Two Twin Cities-based firms are now essentially competing for a contract to oversee construction of the $975 million Vikings stadium.

Golden Valley-based Mortenson Construction is one of two firms still in the running, but its competitor, Scottsdale, Arizona-based Hunt Construction, has ramped up efforts to win the contract by partnering with Minneapolis-based Kraus-Anderson Construction Company.
 
Kraus-Anderson announced Thursday that its Indianapolis office has formed a joint venture with Hunt Construction to pursue the contract for the new stadium. If Hunt is awarded the contract, the two firms will collaborate on the project, Kraus-Anderson said. It did not reveal precisely what each firm's role in the project would be.
 
“This team brings expertise based on the most relevant NFL stadium experience and construction nationwide, providing the best opportunity for achieving a retractable roof and operable wall stadium,” Kenneth Johnson, executive vice president of Hunt Construction Group, said in a statement.

Hunt has built a dozen NFL stadiums, including two with retractable roofs. Meanwhile, Mortenson’s portfolio includes Target Field and the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, and the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri, among other sports venues.
 
Last month, three companies submitted bids to oversee construction of the Vikings stadium. Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority spokeswoman Jenn Hathaway confirmed Thursday that Sweden-based Skanska AB is no longer being considered for the stadium contract. That leaves Mortenson and Hunt still in the running, she said.
 
Meanwhile, with the new stadium in the works, the team is “aggressively” pursuing the opportunity to host the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis.
 
The Vikings said that officials from the team and Meet Minneapolis traveled to New Orleans for Sunday’s game to better understand what it takes to host the Super Bowl. Reports surfaced in September that the team had submitted bids to host the Super Bowl in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
 
Sporting events like the Super Bowl generate a significant economic impact in the communities in which they are held. According to the Vikings, in addition to the roughly 73,000 fans who attend the Super Bowl each year, other events associated with the game would bring an additional 100,000 visitors to the city—which would bring in an estimated $350 million to Minneapolis. Hosting the Super Bowl would also put “Minneapolis on the international stage . . . as a destination of choice for major events,” the team said.
 
Several other cities are also vying to host the game, including San Francisco, New Orleans, and Dallas. The Vikings said that with the new stadium, which is slated to open by 2016, Minneapolis is “well-positioned as an attractive destination.” However, a new stadium is also in the works in San Francisco.
 
The Sports Facilities Authority said Thursday that the builder for the 65,000-seat project will not be announced on Friday, as was previously planned. Instead, the organization said it will provide an update on the process on Friday.
 
“[This] is one of the most critical decisions that the team and Authority have to make,” it said. “Both parties want to ensure the selected firm will bring the best team to deliver the best stadium for the people of Minnesota.”
 
Groundbreaking for the stadium is expected to take place in October, and the Vikings hope to begin playing in the stadium by the 2016 season.