TCF Bank is the latest stadium in town to get the teardown treatment.
The Gophers' Spring football game took place Saturday. Now the stadium's turf is being ripped out as part of $6.6 million in renovations for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.
The removal is expected to be complete by Friday.
The Vikings no longer have a place to play because the Metrodome is gone. The site is now a giant hole and construction project for the team's new Multipurpose Stadium.
The TCF turf is being replaced with a "hydronic heated field" for the Vikings in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The new field "will ensure a safe playing surface" for the purple, according to the team's public relations crew.
Other enhancements for the Vikings: Increased storage space throughout the stadium, heating in various areas, concession upgrades and temporary bleachers to accommodate 2,000 more fans. The total capacity at TCF Bank for the Vikings will be above 52,000.
The Gophers' stadium was built for a fall football season. The Vikings play in December and aspire to play in January. Many of the renovations are required to keep TCF Bank from being damaged by the colder weather.
The $6.6 million price is part of the $1 billion being paid by taxpayers and the Vikings for the new Multipurpose Stadium on the Metrodome site.
