Officials: Vikings stadium bird-safe glass could cost $60M

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Officials say adding bird-safe glass to the new Minnesota Vikings stadium could add as much as $60 million in extra costs.

Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority Chairwoman Michele Kelm-Helgen says adding the special glass also could delay construction by six months.

Minnesota Public Radio News (http://bit.ly/1ysOBLI) reports Kelm-Helgen gave the estimate Friday in response to complaints that the clear glass planned for the stadium would pose a threat to birds.

She said Viracon, the stadium's Owatonna-based glass maker, has said substituting etched glass would take as much as 23 extra weeks, possibly keeping the Vikings at TCF Bank Stadium for an additional season.

The stadium authority plans to test film coatings produced by 3M that might make the glass safer for birds. The University of Minnesota will help monitor the tests.

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Information from: Minnesota Public Radio News, http://www.mprnews.org