Wednesday is the last day that fans can buy Metrodome seats on the stadium floor, but the company selling them expects to offer the keepsakes again at its Fridley warehouse starting next week.
Albrecht Signs estimates it has sold 10,000 to 15,000 seats so far and plans to move another 10,000 to its Fridley complex, senior project manager Shane Boskovich said. Details on when those seats can be bought will be posted on Albrecht's website and Facebook page, Boskovich said.
The lights go out and the roof goes down at the Dome on Saturday, and the 60,000-seat structure will be demolished to make way for the Vikings' new $1 billion stadium.
The deadline for ordering seats was Jan. 7, but Albrecht's, which was swamped with calls from people checking on their orders, has accepted cash payment for seats from drivers coming to the Dome. Sales will continue Wednesday at the Minneapolis site from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Boskovich said.
The seats are priced at $60 each, or $40 for nonprofit and community groups. The deep-blue, hard-plastic folding chairs have no legs, so buyers must add them or bolt the backs to a wall to use them.
Some people sought to purchase specific seats, at $80 each. Boskovich said the company did its best to accommodate them but couldn't fill all the requests.
Albrecht's sent an e-mail apology to about 100 customers: "We are sorry to inform you that your request for specific seats is not available. If you are still interested in purchasing nonspecific seats, they are available at the Metrodome through Wednesday, January 15th. We apologize for any inconvenience."
Susan Evans was among those who didn't get the seats she sought. She said she has attended Vikings games since she was a girl, going back to when the team played at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington. She said she filled out order forms twice for the seats she and her husband used for 31 years at the Dome: Section 108, Row 22, Seats 1 and 2.
