Minnesota Secures Super Bowl LII in 2018

Just over two years ago, the state of Minnesota agreed to contribute $348 million to build a new Vikings stadium on the footprint of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Ten days later, Minneapolis followed suit with $150 million. On Tuesday, the NFL rewarded that investment by announcing that Super Bowl LII will be played in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Vikings’ new stadium, projected to cost nearly $1 billion, is currently under construction and scheduled to be completed in July 2016. The multipurpose venue will seat 65,400 and expand to 72,000 seats for the Super Bowl LII in 2018. 

“On behalf of the Minnesota Vikings, of the people of Minnesota and the Twin Cities, [and] for the hard work of the Super Bowl Committee, we’re very proud to host Super Bowl LII,” said Minnesota Vikings principal owner Zygi Wilf in a press conference following the announcement. “It will be an exciting time … and I know we’ll do a great job and we’ll all be proud of the work that we’ve done. We’re working very hard right now in building a world-class venue, and I know now the impetus [of hosting Super Bowl LII] will make us sure that we do a great job.”

With the theme “Built for the Bold,” the Minnesota Super Bowl Bid Committee beat out competing bids from Indianapolis (which hosted Super Bowl XLVI in 2012) and New Orleans (which hosted Super Bowl XLVII in 2013). Minnesota previously hosted Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. Votes were cast at the NFL’s league meetings in Atlanta.

“We are thrilled to bring the Super Bowl back to Minnesota,” said Richard Davis, CEO of U.S. Bank and Bid Committee co-chair in the Vikings’ press release. “We succeeded in making the best case to the NFL owners by pointing out the many strengths our region offers: a tremendous entertainment and hospitality industry, strong connectivity with both our light-rail and skyway systems, and, perhaps most important, a new, iconic stadium that will be among the best in the country.”

Although Super Bowl LII marks the Big Game’s return to a cold-weather city after last year’s contest at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey (the next three Super Bowls will be played in Arizona, San Francisco, and Houston), it will be played in a climate-controlled space under a transparent roof with the stadium’s five large glass pivoting doors presumably closed.

The Vikings will play their next two seasons at the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium.