U official confident game will be played on campus

The University of Minnesota official overseeing the move of Monday’s Vikings-Bears game to TCF Bank Stadium expressed confidence Wednesday that it will happen.

“I would say there will be a game here Monday night,” said Scott Ellision, the university’s associate athletic director.

Ellison said “the NFL is on board” with the condition of the field, which is still frozen and blanketed by snow.

The same weekend snowstorm severely damaged the roof of the Metrdome, the Vikings’ regular home.

A fourth panel on the Metrodome’s roof ripped late Wednesday night, likely due to the heavy ice and snow that still blankets much of the roof, said Patrick Milan, spokesman for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission.

Workers have been working 24/7 on repairing the Metrodome, and crews were on the floor Wednesday night when the fourth panel collapsed, sending snow and ice to the dome floor. No injuries were reported. The dome was immediately shut down and crews were sent home.The panel was located in a different area – near 5th Street – than the other three panels that caused the roof to collapse Sunday. Milan said officials won’t know yet how this will affect the overall repair efforts, “it just means there’s one more.” They’ll reevaluate the process Thursday.Some four or five feet of ice still covers some of the roof. Milan said they can’t be certain other panels won’t fail. “It’s hard to rule out anything,” he said. “The roof’s been through stress. It’s a massive dangerous operation.”

About 150 workers were at the university stadium Wednesday clearing snow, most from temporary agencies, Ellison said.

All who work on site preparation will be paid, he said. The Vikings will cover the expenses.

Once snow is removed, a tarp will be placed on the field and heaters will be put underneath it to melt ice and thaw the ground.

Three chutes were placed in the stands, and workers piled snow onto them. The snow slid to field level and was placed on trucks.