Minnesota Vikings hope to rename Chicago Ave near U.S. Bank Stadium
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings have found a problem for 2016: U.S. Bank Stadium is located on Chicago Avenue, which is something the team doesn’t like one bit.
U.S. Bank Stadium is coming along nicely in Minnesota. There are already several great event planned for the new facility when it opens, including a concert from country music superstar Luke Bryan, a major soccer game, and an upcoming Super Bowl. But there is one thing that the Minnesota Vikings don’t like about the new building.
The street in front of U.S. Bank Stadium will be seen by every individual going to the events. However the street itself is named after a location that has a division rival team: Chicago.
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According to an article on the Star Tribune website, the Minnesota Vikings have put in a formal request to the city of Minneapolis to change the name of that particular street.
"“The Minnesota Vikings strongly object to having the street running in front of the stadium named after one of its opponents and neighboring rival,” the Vikings said in a formal request."
Ideas are being kicked around for what the street should be named. The team is hoping that it can be named Vikings Way, but there are plenty of other options that would make sense for the street. Of course, any name would need to be approved by the city, which is something the Minnesota Vikings are hoping can get done.
"“The Minnesota Vikings are a long term, iconic business and will be located at the new stadium location,” the team said in its application. “The Minnesota Vikings played for 32 years at the Metrodome and the new stadium is being built to last for several generations.”"
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U.S. Bank Stadium will open for the 2016 NFL season and will be the home for the Minnesota Vikings for a long, long time. Hopefully, things can get worked out so that football fans don’t always think of the Bears when they see Chicago Avenue every time they attend a game in the state-of-the-art facility.