Vikings and U.S. Bank Stadium to begin bird impact study
By Adam Carlson
Construction of U.S. Bank Stadium and the materials used to build the new Vikings facility has raised some eyebrows among those worried about bird safety.
While construction of U.S. Bank Stadium is substantially complete, that doesn’t mean changes can’t be made. One instance which may cause some minor adjustments to the facility involves the clear panels on the side and top of the building.
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A while back, Minnesota groups voiced their concerns about U.S. Bank Stadium being a death trap for birds. The clear siding could be invisible to the flying creatures, causing them to crash into U.S. Bank Stadium and be injured or die.
Having a building that kills the local wildlife isn’t something that the Minnesota Vikings, U.S. Bank Stadium. or the city of Minneapolis want their billion dollar facility to be known for. According to an article on MPRNews.com, the announcement of a study to determine whether or not these panels cause any risk to the health of birds flying nearby could be announced at a July 15 meeting.
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Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority chair Michele Kelm-Helgen has her agency working on a proposal along with the Audubon Society to begin research the topic so that they can determine what the best course of action will be on this issue going forward.
"“At this time we first want to find out if we have a problem with the birds or not before we spend the money to put film on the building not knowing if we actually have a problem or not,” Kelm-Helgen said."
If there doesn’t appear to be a significant impact on bird heath with U.S. Bank Stadium, it is likely that no changes will be made on the side panels of the building. However, if the study does determine there is danger from these glass panels, a film will likely have to be applied to each panel as to distract birds flying nearby.
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U.S. Bank Stadium already has several events planned, including Minnesota Vikings football, concerts, community events, and even a future Super Bowl. Hopefully, this issue can be resolved in a way that keeps the local birds safe and doesn’t cause a major financial setback for the facility.