Tim Knutson

The Minnesota Vikings may be moving their annual training camp. Sioux Falls was a favorite for the training camp two years ago until the Vikings decided to stay at their current home in Mankato, Minn.

The reason Sioux Falls was turned down dealt with issues related to the acquisition of a new Vikings’ stadium. The Vikings need around $675 million for the Anoka County Stadium and felt moving the training camp out of Minnesota would hurt their chances of raising that money.

Mankato is the current home of the training camp. The Vikings are happy with the current situation, but the Greater Mankato Training Camp L.L.C., which is the group responsible for hosting the training camp, will no longer be together.

Sioux Falls has tried to bring the Vikings to town before, so when the Vikings found out the group responsible for running the training camp in Mankato would no longer be available, they started looking at other ways of running the camp.

Sioux Falls is not the only region looking to take advantage of the training camp. Duluth and Fargo are hoping to get a chance to host as well.

Lifelong Vikings fan and Sioux Falls native Max Jensen said “I think it would be great if the Vikings had their training camp in Sioux Falls.”

Vice President of Public Affairs for the Vikings, Lester Bagley said, “Sioux Falls has made an attractive offer and has an incredible fan base.”

The Vikings won’t make a decision until June.