Vikings stadium architect being named Friday

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority will announce Friday who is designing the Vikings’ new stadium. Five architectural firms are competing for the job.

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority on Friday will name the architectural firm that will design the new Vikings stadium.

The authority is working with the Vikings to oversee construction of the $975 million football stadium. The Star Tribune reports it has scheduled a special meeting for 8 a.m. Friday to announce the decision.

Five national firms are competing to design the new stadium, which will replace the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis: HKS Inc. of Dallas, Ewing Cole of Philadelphia, HNTB Corp. of Kansas City, Mo., AECOM of Los Angeles, and Populous of Kansas City.

The job is expected to earn the winning firm as much as $50 million.

Groundbreaking is planned for next summer. The Vikings hope to open the stadium in time for the 2016 season.