THE SIDEWALK SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT
April 15, 2008

FIRST BRICK INSTALLED ON THE TCF BANK STADIUM

The first brick was laid on the TCF Bank Stadium by 100 year old Hilding Mortenson, a bricklayer on the original Memorial Stadium project and the Uncle of Mort Mortenson, Jr., chairman of Mortenson Construction. Hilding was a sophomore in high school when he worked on Memorial Stadium in 1924 along with his brothers and father. 

Hilding Mortenson (center holding brick) with L to R Mort Mortenson, Jr., Mortenson Construction; Kathleen O’Brien, Vice President University Services; Joel Maturi, U of M Athletic Director; and Goldy

The brick pictured above was the first on the memorial wall which will encircle the stadium. Masonry work will continue until October/November 2008 and will involve 150 workers. The masonry will include 740,000 units of full and thin brick and 525,000 units of concrete block.

While the brick stadium walls are being laid, the steel structure will continue to go up. The building is now visible from the Dinkytown and Stadium Village areas of campus.  The full height of the suite and press box structure will be achieved in mid-April.  97% of the nearly 9,000 tons of steel used in the structure will be from recycled steel.

Construction of the stadium seating bowl has also begun (see below). When completed, the bowl will consist of 95,000 lineal feet of precast concrete.

Stadium seating bowl under construction
Photos and images courtesy of Mortenson Construction

CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW

Erection of the steel Stadium structure has been underway for several months and masonry work on the exterior of the building has begun. The Stadium will be fully enclosed by fall 2008 when interior finishing will begin. The TCF Bank Stadium is slated for substantial completion in July 2009 and will open for the first Gopher football game of the season on September 12, 2009.

Questions? Contact Brian Swanson, Stadium Project Coordinator at 612 625-6665 or bswanson@umn.edu

Read this and more on the Stadium Website at http://www1.umn.edu/stadium/

Note: Project information may change due to weather, scheduling or other factors outside of our control. Information will be updated as soon as it becomes available.

Construction phases

» PHASE 1: 6/15/06 - 7/15/07
The Huron Boulevard Complex will remain open during this period.

» PHASE 2: 11/06 - 7/07
The majority of Huron Boulevard Complex will remain open during this period.

» PHASE 3: 7/07 - 7/09
STADIUM OPENING: 2009
Approximately 3,203 parking spaces planned for the project area.