Makes you wonder how much water the walls of our EC are holding back?
Minnesota Vikings stadium officials say they’re concerned about leaky walls and loose panels at the new $1.1 billion facility.
The Star Tribune reports that stadium executives said Friday that zinc panels covering the entire exterior of the building are being tested and that the panels’ durability are a health and safety concern. U.S. Bank Stadium has been open only nine months.
The facility’s general contractor, M.A. Mortenson, is working on the northwestern facade of the stadium after water seeped through and created puddles in various places, including a concourse.
Oh, but it gets better;
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority says it doesn’t expect to have to pay for repairs. A Mortenson executive says the company will bear its responsibility for repairs.
I guess we will never know how much Mortenson has paid us or if it was sufficient. Because 1) we have no idea what damage could be behind the walls and 2) the settlement has been kept secret. If I were the next mayor, the first thing I would do is cut a hole in the wall, and see for myself.
Vikings Stadium was built with the right siding. To save cost, Denny Dome was built with half price inferior design material. Structural and leaks failure will be far worse. Sioux Falls confidentially settled with Mortensen but the funds were used for another folly, not replacement or even piece meal repairs. It’s not just the siding. There are other design and expense flaws. Realistically, the best fix may be demolition and starting over.
Huetherism at its finest.
M.A. Mortenson obviously has inherent deficiencies in their construction techniques for large event centers and/or with working with these siding materials. Bidding and/or being awarded these projects makes them accountable for delivering buildings finished according to the highest standards of accepted construction techniques, and for construction that will not age prematurely. To do otherwise makes them negligent. The City of Sioux Falls ought to man up and make public the terms of the agreement for redress of the siding flaws found in our Denny Dome – REGARDLESS of having previously agreed to keep them private. This company is proving to be serial shysters. Let the world know. If they don’t like that agreement clause being broken – let ’em sue. Sioux Falls has enough city lawyers on the payroll – they ought to be able to stall any lawsuit long enough for Mortenson’s own dereliction to bankrupt them. Thieves stopped. Justice done. Problem solved.
Isn’t the Super Bowl going to be held there in 2018? If so, the US Bank Stadium has all the makings for a sequel to the movie “Black Sunday.”