The high-tech camera that has offered a live stream from the southeast corner of the new Vikings stadium during the first year of construction will go off-line Friday for relocation.
The progress on that side of the stadium has soared past the sightline into the stadium, so the camera will be moved to a west-to-east vantage that will eventually allow fans to see installation of the world's largest pivoting glass doors.
The live stream camera has been one of three EarthCam cameras to document the realization of the bold, iconic design.
The first escalator was installed last week at the new Vikings stadium.
The other two views since the Dec. 3, 2013 groundbreaking included a 10-gigapixel camera mounted on the Guthrie Theater that takes a time-lapse, profile photo from the north side of the stadium and a high-angle camera on the U.S. Bank building that looks from west to east to take a photo every 15 minutes of the overall project site, including demolition of the Metrodome.
Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf said the Vikings have enjoyed the opportunity to show fans around the country and globe the progress of the new stadium through use of the webcams.
"Technology is allowing us to chronicle construction of what is going to be the premier sports building in this country," Wilf said. "The progress in the past year has been great, thanks to dedicated construction workers, and we are excited to continue tracking the largest construction project in Minnesota history."
A panel of judges and producers recently named the stadium webcam collaboration as one of EarthCam's "25 Most Interesting Webcams for 2014" out of thousands of nominees. Other winners included cameras on the International Space Station, atop the Washington Monument and the World Trade Center Cams.
The cameras on the Guthrie and U.S. Bank buildings will remain during relocation of the live stream cam, and there are plans for new views.
A high-resolution camera will be installed on the upper bowl of the new stadium to chronicle the progress with an archived photo every 15 minutes and provide time-lapse videos. That camera will remain through the Vikings first regular season home game of 2016. Additionally, there are plans to place live streaming cameras inside various rooms such as a suite, a club space and the locker room in the summer of 2015.
"This is a construction project that is historic in the state of Minnesota," Executive Producer of Vikings Entertainment Network Bryan Harper said. "It is our responsibility to chronicle this project as extensively as possible, and while doing that, offer incredible views to our fans."
