When the Minnesota Vikings opened a new 277,000-square-foot practice facility and orthopedic center in July 2018 in Eagan, 12 miles south of downtown Minneapolis, the grand plan for the former site of the Northwest Airlines corporate campus was only partially complete. In late fall 2020, the final piece fell into place with the opening of the 320-room Omni Viking Lakes Hotel.

With a design that draws upon Nordic architectural traditions and natural landscapes, the four-star Omni is aimed squarely at the meetings market. There’s 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, including a 7,500-square-foot ballroom and a 4,410-square-foot event center. The property also has six two-story hospitality lounges that are accessed from different guest-room floors. Each lounge is 1,500 square feet and features a kitchen, couches, communal tables, and a fireplace.

Other amenities on property include Kyndred Hearth, an Italian-influenced eatery with James Beard-award-winner Ann Kim as head chef. There’s also Ember & Ice, an upscale restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating; Ten Drops, a craft coffee bar with hand-made grab-and-go snacks; and a lobby bar with communal areas. A full-service spa offers multiple rooms alternating hot and cold treatments, plus fire pits to gather around. The indoor pool is adjacent to an outdoor terrace, and there’s a sizable fitness center. 

Speaking of fitness, the Vikings’ 34-acre football facility next door features the new Vikings football museum, an outdoor field with lighting, and an indoor, 65,000-square-foot practice field that meeting groups can use for receptions. There’s also the Twin Cities Orthopedic Performance Center, where medical meetings can tap into staff expertise for learning opportunities.

The Omni is eight miles from the gargantuan Mall of America as well as the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.