The Minnesota Vikings got a big haul Monday.
One that’s going to take 70 truckloads to bring in. In building the new stadium, the Vikings needed a 400-foot crane brought in. It’s going to take 10 days to get all the pieces to the stadium on those trucks.
After it’s all there, it’ll take another 11 days to put together the crane, called the Terex Demag CC 6800.
This will be the sixth crane on the site. Five others range from 250 to 300 feet high. The Terex Demag will hoist steel pieces to form the top of the roof, which, at its peak, will be 300 feet high. The crane will be able to move back and forth throughout the stadium on tracks, which stand eight feet high.
The $1 billion stadium is said to be about 10-percent finished. It’s set to open in 2016 and host the Super Bowl in 2018.
TIMBERWOLVES OWNER BUYS NEWSPAPER
Minnesota Timberwolves owner, a printing company billionaire, Glen Taylor, has completed his purchase of the Star Tribune.
Terms weren’t disclosed on Monday, but Taylor put the price around $100 million.
The 73-year-old Taylor said he won’t take a managing role with the paper, though his daughter, Jean Taylor, will be appointed to the board of directors.
TIMBERWOLVES MOVES
The Minnesota Timberwolves declined to extend qualifying offers to forward Robbie Hummel and guard Othyus Jeffers.
Both are now unrestricted free agents. Free agency begins Tuesday. Contracts cannot be finalized, however, until July 10.
Hummel, who graduated from Purdue, averaged 3.4 points. 2.5 rebounds in 12.4 minutes a game. Jeffers played in just two games after signing the final week of the regular season.
TWINS MOVES
The Minnesota Twins have reinstated third baseman Trevor Poluffe and utilityman Eduardo Nunez from the DL.
Both missed 14 games after being injured at Detroit on June 14 – Plouffe, a hamstring and Nunez … a hamstring.
WILD MOVES
The Minnesota Wild made qualifying offers to five restricted free agents: D Jonathon Blum, RWs Justin Fontaine and Nino Niederreiter, LW Jason Zucker and G Darcy Kuemper.
Free agency began Monday. The Wild refused to make qualifying offers to D Josh Caron, Tyler Cuma and LW Kris Foucault. Cuma was a first-round pick by Minnesota in 2008.