GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. – When Dr. Bill McGuire discusses Minnesota United FC’s Allianz Field that is currently rising out of Saint Paul’s Midway neighborhood, he loves to dive into the details. While the Loons’ principal owner will tout the stadium’s most exciting and obvious features like its steeply-raked standing supporters section.
But then he turns to the details.
Among them is the 1.2 acre lawn that stretches north of the stadium. McGuire, whose philanthropy helped establish Minneapolis’ iconic Gold Medal Park, imagines this park as a gathering place and not just when his Loons play.
On gameday, McGuire says, the open green space will be where fans gather on their way into the stadium. Every other day of the year, though, he says there could be public events like concerts or festivals (he is quick to add that these are ideas that would have to be developed with city approval).
“Everyone who has engaged with this project is looking for this to be a vitalized area where things are happening, where you go for not just a soccer game,” McGuire said.
Inside the stadium, the “Brew Hall” will feature a number of those important details in the form of a gigantic bar featuring 96 taps. Almost all will be craft brew as McGuire cites a survey that more than 2,000 fans filled out ranking which local beers they’re most excited about drinking.
The “Brew Hall” will have garage doors that open up to the stadium and a roof deck to watch the game from. “There’s an upper deck where fans can go up and enjoy a bit of sun on a beautiful spring day and look down over the field,” McGuire said.
But when he steps back from the details, McGuire can admire the project’s aesthetics. Building a beautiful stadium is important to him, he said. Allianz Field boasts a translucent PTFE “skin” that will be lit up to “shine” as McGuire explains.
It’s important for the Twin Cities and the Midway neighborhood specifically.
“Having something like this that is alive and aesthetically great not just on the game days. That gives people pride,” he said. “This will bring people to the area and take part in the community.”
Allianz Field is set to open in less than a year and season tickets are on pace to be pushed to a waiting list with the current sales at 13,500 and a cap of 14,000 coming closer.
