U.S. Bank Stadium could be coming in over budget, Duane Benson discusses future

kttc ^ | 7-23-15 | Ali Killam

[TurboZamboni]

Some controversy is swirling around the new Vikings Stadium, as some are saying the project could be millions of dollars over budget. One member of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority is speaking out on the issue and facing opposition from other members. Duane Benson has served as the MSFA treasurer since the group's inception back in 2012, however, he is preparing to leave the group in light of recent turmoil and says the $1.1 billion project's finances are anything but in order at the moment.

As the groundbreaking project continues to break the bank, Benson says there is a problem--perhaps a $30-$50 million problem.

"If you ask is there a crisis, is there a problem? Yes."

Benson says the U.S. Bank Stadium is quickly going over its budget in change orders. "The wiggle room is almost nil," he says.

Fellow board members are disputing that, including Executive Director, Ted Mondale, telling the Star Tribune extra costs don't amount to more than $29 million--the amount in the construction contingency fund. However that is a number Benson believes is growing.

[HLPhat]

>> for some odd reason stadiums and arenas need to be rebuilt every 10 years.

Kinda makes a feller wonder just how connected the folks doing the commercial financing, and the constructing, and the decision making are... don’t it.

Every entity involved should be easily and publicly identifiable.

Didn’t Algore invent some new fangled thing called the Internets for making that sort of information accessible, or something?