Minnesota United today announced that the construction of Allianz Field in the Midway area of Saint Paul is now complete, and the stadium has been turned over to the Club from Mortenson, the project’s Construction Manager. The $250 million, privately-funded soccer stadium has been the subject of international interest since primary construction began in June of 2017, and has been finished on schedule for hosting its inaugural Major League Soccer (MLS) game on April 13 against New York City FC.
Allianz Field was designed by Populous of Kansas City, Mo., and built by Mortenson of Minneapolis, Minn. Since the initial unveiling of the stadium renderings, Allianz Field has been widely acclaimed for its innovative modern design and aesthetic beauty, the use of environmentally-sensitive systems and materials, and a focus on fan amenities and the game of soccer. The design is inspired by the natural wonders of Minnesota – including the Northern Lights, great rivers and countless lakes – and features a first-of-its-kind exterior skin made of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in conjunction with an extensive LED lighting system to help provide an unequaled sports and entertainment experience for fans and visitors.
“Allianz Field truly represents the next generation of MLS stadiums,” said Bruce Miller, senior architect at Populous. “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.”
The dynamic exterior skin of Allianz Field compliments a 360-degree roof canopy and an open concourse design surrounding a sunken natural grass playing field. The open roof stadium, grass playing surface and exclusive use of LED lighting helps produce a low-energy footprint for the stadium. Water collected from the roof and other surfaces flows into an innovative central stormwater system built by the City of Saint Paul to serve the entire 35-acre development that surrounds the stadium. Indicative of the environmental enhancements that are part of the design of Allianz Field, the 192 mature trees planted around the stadium use the stormwater system for irrigation, and are placed amidst nearly three acres of new public green space and plantings that have been added to the area.
Allianz Field is believed to be the largest private building project to have taken place in Saint Paul. It is also one of four major sport facilities that Mortenson has been building during this period — including those in Milwaukee, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Greg Huber, Mortenson Project Executive, said: “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. 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.”
Huber further noted: “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. 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.”
Speaking on behalf of the Minnesota-based ownership group, Dr. William McGuire commented, “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. 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.”
