The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome is the home of the
Minnesota Twins baseball team and the Minnesota Vikings
football team. Standing proudly in downtown Minneapolis,
the stadium is easily reached from nearby cities such
as Bloomington and St
Cloud. Though the stadium is best-known for
exciting sports games there are many other events hosted
at the venue including family focused fun and cultural
events.
At the Metrodome Minnesota sports history dates back to 1956, when the facility was first built as the home for the Minneapolis Millers minor league team. In 1979 the city began significant expansion and renovations to build the Metrodome for major league sports. Around that time the Minnesota Vikings football team and the Minnesota Twins baseball team both agreed to stay in the city with promises of exciting games to come.
Originally the stadium had a baseball field at its core,
unsuitable for hosting football games and other events.
Though other cities such as St Paul
and Eagan were interested in luring the Vikings away from
Minneapolis the city was determined to keep the team and
went forth with major renovations to accommodate.
The concept for a domed stadium was introduced by an architect by the name of Robert Cerny. Many years went by with construction put on hold due to lot of red tape. A new stadium commission was formed and decided they wanted the stadium to reflect an "austere but a quality and aesthetically pleasing structure." Not long after construction started on the metrodome Minnesota construction workers encountered a big problem.
A more then 200,000-pound granite rock was discovered! The huge boulder was said to have been in that location for almost 11,000 years. With a solid plan intact transportation of the rock would be arduous but possible. The rock was moved to Plymouth, Minnesota and renamed “Plymouth Rock”. Construction continued on successfully and the Metrodome was completed in April of 1982.
The very first Minnesota twins baseball game at the
Metrodome was April6, 1982 when the Twins’ took
on the Seattle Mariners. The Twins lost to the Mariners
11-7 and fans were disappointed but hopeful that the Twins
would make a comeback in the next game. The first
Minnesota Viking’s football game was plated against
the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 12, 1982 and the
Vikings won 17-10, to the new fans' delight! Throughout
the year both teams have been extremely successful and
have both enjoyed a loyal fan base.
Metrodome seating is as it was planned, simple yet effective. The dome is set on 20 acres and has a classic oval shape and has tiered seating all around. Seating in the right field includes more then 7,500 retractable chairs and an electric motor in the pitcher’s mound can be lowered and raised with a push of a button.
Total seating inside the facility is 64,000 for football, 48,000 for baseball and 50,000 for basketball with 98 VIP suites. The field comprises more than 140,000 square feet. There is also a huge, retractable curtain that displays banners from the championship years of the Minnesota Twins baseball team.
After enjoying a game or event at the Metrodome Minnesota attractions nearby might be of interest. Lake Calhoun is a few miles away and is a great place to test out your own baseball or football skills after a game. Minnehaha Falls and Park is another great outdoor area adding a natural contrast to the city environment. For fantastic shopping opportunities Nicolett Mall is near the Metrodome or you can opt for the short drive to the massive Mall of America. The area has countless possibilities for things to do and you won’t be disappointed with a tour of the surrounding streets.
