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Vikings VP: We'll beat Packers in new stadium's opener

Published: May 21, 2013 at 01:38 AM

When the Minnesota Vikings unveiled their new stadium plans last week, some Green Bay Packers fans had a bit of fun with the design.

Lester Bagley, the Vikings' vice president of public affairs and stadium development, chuckled at the comparisons to a certain "Star Wars" vehicle.

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Bagley said in a recent interview with KARE-TV that he couldn't wait to play their rivals in the new stadium in 2016.

"The way the league is structured ... our very first regular-season game likely will be against the Green Bay Packers," Bagley said. "So it will be good to see Adrian Peterson break loose and score the first touchdown in the new stadium and run over Clay Matthews on his way to the end zone. We'll see. Hopefully we'll have the last word when we get to opening day in (September) 2016."

Bagley is assuming that the opening-game opponent will be the Packers. The Vikings expect a high-profile foe, and, as Bagley said, "there is no higher-profile opponent than the Packers for the Vikings."

Bagley also pointed out that when renovations were done at Lambeau Field in 2003, the Vikings beat the Packers 30-25 to spoil the reopening.

Follow Kevin Patra on Twitter @kpatra.

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