Final Four will cost U.S. Bank Stadium more than the Super Bowl

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Final Four is coming to town and the price tag on making U.S. Bank Stadium ready for all the action is adding up.

“We have a total of 460,000 square feet of glass that we’re looking to cover in the darkening solution,” said James Farstad, the executive director of the Minnesota Sports Facilities Association.

To even land the Final Four meant covering all the glass on the ends of the stadium to meet the consistent lighting requirements of the NCAA.

The MSFA voted to tackle acoustics while they’re at it, too.

“We think this is a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of this installation and add the acoustical material,” Farstad said.

The board approved another $186,000 to add additional acoustic layers to the end wall curtains.

“This is an investment that was originally made, the bid was put in when I was not present,” said MSFA Chair Michael Vekich of the price tag that exceeds that of the Super Bowl.

The difference with the NCAA coming to town is they reimburse for far less than the NFL. Of course, the fan events announced a few days ago are also cheaper at just $10 for the convention center expo. Watching practices and pregame concerts are free.

A big part of the cost at the stadium is an all-new seating system to surround the court, centered in the field.

Work is really ramping up now, centering in on fine details, of which there are many.

“Because we have so much build that has to happen inside the facility from hanging the scoreboard, to ancillary sound system, to IT setup, to the seat build, which is the largest seat build the NCAA has ever done,” said U.S. Bank Stadium General Manager Patrick Talty.