Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in May 2007
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome is located in Minnesota
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Location in Minnesota
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome is located in the United States
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
Location in the United States
Address900 South 5th Street
LocationMinneapolis, Minnesota
Coordinates44°58′26″N 93°15′29″W / 44.97389°N 93.25806°W / 44.97389; -93.25806
OwnerMetropolitan Sports Facilities Commission (1982–2012)
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (2012–2013)
OperatorMetropolitan Sports Facilities Commission (1982–2012)
Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (2012–2013)
CapacityAmerican football: 64,121
Baseball: 46,564[1] (expandable to 55,883)
Basketball: 50,000
Concerts: 60,000[2]
Field sizeLeft field: 343 ft (105 m)
Left-center: 385 ft (117 m) (unmarked)
Center field: 408 ft (124 m)
Right-center: 367 ft (112 m) (unmarked)
Right field: 327 ft (100 m)
Backstop: 60 ft (18 m)
Dome apex: 186 ft (57 m)
Wall: 7 ft (2.1 m) (left and center field)
Wall: 23 ft (7 m) (right field)[3]
SurfaceSuperTurf (1982–1986)
AstroTurf (1987–2003)
FieldTurf (2004–2010)
Sportexe Momentum Turf (2010)
UBU-Intensity Series-S5-M Synthetic Turf (2011–2013)
Construction
Broke groundDecember 20, 1979
OpenedApril 3, 1982 (1982-04-03)
ClosedDecember 29, 2013 (2013-12-29)[11]
DemolishedJanuary 18, 2014 – April 17, 2014[4]
Construction costUS$55 million[5][6]
($231 million in 2023 dollars[7])
ArchitectFazlur Rahman Khan[8] (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
Setter, Leach & Lindstrom, Inc.[9]
Structural engineerGeiger Berger Associates
General contractorBarton-Malow[10]
Tenants

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (commonly called the Metrodome) was a domed sports stadium located in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It opened in 1982 as a replacement for Metropolitan Stadium, the former home of the National Football League's (NFL) Minnesota Vikings and Major League Baseball's (MLB) Minnesota Twins, and Memorial Stadium, the former home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.

The Metrodome was the home of the Vikings from 1982 to 2013, the Twins from 1982 to 2009, the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Minnesota Timberwolves in their 1989–90 inaugural season, the Golden Gophers football team from 1982 to 2008, and the occasional home of the Golden Gophers baseball team from 1985 to 2010 and their full-time home in 2012. It was also the home of the Minnesota Strikers of the North American Soccer League in 1984. The Vikings played at the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium for the 2014 and 2015 NFL seasons, ahead of the planned opening of U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016.

The stadium had a fiberglass fabric roof that was self-supported by air pressure and was the third major sports facility to have this feature (the first two being the Pontiac Silverdome and the Carrier Dome). The Metrodome was similar in design to the former RCA Dome and to BC Place, though BC Place was reconfigured with a retractable roof in 2010. The Metrodome was the inspiration for the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan.[12][13][14] The stadium was the only facility to have hosted a Super Bowl (1992), World Series (1987, 1991), MLB All-Star Game (1985), and NCAA Division I Basketball Final Four (1992, 2001).

The Metrodome had several nicknames such as "The Dome",[15] "The Thunderdome",[16] "The Homer Dome."[17] and "The Technodome". Preparation for the demolition of the Metrodome began the day after the facility hosted its final home game for the Minnesota Vikings on December 29, 2013, and the roof was deflated and demolition began on January 18, 2014.[18][19] The Metrodome was torn down in sections while construction of U.S. Bank Stadium began.[20]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cathedrals was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "About Metrodome". Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2006.
  3. ^ "Minnesota Ballpark History". Major League Baseball. 2002. Archived from the original on July 2, 2008.
  4. ^ "Metrodome Demolition Reaches Completion Early". Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014.
  5. ^ "Mall of America Field at the H.H.H. Metrodome Information". Minnesota Vikings. Archived from the original on July 15, 2009. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  6. ^ "Metrodome History" (PDF). Minnesota Legislature. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 18, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2016.
  7. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference time was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Metrodome". Football.ballparks.com.
  10. ^ "Metrodome". Ballparks.com. Archived from the original on July 18, 2006.
  11. ^ "Detroit Lions". Detroit Free Press. May 7, 2014. Archived from the original on December 22, 2013. Retrieved May 12, 2014 – via freep.com.
  12. ^ "Metrodome Memories: The last hurrah..." KARE 11 News. October 5, 2009. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  13. ^ Greenstein, Teddy (March 27, 2000). "Tokyo Dome Has Touch Of Home For Macphail". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 18, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
  14. ^ Haberman, Clyde (March 23, 1988). "Amid Some Doubts, a Tokyo Dome". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015.
  15. ^ "MLB Park Factor". ESPN.com.
  16. ^ Holtzman, Jerome (October 9, 1987). "Fans' Din Hits New Heights In The Thunderdome". Chicago Tribune.
  17. ^ "Homerdome? It's more like Loserdome now for Twins". Brainerd Dispatch. May 13, 2000. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013.
  18. ^ "Tom Powers: On demolition day, Metrodome won't hold up to Met Center". TwinCities.com. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  19. ^ "Vikings work to deflate chance of melee today at Metrodome". Duluth News Tribune. December 29, 2013. Archived from the original on December 29, 2013.
  20. ^ "New Vikings Stadium: Transition From Old To New". Vikings.com. December 3, 2013. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2014.