Crawford Architects brings a proven track record of delivering major NFL-anchored mixed-use developments that generate sizable economic and community value! Crawford’s work on the Viking Lakes project in Eagan, Minnesota—anchored by the Minnesota Vikings headquarters and the Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center—stands as one of the most relevant and successful precedents for a next-generation training center and organizational campus.
Viking Lakes is a landmark 200-acre mixed-use development in northeast Eagan, anchored by the Minnesota Vikings headquarters and training facility. The district brings together a dynamic blend of professional sports operations, residential neighborhoods, medical facilities, hospitality, retail, and recreation. With more than 2 million square feet of office space, approximately 160,000 square feet of retail, a planned program of up to 1,000 homes, and a 320room full-service hotel, Viking Lakes represents one of the region’s most significant integrated development initiatives. The Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center serves as the operational heart of the Vikings organization while simultaneously functioning as a community asset, supporting youth programming, events, and public engagement. The Omni Viking Lakes Hotel (4-star) further reinforces the district’s economic role as a destination, providing meeting space, tourism capacity, and leisure offerings that positively influence visitor activity.
The Viking Lakes mixed-use district also illustrates how an NFL headquarters can operate as a destination and tourism driver. Training camp alone draws tens of thousands of visitors annually, stimulating millions in local economic activity and supporting hotels, restaurants, and retail businesses. Year-round events, tournaments, and community programming further strengthen the district’s economic and cultural impact. Crawford’s work ensures these sports-anchored environments function not just as team facilities, but as multi-purpose, community-integrated assets that maximize visibility, brand impact, and economic return.
The TCO Performance Center was purpose built as a high-performance ecosystem—aligning coaching, scouting, analytics, sports medicine, strength training, and front office functions within a single, highly coordinated environment. Crawford understands how NFL facilities can catalyze secondary development. This catalytic effect is central to creating a district that not only supports football operations but elevates the broader city/region.
The project’s mixed-use nature also supports a wide range of employment opportunities. Jobs span hospitality and guest services, corporate and professional positions in office buildings and roles associated with specialty tenants including medical, athletic, and organizational uses. Ongoing phases of development contribute to consistent demand in construction and property management fields. Job listings tied directly to the district’s continued ability to generate and sustain employment across multiple sectors.
The addition of medical, innovation, and specialty office facilities broadens the city’s corporate landscape beyond traditional, retail-driven development. By attracting regional firms and specialty service providers, the district increases daytime workforce populations and elevates local spending. These assets also enhance the city’s longterm competitiveness for future business recruitment and investment. The development will become a key driver of tax base expansion and revenue generation. Viking Lakes created 500-750 jobs with annual tax revenue in city property tax grossing $1M-$3M, sales and lodging tax $0.5M-$2M, event and visitor driven sales tax $0.3M-$1M with annual totals pushing $1.8M-$6M.
This project illustrates Crawford’s ability to quarterback large-scale, complex developments where team operations, public interface, and commercial vibrancy must coexist seamlessly driving multi-million-dollar construction investment and helping elevate local and regional development valuations to historic highs. The district generated jobs across hospitality, medical services, corporate offices, sports performance, retail, and construction—demonstrating our ability to create facilities that support both organizational needs and sustained regional growth.
To Learn More about our work on Viking Lakes and the TCO Performance Center, please visit the links below:
https://crawfordarch.com/projects/viking-lakes-master-plan/
https://crawfordarch.com/projects/tco-performance-center-headquarters/
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Crawford Architects
1604 Locust Street, Suite 100
Kansas City, MO 64108
Cory Chapman
cchapman@crawford-usa.com
