Architect Sought For $97M Target Center Renovation

The City of Minneapolis has issued a request for proposals from architectural and engineering firms to undertake the Target Center’s $97 million renovation.
 
The center’s overhaul will include increased seating capacity, new and renovated clubrooms, an upgraded HD scoreboard, a new skyway connection to one of its parking ramps, an enhancement and expansion of the building’s entrances, and a renovation of the building’s exterior with glass and signage additions.
 
The purpose of the renovation, according to the city, is to extend the arena’s “useful life” and maximize its economic opportunities to generate revenue for the city and its primary tenants: the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Lynx.
 
“We are excited to get the process started,” Ted Johnson, chief marketing officer for the Timberwolves and Lynx, said in a statement. “The architect is the creative driver behind the whole project. This is a critical first step to creating the improved fan experience we are striving for.”
 
According to the city, the renovation is expected to begin in May and finish by the fall of 2016.
 
The $97 million is coming from the following sources: Minneapolis will contribute $48.5 million, the Timberwolves and Lynx will pay $43 million, and the arena’s management firm—AEG Facilities—will pay $5.5 million.
 
The construction alone is estimated to cost about $78 million.
 
The city made the following construction cost estimations for certain project components:  the arena and bowl improvements (between $21 million and $25.5 million); the circulation, signage, and concourse improvements ($19 million to $23.5 million); the premium space and office upgrades ($12.5 million and $15 million); the exterior, site, and signage improvements ($10 million and $12.5 million); the back of house and team facility upgrades ($5.5 million and $6.5 million); and the new skyway ($1.5 million and $2 million).
 
The $97 million price tag is well below the original plan of a $155 million renovation, which the city and the Timberwolves proposed in 2011. Since then, the biggest cuts made to the budget have been to exterior improvements and luxury seating.
 
The arena—which opened in 1990—is the 22nd “busiest” building in the country, according to the city, and the 51st busiest in the world. It hosts 200 events each year that draw 1 million annual visitors. Other than NBA and WNBA home games, the arena houses concerts, family shows, and other sporting events like hockey, ice skating, and gymnastics.