MINNEAPOLIS — As the general superintendent of the new Vikings stadium project, Dave Mansell hears the question often: Is the project on schedule?

Mansell has the perfect response.

"We’re absolutely on schedule," Mansell said Wednesday after leading a media tour around the construction of Minnesota’s new $1 billion-plus stadium.

After reaching 50 percent completion on the project at the end of March, Mansell says completion is expected on the new home for the Vikings by July 15, 2016.

"We’re right on schedule," Mansell said. "Everything is tracking perfectly. We haven’t had any major delays or any big problems. We had a good winter and that was a big milestone to get through last winter and then be ready for the next winter. It’s all going great."

More than $400 million of work has been completed on the stadium, which is replacing and sitting on the footprint of the former Metrodome. More than 80,000 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, signifying 80 percent of the total concrete in the stadium.

For Mansell, the progress really comes through when he sees the time lapse videos of the project. The final pieces of the Metrodome were hauled away on April 17, 2014. Less than a year later, the shape of the new structure has come into view with paneling being applied to the outside of the north and east ends and 5,000 tons of steel being erected for the roof. Four of the 11 queens post trusses and seven ridge trusses have been put in place.

The clear roof is expected to begin being placed in June.

"When you come here every day you kind of get focused on what we need to do next, not what we’ve already done," Mansell said. "But it’s really humbling when you look back."

Vikings owner Mark Wilf has walked through the site several times. He was part of the media tour on Wednesday and looked out on the project, which has been the team’s goal since the Wilfs became owners in 2005.

"We had two goals when we purchased the team years ago," Wilf said. "No. 1 was to solve the stadium situation and have a home that really is deserving of what our fans and the team deserves; and second is to win Super Bowls. I think we’re on the way with the team and we had some good progress. And that’s still our ultimate goal: to win games and win championships."

In March, the Wilfs and the team committed an additional $19.5 million for the project. The total team and private contribution is $551 million with the team adding $73.9 million since the original budget was set. With the public commitment of $498 million, the project’s budget has risen to $1.061 billion.

"Our overriding theme here, and we’ve been this way since Day 1, and that’s to make sure the fan experience is No. 1 in the NFL, and it’s a first-class experience," Wilf said. "So, we’re going to do what it takes working together with our partners at the sports facilities authority to make sure that it’s a venue that the entire state of Minnesota and all our fans can be proud of."

The next major step for the project is enclosing the stadium before next winter. The zinc panels on the outside are scheduled to be installed in May and the stadium is expected to be fully enclosed by Nov. 1.

The crew will look to have permanent power within the building turned on by July and be ready to heat the building for next winter.

"That’s a big deal for us right now," Mansell said. "We’re going to stay focused on that all summer long. We’re going to have the building enclosed Nov. 1 and ready for the 2015-16 winter."

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