EAGAN, Minn. –Minnesota Vikings players, coaches and staff aren't the only ones who will enjoy the team's new headquarters.

Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center is scheduled for a move-in date of March 1, 2018.

"Viking Lakes," a 200-acre plot of land, will reach far beyond the cutting-edge football features and facilities to benefit the community of Eagan and its surrounding neighbors. The team's headquarters will fill 40 of the acres and is scheduled to be completed before other developments.

For the first time since the property's groundbreaking in August, Twin Cities media members were invited to view construction progress and hear from Vikings executives as well as representatives from Krause-Anderson Construction and Crawford Architects.

Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf said that TCO Performance center meets three of the Vikings goals, the first two being organization-specific: to give players a facility that gives them the best chance to be successful, and to consolidate the nearly 200 Vikings staff members.

The third item, however, focuses more on the larger community.

"Our vision is to have a first-class, world-class destination and environment," Wilf said. "We have a unique opportunity to create a Vikings destination, a fan-friendly and family-friendly environment."

Added Wilf: "Together, we're putting Minnesotans back to work and building something truly unique and special."

TCO Performance Center will engage the Twin Cities community through its capability to host youth football events, from proposed Friday Night Lights games to prep football playoffs, with the possibility of expanding for soccer and lacrosse.

In addition to four outdoor practice fields, included two that are heated, and an indoor practice facility that could be utilized, the space will also feature an outdoor stadium with a seating capacity of 6,500 that is expandable to 10,000.

"It's really going to be a special place. It's going to be a team effort, as [U.S. Bank Stadium] was downtown," said Lester Bagley, Vikings Executive Vice President of Public Affairs & Stadium Development. "We're working hard to make this a community-focused facility."

Twin Cities Orthopedics is constructing a state-of-the-art medical services building near the Vikings headquarters that also will benefit Eagan and the surrounding area. Within one month of the Vikings moving to their new headquarters in 2018, Twin Cities Orthopedics will also open two new buildings on the property.

Players will have convenient access to imaging, procedures, rehab and other medical care as needed, but the center will not be limited to professional athletes.

"This is public facing," said Twin Cities Orthopedics CEO Troy Simonson. "Yes, we may see a Vikings player or two – quite frankly, hopefully they don't have to come see us – but this will be very focused on bringing these orthopedic services to the Eagan market and surrounding area."

Outside of the 40-acre campus serving as the Vikings headquarters and practice facility, the additional 160 acres will serve the community through mix-use development for residential, retail, restaurant spaces, and hotel/conference center spaces that are expected to transpire over the next 10 to 15 years.

Community members will be able to enjoy the area long before the retail development takes place, however. Viking Lakes features a diverse topography that includes a wooded area in the northwest corner, a number of lakes and a series of walking trails that weave through the property.

"We're really excited about the amenities from a 'live, work, play' standpoint that are going to be on this," said Vikings Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Steve Poppen.

Don Becker, Consultant for Stadium & Real Estate Development, also emphasized the development of a world-class destination to fulfill the Wilfs' third goal for the Vikings headquarters.

"[There's] a trail system around this lake that's being created – it will extend around all of the different aspects of the campus," said Becker as he pointed out features on the rendering. "So the public can come and run, walk, bike around the different trail systems.

"[And] use of the lake in the summer and the winter," Becker added. "We'll definitely be bringing aspects of how we can use this entire campus all seasons."