Minn. City Council Resolution, Protect Birds @ Vikes Stadium

 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Minneapolis City Council is calling for bird-safe glass at the new Minnesota Vikings stadium.
 
     The council on Friday unanimously approved a resolution urging stadium planners to outfit the $1 billion stadium with bird-safe glass.
 
     The Star Tribune  reports the measure is symbolic and has no binding power. But it adds more pressure to calls from bird advocates to modify the design of the glassy building.
 
     The Audubon Society of Minnesota praised the resolution. The group is concerned that many birds will die from colliding with the large windows slated to be installed at the stadium.
 
     The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority said last week it doesn’t have the budget to include the $1.1 million needed for bird-safe glass. A Vikings spokesman didn’t immediately return a call Friday.

Previously…

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The Audubon Society of Minnesota is asking the Minnesota Vikings to do more to protect birds from fatal collisions with the massive glass walls of its new stadium.

The  team recently told the society they wouldn’t use glazing techniques and lighting that could warn birds away from the building.

The Vikings and the authority overseeing the stadium told Audubon last year they would turn off stadium lights at night to lower risk to birds. But Audubon says that’s only a partial solution. They say using a safer glass would amount to a tiny fraction of a billion-dollar stadium that’s getting hundreds of millions of public dollars.

An MSFA spokeswoman said the agency had no immediate comment. A Vikings spokesman didn’t immediately return a call.