Vikings believe ticket sales are brisk because of interest in new stadium

The Minnesota Vikings say three out of four season-ticket holders contacted have purchased "stadium-builder" licenses to reserve seats in the $1 billion stadium scheduled to open in 2016.

Thus far, the Vikings have only contacted ticket holders in two of 16 seating zones — which happen to contain the most expensive seats in the new Minnesota Multipurpose Stadium.

They're called Field and Valhalla club seats. These club seats have their own exclusive bar and dining areas for the ticket holders akin to the Champions Club at Target Field.

Stadium-builder licenses for Club and Valhalla seats sell for a one-time charge of $7,000 and $9,500 per seat. Season tickets are extra.

Vikings spokesman Jeff Anderson said some seats remain in the Club and Valhalla levels and are now available for purchase by any season-ticket holders seeking to upgrade their view of the field in the new stadium. (Go to www.newminnesotastadium.com for more information.)

The Vikings aim to raise $125 million through the sale of the licenses, which team owner Zygi Wilf will use as part of his contribution to the stadium.

In addition, the team reports that more than 75 percent of its season-ticket holders renewed for the 2014 season at the University of Minnesota's TFC Bank Stadium.

"Obviously, what we think we're seeing is a lot of people buying their tickets at the university because they get priority at the new stadium," Anderson said.

Those who buy tickets for the interim seasons will be ahead of those without season tickets for seats in the new stadium.

Anderson said the Vikings project 85 percent of season-ticket holders will keep their seats at the Gophers' stadium. The facility is being upgraded to make it hospitable for the winter months of the Vikings' seasons.

The Vikings have about 50,000 season-ticket holders. The Gophers' stadium seats about 52,000 spectators.

The new Minnesota Multipurpose Stadium on the site of the former Metrodome will seat 65,400. The seat-builder license sales so far account for 6,500 seats, Anderson said.