Predictions for a Super Bowl-era Minneapolis

Almost four years will pass before the Super Bowl arrives in 2018. Many things will change by then, some due to the football hoopla, others just because time marches on.

Here are some predictions. Check back with us during the pregame festivities to see how things shook out.

We will have Sunday beer sales to slake the thirst of those who can't afford tickets to the actual game.

The Mall of America's new water slide will extend across the Minnesota River.

The Steger Mukluk factory, after its vast expansion on the old Ford Plant site to ramp up for visitors' boot sales, returns to Ely.

Travail Kitchen & Amusements will have closed and reopened twice more, now overseeing 17 restaurants.

The Minneapolis Armory morphs from a funky parking ramp into a food truck lot for tailgate partying.

Nordic Ware will blow other concessionaires out of the water with its mini-Bundts-on-a-stick.

Garrison Keillor pens a morose vaguely country song that he'll insist on singing at the pre-game show.

Target will finally have given up the whole "guest" thing.

Patina stores make a killing selling molds for ice cubes in the shape of Bud Grant's face.