Metrodome Monday: More Roof Panels Installed

The workers repairing the Metrodome roof endured an unseasonably cold week in Minneapolis, but they're making progress. According to the Strother Communications Group blog, which has been documenting the repairs from their office window, workers have replaced 32 of 64 square panels.

Last week, Bill Lester from the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, said the Metrodome reconstruction project is ahead of schedule and should be completed by completed by August 1.

Click here to see the latest pictures of the Dome reconstruction.

Metrodome Monday: New Roof Panels Installed

The NFL will announce the regular-season schedule tonight at 6 p.m. on the NFL Network. Teams already know who they'll be playing, now they'll know when.

The Minnesota Vikings schedule will include home games against: Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Oakland, Arizona, New Orleans and Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, their road schedule includes trips to: Green Bay, Chicago, Detroit, Carolina, San Diego, Atlanta, Kansas City and Washington.

As for the Vikings home field, the Metrodome, crews are busy replacing the ripped panels that were damaged during last December's collapse. Pictures from the Strother Communications Group blog show new panels now in place in some areas.

Click here to see the latest pictures of the Dome reconstruction.

Metrodome Monday: Construction Picking Up

The Minnesota Vikings released their preseason schedule on Tuesday. The tentative plan calls for the Vikings to host two games in late August and early September. That means repair crews have about three and half months to get the Metrodome ready for the football season.

Repair work recently began on the Dome and is expected to continue through July. The folks at Strother Communications Group in downtown Minneapolis are keeping a birds eye view on the reconstruction project and documenting the progress on their blog.

Click here to see the latest pictures of the Dome reconstruction.

Nobody Wants to Play at the Metrodome

During a discussion with Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com on Friday, Minnesota Vikings V.P. of public affairs and stadium development Lester Bagley said because of the Metrodome's current state, the Vikings had trouble finding a team to agree to play an exhibition game at the Dome.

“We couldn’t even get a preseason game scheduled this year,” Bagley said. “We could not get a partner and the league had to step in and help us get a preseason game scheduled because of that facility is no longer viable and we’ve got to resolve the issue.”

Bagley shared this information on the same day a Vikings stadium bill was submitted at the Minnesota legislature. The Vikings are looking for state and local governments to kick in $600 million of an estimated $900 million stadium project.

Repairs on the Dome, which collapsed during the 2010 season, should be ready before the Vikings first preseason game in August.

The Vikings' Metrodome lease expires at the end of the 2011 season.

Birds Eye View of Metrodome Repair

The views from the high-rises in downtown Minneapolis offer a unique snapshot of a busy city. Whether it's a birds eye view of Target Field or a stunning look down the Mississippi River, Minneapolis is worth a look from up on high. But the view I'm most interested in is the one that overlooks the city's great eyesore, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrdome.

Jeron Udean, who works at Strother Communications Group in downtown Minneapolis, alerted me to a great view of the reconstruction project. The view is from Udean's office on top the Campbell Mithun Tower.

Repair work recently began on the Minnesota Vikings' home and is expected to continue through July. Udean plans on posting a progress photo each Monday.

Click here to follow the progress at Strother Communications Group's Metrodome Monday Blog.