collisions in North America every year. The Minnesota Vikings stadium,
currently under construction, is a $1.024 billion dollar project, nearly half
of which is public money. Featured in the building design is 200,000 ft2 of
glass, equivalent to over three football fields. For less than 0.1% of the cost
of the stadium, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) could have
opted for an energy efficient and bird-safe type of glass; thereby creating a
win-win-win situation in which there are countless fewer bird deaths, an
unobstructed view for stadium goers, and fewer Minnesota taxpayer dollars spent
on heating and cooling the building. Despite over 76,000 public signatures, a
unanimous resolution by the Minneapolis City Council, and the efforts of
multiple scientists and conservation experts urging the use of bird safe and
energy efficient glass in the stadium, MSFA squeezed in their order for an
alternative highly reflective and completely transparent glass, evading the
2012 Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design (LEED) program
requirements and completely ignoring statutes o the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
We find this unacceptable and in complete opposition to the values
representative of this state and city. The purpose of this gathering is to make
it abundantly clear to MSFA and Governor Dayton that this is not representative
of the people of Minneapolis. If Dayton wants to stay true to his word in
calling this a people's stadium, he must demand that it's built to be both
energy efficient and safe for our nation's birds. Join us on Saturday,
September 27th at 1:00pm and help make this message clear. Additionally, call
Gov. Dayton's office (651-201-3400) and Michele Kelm-Helgen with MSFA
(612-335-3316; <email obscured>) and let them know this is an
important issue that will not go away. It’s not too late - the glass must be
changed NOW!
Where: The corner of S. 4th Street and Chicago Avenue (next to the Downtown
East Light Rail Station)
When: Saturday, September 27th at 1:00pm
For more information visit:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1487947608136639/
Web: http://audubonchapterofminneapolis.org/
Email: <email obscured>
Twitter: @MNlovesbirds