Vikings sign purchase agreement on former Northwest Airlines property in Eagan
A statement on the Minnesota Vikings website (vikings.com) confirms that the team has signed a purchase agreement on the 185-acre former Northwest Airlines headquarters property in Eagan. The property could presumably serve as the team’s new training facility and corporate headquarters.
“As we have previously discussed, the existing Winter Park training facility poses space and flexibility challenges for the Vikings as we continue to grow and evolve,” states Vikings Chief Operating Officer Kevin Warren in the statement. “While we are evaluating a variety of options to accommodate the long-term needs of our football team and the organization at-large, this property is intriguing for several reasons. Not only does this location have tremendous space and flexibility for future growth, but it also offers proximity to both Minneapolis and St. Paul downtowns, as well as the airport. With this agreement in place, we now have an opportunity to perform a thorough evaluation of the site.
“Although we hadn’t been contacted,” said Eden Prairie Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, “we’ve met with management in the past and were aware that they had been looking. They’ve grown as an organization by about 100 percent since they opened Winter Park and what they have now is too small, way too small. Problem is, the quantity of land they need isn’t available in Eden Prairie, at least not in one piece.”
If the deal goes through, one of Eden Prairie’s most visible — and valuable — properties would be re-developed.
“It could be a lot of things,” said Tyra-Lukens, “It could be a corporate headquarters; it could be a hotel.”
Like Eden Prairie’s mayor, Chamber of Commerce President Pat MulQueeny hasn’t talked with Vikings management since the reports surfaced that the team had signed a purchase agreement on the Eagan property.
“I would still want to see if an opportunity exists in Eden Prairie,” he said, “but what it comes down to is their business needs.
“I do want them to be successful,” he adds.
The Vikings headquarters has been located at Winter Park in Eden Prairie for the past 34 years.
Rumors earlier this summer had the Vikings considering a development site in southwest Chanhassen that is also being considered for a regional lifestyle mall.
Reported by: SwNewsmedia.com
“As we have previously discussed, the existing Winter Park training facility poses space and flexibility challenges for the Vikings as we continue to grow and evolve,” states Vikings Chief Operating Officer Kevin Warren in the statement. “While we are evaluating a variety of options to accommodate the long-term needs of our football team and the organization at-large, this property is intriguing for several reasons. Not only does this location have tremendous space and flexibility for future growth, but it also offers proximity to both Minneapolis and St. Paul downtowns, as well as the airport. With this agreement in place, we now have an opportunity to perform a thorough evaluation of the site.
“Although we hadn’t been contacted,” said Eden Prairie Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, “we’ve met with management in the past and were aware that they had been looking. They’ve grown as an organization by about 100 percent since they opened Winter Park and what they have now is too small, way too small. Problem is, the quantity of land they need isn’t available in Eden Prairie, at least not in one piece.”
If the deal goes through, one of Eden Prairie’s most visible — and valuable — properties would be re-developed.
“It could be a lot of things,” said Tyra-Lukens, “It could be a corporate headquarters; it could be a hotel.”
Like Eden Prairie’s mayor, Chamber of Commerce President Pat MulQueeny hasn’t talked with Vikings management since the reports surfaced that the team had signed a purchase agreement on the Eagan property.
“I would still want to see if an opportunity exists in Eden Prairie,” he said, “but what it comes down to is their business needs.
“I do want them to be successful,” he adds.
The Vikings headquarters has been located at Winter Park in Eden Prairie for the past 34 years.
Rumors earlier this summer had the Vikings considering a development site in southwest Chanhassen that is also being considered for a regional lifestyle mall.
Reported by: SwNewsmedia.com
