Official: TCF Will Be Ready For Vikes-Bears Game
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- A University of Minnesota official says the playing field at TCF Bank Stadium is fairly soft despite frigid temperatures and he's confident it will be ready for Monday night's Vikings-Bears game.
The Vikings home game had to be moved to the stadium after the Metrodome's roof buckled under snow last weekend.
Over the past few days, several hundred people helped shovel 30,000 cubic yards of snow in preparation for Monday night's game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.
Garry Bowman, the university's director of athletic communications, says 90 percent of the field has been cleared of snow and crews plan to begin laying a tarp on Friday under which hot air will be pumped.
He says a layer of snow kept the artificial turf insulated and that the field is in better shape now than it was on Nov. 27 for the Golden Gophers' last home game.
Daytime temperatures Monday are expected to be in the teens.
A couple dozen people lined up outside the stadium early Friday morning, hoping to shovel snow and earn $9 to $10 an hour for their time. However, a day of standing in the bitter cold did not end with a paycheck.
"They just told us to go home and warm up, pretty much," said hopeful shoveler Matt Arber.
"I just heard they don't need us no more. They could have told us that a long time ago," said Michael Sampson, who lined up at 7 a.m., Friday. "We've been out here an hour and half. That's kind of messed up."
Word went out Thursday that volunteers had to pre-register with a temp agency to shovel snow at the stadium, but that didn't stop people from showing up, hoping to work.
"I did not want to go until I heard it straight from the horse's mouth that they did not need any more people, nor would they sign people off the streets," said Andrew Griffin, who lined up at 5:30 a.m.
The ticket policy for the Vikings-Giants game was announced Thursday, and it will essentially be a first-come, first-served for anyone who had a ticket to the game at the dome.
People with seats in the 100 level at the Metrodome will sit in the lower bowl, whereas people with 200-level seats sit in the upper bowl.
The gates will open at 5 p.m. for the Monday night game.
WCCO-TV's Rachel Slavik Reports
(TM and © Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
