Minnesota United Release St. Paul Soccer Stadium Designs

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota United have released designs for a 20,000-seat professional soccer stadium in St. Paul.

Team owner William McGuire and Mayor Chris Coleman unveiled the stadium designs Wednesday.

The privately-financed stadium is expected to open in 2018 and would offer a more European feel than other Major League Soccer stadiums in the U.S.

Sports architecture firm Populous designed the rounded, glassy and semi-translucent stadium. McGuire says the bowl-shaped stadium will include a partial canopy overhanging the playing field, to help reduce noise and light spilling into the neighborhood.

No seat will be more than 125 feet away from the natural grass, open-air playing surface.

Reports say the stadium's estimated cost has grown to $150 million, a 25 percent increase from initial cost projections of $120 million.