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Vikings Pour More Money Into Stadium, But Not For Bird-Safe Glass

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings are putting more money into the new stadium under construction in downtown Minneapolis.

The Vikes are adding another $647,000 for stadium extras, from sideline seating to food concessions.

The latest upgrades include upgrading the team's locker room, expanding cooking and concession areas and adding end-zone seating areas it calls "Red Zone Mini-Suites."

The team's out-of-pocket extras are now approaching $50 million above their initial $477 million contribution.

"The public does not have any more money to put into the project," said Lester Bagley, Minnesota Vikings' vice president. "So we're faced with the decision of either starting to cut things out, or investing further. And that's what we've chosen to do."

Protesters at a Friday meeting of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority complained that the Vikings extra spending does not include money for specially-designed glass to repel birds from colliding into soaring glass stadium walls.

"We thought this was our stadium, too!" said Wendy Haan of the Minnesota Citizens for the Protection of Migratory Birds. "Who's going to be looking out the windows anyway?"

The MSFA this week declined to recycle millions of dollars of already fabricated glass panels and replace them with specially-made glass built to repel flying birds, saying it is "too late" in the design and building phase.

Protesters disagreed.

"Do you really want to tell your children, and your children's children, that you did not do what you could have done to save thousands of God's creatures?" asked AmyLeo Barankovich of Minneapolis.

Stadium planners have already agreed to multiple stadium modifications after meeting with the Minnesota Chapter of the Audubon Society, including new lighting fixtures.

It will also follow the same bird policies as many downtown glass buildings, including turning off stadium lights at night.

But it did not agree to special flecked glass that will change the look and feel of the billion dollar facility. Jenn Hathaway, director of communications for the MSFA, addressed the topic in this statement:

"We appreciate that this interest group is disappointed, but the Authority has already committed to adopt all of the Minnesota Audubon Society's lighting design standards and numerous operational recommendations regarding mitigation of risks for birds. The Authority will follow the same best practices as other leading downtown glass buildings in the Twin Cities."

The bird protesters Friday also demanded that Gov. Mark Dayton fire MSFA Chair Michele Kelm-Helgen for not trading out the stadium glass.

The governor said in a statement he thinks Kelm-Helgen's job performance is "outstanding."

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