twice as many than there were in the Metrodome.

SIZE: The new stadium is almost twice as large as the Metrodome and nearly twice as tall at its highest point.

COST: It cost $587 per square foot to build the stadium. The Metrodome was built for $55 million ($61 per square foot); it opened in 1982.

The structure

The asymmetrical angular roof has a steeper pitch at the north end than the south end, which receives more sunlight. The translucent portion of the roof and glass doors on the west side provide natural light and views of downtown.

STEEL SPINE: The 989-foot steel ridge truss, running the length of the playing field, provides the primary support for the roof structure, designed to combat snowfall with its steep pitch. During construction, the world's third-largest crane was used to place the steel at the peak of the stadium.

Metal skin U.S. Bank Stadium's exterior is covered in unitized sub panels containing framing and insulation, and then covered with interlocking zinc metal panels. Each sub panel has a specific layout and design to the exterior surfaces. The black metal panels will eventually patina over time into a softer gray color. Transparent,

flexible roof Sixty percent of the stadium roof consists of transparent ethylene-tetraflouroethylene, a thin film built into multi-layer pneumatic panels. It is the largest ETFE roof in the U.S. The material is slick and nonporous, allowing rain to naturally remove deposits of dirt and snow. Heated snow gutters Snow slides off the roof into gutters with heated concrete floors embedded with Pex tubing filled with a heated mixture of glycol and water. The system contains 4,000 gallons of the mixture that is heated by steam from the nearby NRG plant. The melted water flows into storm drains.

GIANT GLASS DOORS: The stadium's signature feature is the five large doors, or operable wall panels, that are between 75 and 95 feet tall and were incorporated to allow fresh air. The doors can take between five and eight minutes to open or close. Using hydraulic levers, they can open individually or as a group. Within each of the large panels are ten small entrance doors used when wall panels are closed.

Closed: Six hydraulic levers work in tandem; one cylinder pushes while the other pulls to open each of the giant doors. Part open: The doors move slowly for safety. For NFL games, a decision to open the doors has to be made three hours before kickoff. Open: The doors will be held securely using pins that interlock with the frame to help share the wind load.



GIANT VIDEO BOARDS: There are two massive video boards at U.S. Bank Stadium. The larger of the two — the west board, at 8,160 sq. ft. — is the 10th largest in the NFL, the east board is an impresive 4,400 sq. ft. All the boards and display ribbons in the new stadium were built by Daktronics in Redwood Falls, Minn.

Metrodome boards

646 sq. ft.

19 ft. by 34 ft.

Football player shown for scale. West board|8,160 sq. ft.|68 ft. by 120 ft. East board|4,400 sq. ft.|55 ft. by 95 ft.

Mountains of work and expertise

The heavy lifting began in earnest after the December 2013 groundbreaking. Carpenters, ironworkers, laborers and electricians made up the bulk of the workforce. The work took nearly three years.

An army of builders

Through April, officials exceeded hiring goals for woman and minority-owned businesses, as well as women and minority workers. Almost every state had someone working on the stadium, but 86 percent of the worker hours were logged by Minnesota workers.

Sources: Vikings, Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, HKS Architects, Metropolitan Council, Thornton Tomasetti, Hardesty & Hanover, Mortenson Construction