MINNEAPOLIS -- Before its glass doors have opened for a Minnesota Vikings game, or the first load of snow has skittered off the roof on a Saturday night to prevent a catastrophe on Sunday, U.S. Bank Stadium has made the transition from architectural curiosity to stadium trendsetter.
The reason for the quick turn? The roof of the new $1.1 billion facility in downtown Minneapolis, which is designed to let in natural light, keep away snowdrifts and sunburn and make one of the NFL's coldest outposts feel like it's open to the outdoors -- without being exposed to the elements.