Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

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Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome
The Metrodome, The Homerdome, The Thunderdome, The Humpty Dump
Location	900 South 5th St. Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Opened	April 3, 1982
Owner	Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission of Minnesota
Surface	FieldTurf (2004 – present) AstroTurf (1987 – 2003) SuperTurf (1982 – 1986)
Construction cost	$68 million
Architect	Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Tenants	Minnesota Vikings (NFL) (1982–present) Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA baseball) (1st half of season 1985- present) Minnesota Twins (AL) (1982–2009) Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA football) (1982–2008) Minnesota Strikers (NASL) (1984) Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) (1989–1990) Super Bowl XXVI NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament (1992, 2001)
Capacity	Baseball: 46,564[1] (expandable to 55,883) Football: 64,111 Basketball: 50,000[2]
Field dimensions	Left Field - 343 ft (105 m) Left-Center - 385 ft (117 m) (Not posted) Center Field - 408 ft (124 m) Right-Center - 367 ft (112 m) (Not posted) Right Field - 327 ft (100 m) Backstop - 60 ft (18 m) Dome Apex - 186 ft (57 m) Wall - 7 feet (left and center field) Wall - 16 feet (right field)

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, often simply called The Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington, and Memorial Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.

The Metrodome is home to the following sports teams:

• Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
• Minnesota Twins (AL)
• Minnesota Golden Gophers football (Big Ten)
• Minnesota Golden Gophers baseball, first half of season (second half at Siebert Field) (Big Ten)

It was the home at one time for:

• Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) (1989–1990)
• Minnesota Strikers (NASL soccer) (1984)

Common notable nicknames include The Dome or the HHH Metrodome, and often nicknamed the Homerdome (even though in reality it is no easier to hit a home run than average).^[3]

It is the only public stadium in the United States that does not rely on a continuing tax subsidy to finance operations, maintenance or debt payments.^[4]

[edit] History

The entrance

The Metrodome arose because its main tenants, the Twins and Vikings, grew dissatisfied with Metropolitan Stadium during the 1970s. The Twins weren't happy with the frequently harsh weather conditions early and late in the baseball season, while the Vikings weren't happy with its relatively small capacity for football (just under 48,500). In addition, the stadium was not well maintained; broken railings could be seen in the third deck by the early 1970s.

Construction success of other domed stadiums, particularly the Silverdome near Detroit, paved the way for voters to approve funding for a new stadium. Downtown Minneapolis was beginning a revitalization program, and the return of professional sports from suburban Bloomington was seen as a major success story. A professional team hadn't been based in downtown Minneapolis since the Minneapolis Lakers left for Los Angeles in 1960.

Construction on the Metrodome began on December 20, 1979 and was funded by the state of Minnesota. Uncovering the Dome by Amy Klobuchar (now a U.S. Senator) describes the ten-year effort to build the venue.^[5] The stadium was named in memoriam to former mayor of Minneapolis, U.S. Senator and U.S. Vice President, Hubert Humphrey, who had died in 1978.^[6]

The Metrodome cost $68 million to build--roughly $2 million under budget, a rarity for modern stadiums. It is a somewhat utilitarian facility, though not quite as spartan as Metropolitan Stadium. One stadium official once said that all the Metrodome was designed to do was "get fans in, let 'em see a game, and let 'em go home." ^[7]

[edit] Major events

The 1985 MLB All-Star Game, games of the 1987 and the 1991 World Series, Super Bowl XXVI in 1992, were all held at the Metrodome.

The NCAA Final Four was held at the Metrodome in 1992 and 2001. Duke University was the winner on both occasions. The Metrodome has also served as one of the four regional venues for the Final Four in 1986, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2003 and most recently, 2006.

The Metrodome is the only venue to host an MLB All-Star Game (1985), a Super Bowl (1992), an NCAA Final Four (1992 & 2001), and a World Series (1987 & 1991). The Metrodome has been recognized as one of the loudest domed venues in which to view a game, due in part to the fact sound is recycled throughout the stadium because of the domed roof. Stadium loudness is a hot sports marketing issue, as the noise lends the home team a home advantage against the visiting team. Prior to the construction of Qwest Field home of the Seattle Seahawks the NFL had named the Metrodome the loudest NFL stadium, a title which Qwest now holds.^{[citation needed]} During the 1987 World Series and 1991 World Series, peak decibel levels were measured at 125 and 118 respectively--both close to the threshold of pain.^[8]

[edit] Features

[edit] The roof

The Metrodome roof.

The Metrodome's roof is made of two layers of Teflon coated fiberglass fabric, and is an air-supported structure supported by positive air pressure. It requires 250,000 ft³/min (120 m³/s) of air to keep it inflated. It is reputed to be the largest application of Teflon on Earth.

To maintain the differential air pressure, spectators usually enter and leave the seating and concourse areas through revolving doors, since the use of regular doors without an airlock would cause significant loss of air pressure. The double-walled construction allows warmed air to circulate beneath the top of the dome, melting accumulated snow. A sophisticated environmental control center in the lower part of the stadium is manned to monitor weather and make adjustments in air distribution to maintain the roof.

Three times in the stadium's history, heavy snows have caused a small puncture in the roof and caused it to deflate. Varying air pressure due to a severe storm once contributed to a dramatic deflation during a regular season baseball game. On November 19, 1981, a rapid accumulation of over a foot of snow caused the roof to collapse, requiring it to be re-inflated.

On April 27, 1986, a severe thunderstorm rocked the stadium and its roof, and disabled power.^[9]

Because it is unusually low to the playing field (172 feet/52.4 m), the air-inflated dome occasionally is touched by baseballs, altering play. Major League Baseball has specific ground rules for the Metrodome. Any ball which strikes the Dome roof remains in play; if it lands in foul territory it becomes a foul ball, if it lands in fair territory it becomes a fair ball. Any ball which becomes caught in the roof over fair ground (which has only happened twice in its history - Dave Kingman for the Oakland Athletics on May 4,1984^[9], and Corey Koskie in 2004) - is a ground rule double. More common is for a ball to strike an overhead speaker, which are even closer to the playing surface; such balls are also alive and in-play (although starting with the 2005 MLB season, the ground rules for balls hitting the speakers have been changed as David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox discovered when a deep fly ball that would have been a home run, excepting speaker interference bounced off a speaker and landed in fair territory. (Ortiz was awarded a single and the Twins went on to win the game). The low roof never has been a concern for events other than baseball.

[edit] The field

The field at the Metrodome, baseball configuration

During its early years of operation, the field at the Metrodome was surfaced with SuperTurf,^[10]. The surface, also known as SporTurf, was very bouncy--so bouncy, in fact, that Billy Martin once protested a game after seeing a base hit that would normally be a pop single turn into a ground rule double.^[7] Baseball and football players alike complained that it was too hard.

This surface was upgraded to Astroturf in 1987, and in 2004, the sports commission had a newer artificial surface, called FieldTurf, installed. FieldTurf is thought to be a closer approximation to natural grass than Astroturf in its softness, appearance, and feel.

[edit] Plexiglas

Before the mid-1990s, the left-field wall included a six-foot clear Plexiglas screen for a total height of 13 feet (4.0 m). It was off of this Plexiglas wall that Twins player Kirby Puckett jumped to rob Ron Gant of the Atlanta Braves of an extra-base hit during Game 6 of the 1991 World Series (a game that Puckett would win with an 11th-inning walkoff homer) - in later years, with the Plexiglas removed, it would have been a potential home run ball.

[edit] The Baggie

The Metrodome's "baggie" in right field.

The Metrodome's right-field wall is composed of the seven-foot-high (2.1 m) fence around the whole outfield and a 16-foot (4.9 m)-high (4.9 m) plastic wall extension in right field, known as the "Baggie" or the "Hefty Bag." The seats above and behind the Baggie are home run territory; the Baggie itself is part of the outfield wall. Fenway Park's "Green Monster," a comparable but taller feature, is 17 feet (5.2 m) closer to home plate than the Baggie is, so batters who hit short, high fly balls are not typically helped by it. However, it is an attractive target for left-handed power hitters, and it is not uncommon for upper-deck home runs to be hit to right field. When in a rectangular configuration for football and other small-field events, the Baggie is taken down and the seats behind it extend to form complete lower-deck seating.

[edit] Controversy

Since the stadium was built, the economics of sports marketing have changed. Teams are charging higher prices for tickets, and are demanding more amenities such as bigger clubhouses / locker rooms, more luxury suites, and more concession revenue. To that end, pressure has been applied by team owners, media, and fans to have the State of Minnesota provide newer, better facilities to host the teams. The Metrodome has served its primary purpose, to provide a climate-controlled facility in which to host the three sports tenants in Minnesota with the largest attendance. The indoor venue is particularly welcome in the highly variable climate of Minnesota.

The Metrodome is thought to be an increasingly poor fit for all three of its major tenants (the Twins, the Vikings and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football team). These tenants say the Dome is nearing the end of its useful lifespan. Two tenants, the Twins and the Gophers, already have taken the steps to move out. The Vikings are seeking a new stadium. The building itself is structurally sound and could last decades without major repairs.

[edit] Nature of professional sports franchises

It is impossible for the citizens of mid-sized U.S. metropolitan areas, such as the Twin Cities, to be assured that any given professional sports team will remain in the area. The Minnesota Vikings organization has offered alternative locations, as has the Twins organization. The Twins were even a target of a possible baseball contraction threat through 2001-2002.

Previously in the Twin Cities, the threat of franchise relocation has been realized with the Minnesota North Stars' move to Dallas, and much earlier the Lakers' move to Los Angeles. The Twin Cities have also gained a relocated franchise when the Washington Senators became the Twins. The sports fans in the city hope new revenue-generating facilities will commit teams to remaining in the market. The much-praised Xcel Energy Center (created for the expansion Minnesota Wild NHL team), and the Target Center, were both widely regarded state-of-the-art facilities at their construction. Compared to contemporary structures, the Metrodome was superior to the Metropolitan Stadium and compared favorably with many others. However, with public support finally growing for replacement projects for "the Dome"'s three tenants and newer, more spectacular facilities built in other cities, its end may be drawing near.

[edit] Stadium neighborhood

Development in the Downtown East neighborhood around the Metrodome took many years to materialize. For many years there were few bars or restaurants nearby for fans to gather. Tailgating was expressly forbidden in most parking areas. The City of Minneapolis was directing the development of the entertainment districts along Seven corners in Cedar-Riverside, Hennepin Avenue, and the Warehouse district. The Metrodome existed among a number of parking areas built upon old rail yards, along with run-down factories and warehouses. The Metrodome is not connected to the Skyway system, although that was planned in 1989 to be completed in time to host Super Bowl XXVI. Only in recent years has redevelopment began moving Southeast to reach the Metrodome. More restaurants, hotels, and condominiums have been built nearby. The Hiawatha light rail line has connected the Minneapolis entertainment district with the Metrodome.

[edit] Baseball

Action during a Twins game during the 2004 ALDS.

The Twins have won two World Series championships in the Metrodome (and winning both Series by winning all four games held at the Dome). The loud noise, white roof, quick turf, and the right-field wall (or "Baggie") can provide a substantial home-field advantage for the Twins.

The stadium is also used by the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers during February and March because of weather; furthermore, the team often plays the major tournaments at the Dome, which includes the Dairy Queen Shootout, where three other major Division I baseball teams play in an invitational. Some early Big Ten conference games are played at the Metrodome, and the Golden Gophers take advantage of the home field advantage during the early part of the season before the weather warms, and the Gophers can play games on-campus.

[edit] Sight lines

The Metrodome is not a true multipurpose stadium. Rather, it was built as a football stadium that can convert into a baseball stadium. The seating configuration is almost rectangular in shape--something that suits football very well. The seats along the four straight sides directly face their corresponding seats on the opposite side, while the seats in the corners are four quarter-circles.

However, in most cases, this results in poor sight lines for baseball. For instance, the seats directly along the left field line face the center field and right field fences. Unlike other major league parks, there are no seats down to field level.^[7] Even the closest front-row seats are at least 5 or 6 feet (1.8 m) above the field.

The way that many seats are situated forces some fans to crane their necks to see the area between the pitcher's mound and home plate. Some fans near the foul poles may have to turn more than 80 degrees, compared to less than 70 with Yankee Stadium or 75 degrees at Camden Yards. For that reason, the seats down the left field line are typically among the last ones sold; the (less expensive) outfield lower deck seating tends to fill up sooner. Nearly 1,400 seats have obscured or partial visibility to the playing field -- some of them due to the right field upper deck being directly above (and somewhat overhanging) the folded-up football seats behind right field; and some of them due to steel beams in the back rows of the upper deck which are part of the dome's support system.

On the plus side, there is relatively little foul territory, which is not typical of most domed stadiums. Also, with the infield placed near one corner, the seats near home plate and the dugouts, where most game action occurs, have some of the closest views in Major League Baseball. Seats in these areas are popularly known as "the baseball section". In 2007, some extra rows (normally used only for football) were retained for baseball, in the area behind home plate. The sight lines are also very good in the right field corner area, which faces the infield and is closer to the action than the left field corner.

The Twins stopped selling several seats in sections 203-212 of the upper level in 1996. This area is curtained off except during the postseason.

[edit] Playing area

The Metrodome is widely thought of as a hitter's park, with a low (7 ft) left-field fence (343 ft) that favors right-handed power hitters, and the higher (23 ft) but closer (327 ft) right-field Baggie that favors left-handed power hitters.^[11] Because the roof is very nearly the same color as a baseball, and transmits light, the Metrodome has a far higher error incidence than a normal stadium during day games, so instead of losing a fly ball in the sun, as is common for non-roofed stadiums, fly balls can easily get lost in the ceiling.

It gave up even more home runs before air conditioning was installed in 1983. Before 1983, the Dome had been nicknamed "the Sweat Box." ^[1]

Unlike most parks built during this time, the Metrodome's baseball configuration has asymmetrical outfield dimensions.

[edit] Atmosphere

The Metrodome is climate controlled, and has protected the baseball schedule during the entire time it has been the venue for the Minnesota Twins. Major League baseball schedulers have had the luxury of being able to count on dates played at the Metrodome. A doubleheader game only occurs when purposely scheduled.

The Twins have had to postpone a game only twice since moving to the Metrodome. The first was on April 14, 1983, when a massive snowstorm prevented the California Angels from getting to Minneapolis. The game would have likely been postponed in any case, however; that night heavy snow caused part of the roof to collapse.^[1] The second was on August 2, 2007, when the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge collapsed a few blocks away from the Metrodome on August 1. The game scheduled for August 1 was played as scheduled because the team and police officials were worried about too many fans departing the Metrodome at one time, therefore causing conflict with rescue workers. The game, and ceremonial ground breaking on the new Twins Ballpark, on August 2nd was postponed to a later date due to the collapse of the bridge.

[edit] College football

Metrodome during Gophers game in 2003.

The University of Minnesota is the only school in the Big Ten Conference to play off-campus and the only school in the conference to play in a domed stadium. The Gophers are one of only four NCAA Division I FBS football programs to play indoors (the others are Idaho, Syracuse and Tulane). At the time of the move, the NFL class facilities were seen as an improvement over the aging Memorial Stadium.

[edit] Scheduling conflict

As part of the deal with the Metrodome, the Minnesota Twins have priority over the Gophers in scheduling. If the Twins are in the playoffs with a home series, the baseball game has priority and the Gopher football game must be moved to a time suitable to convert the playing field. The University of Minnesota is the only school in the Big Ten that shares a football facility with professional sports teams.

[edit] Atmosphere

When the Gophers first moved to the Metrodome from Memorial Stadium, attendance increased.^[4] However, fans waxed nostalgic over fall days playing outdoors on campus.^[12] TCF Bank Stadium will provide the outdoor, on-campus venue. The stadium is six blocks from the West bank portion of the campus and the Seven Corners retail and entertainment neighborhood that serves the West bank.

[edit] Playing field

The Gophers share the field with the Vikings and Twins. During the earlier part of the season, the baseball turf sections are visible on the field. Many Big Ten teams had gone to some kind of turf because of the climate during the football season. However, other schools do not have seams in the turf where sections are moved.

[edit] Revenue

The luxury suite revenues are taken by the Vikings. The concessions revenue is taken by the Metropolitan sports commission. And there is no parking revenue for the University. Although, the amount the University pays to use the Metrodome is lower than the Vikings or Twins. Revenue is also generated from the vast amount of Dome Dogs eaten.^[13]

[edit] NFL

Action during a Vikings game, from a location similar to 2004 ALDS photo. Note the retractable seats in the lower-right portion of this photo.

As the stadium was designed first and foremost for the Minnesota Vikings, they have the fewest problems. As a location and playing field with new turf, it is still a suitable venue for football. The Vikings owners want more luxury suites and better concessions. They have twice rejected a renovation, with the 2001 price tag at $269 million.^[14] Early fall weather has led to calls for a retractable roof, but climate control is still deemed a necessity for a season that runs through December. The Vikings are seen as the team with the most leverage, as Minnesotans view the Vikings as their favorite sports franchise in the state.^[15]. The likelihood that the Vikings will move without a new stadium is unknown. The NFL in Los Angeles is always offered as a destination for the Vikings, however that situation is not without its own controversy.

Even without the Gophers and Twins, the Metrodome can survive with the Vikings as primary tenants. ^[13]

[edit] Basketball

When configured as a basketball arena, the fans in the nearby bleachers get a suitable view of the court, but the action is difficult to see in the upper decks and is very far away. Concessions are very far away from the temporary infrastructure. Most NBA and major college basketball arenas run to a maximum of 20,000 seats. However, the NCAA tournament makes a significant amount of money selling seats for regional and championship games for the Men's basketball tournament. Without a domed stadium, Minnesota will no longer be able to host the NCAA championship game, and may even have trouble getting regional final games.

[edit] Possible replacements

The Twins, the Vikings and the Gophers have all proposed replacements for the Metrodome, of which the new Twins Ballpark and new Gopher stadium are now under construction.

[edit] Minnesota Twins

Main article: Twins Ballpark

The Twins will move to their new ballpark in 2010, following a quest that began in the mid 1990s. Twins management claimed the Metrodome generated too little revenue for the Twins to be competitive; specifically, they receive no revenue from luxury suite leasing (as those are owned by the Vikings) and only a small percentage of concessions sales. Also, the percentage of season-ticket-quality seats is said to be very low compared to other stadiums. Since 2003, the Twins have had year-to-year leases, and were permitted a move to another city at any time. However, with no large American markets or new major-league-quality stadiums existing without a current team, it was accepted that the Twins could not profit from a move. The Twins sought a taxpayer subsidy of more than $200 million to assist in construction of the stadium. On January 9, 2005, the Twins went to court to argue that their Metrodome lease should be considered "dead" after the 2005 season. In February, the district court ruled that the Twins' lease was year to year and the team could vacate the Metrodome at the end of the 2005 season. In late April 2007, Hennepin County officially took over the future ballpark site (through a form of Eminent Domain called "Quick-Take") which had been a recent on going struggle between the county and the land owners. The "official" ground-breaking for the new ballpark was postponed on August 2 due to the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge. On October 15, 2007, the two sides reached a negotiated settlement of just under $29 million, ending the dispute; as a result the County noted it would have to cut back on some improvements to the surrounding streetscapes, though it also revealed that the Pohlad family had committed another $15 million for infrastructure.^[16]

[edit] University of Minnesota

Main article: TCF Bank Stadium

The Minnesota Golden Gophers football team began playing in the Metrodome for the 1982 season. Attendance was expected to increase over the old Memorial Stadium attendance, especially for late fall games, due to the climate controlled comfort. At the time it was also believed that the new NFL venue would be a recruiting benefit for the Gophers. The Gopher teams have struggled in the Big Ten Conference since the 1970s. Gopher football games rarely fill the Metrodome to capacity, except when nearby rivals visit, such as the Wisconsin Badgers and Iowa Hawkeyes.^[4] Students are removed from the traditional on-campus atmosphere, since they have to take a bus from the campus to the stadium. However, average attendance has increased over previous seasons at Memorial Stadium.^[4]

The University of Minnesota plans on moving to TCF Bank Stadium for the 2009 football season. The University believes an on-campus stadium will motivate its student base for increased ticket sales. An on-campus stadium would also benefit from athletic revenues, not only for the football program, but the non-revenue sports as well. The venue is expected to cost less than half of an NFL-quality football stadium. The new stadium will be built on surface parking lots just a few blocks east of the former Memorial Stadium, with the naming rights purchased by TCF Bank. The University of Minnesota is expected to raise more than half the cost of the stadium via private donations. The Gopher stadium bill was passed by both houses on May 20, 2006, the day before the Twins stadium bill passed. On May 24, 2006, Governor Pawlenty signed the Gopher bill on the University campus.

[edit] Minnesota Vikings

Main article: Vikings Stadium

The Vikings are thought to be the least hampered by their current situation in the Metrodome, and are likely to move after their current lease expires, in 2011. An enormous market without a team exists for the NFL in Los Angeles. San Antonio has also been discussed as a possible site, though the NFL Committee has never approved of these possible moves, and Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has stated he will keep the Vikings in the Metrodome if they cannot get a new stadium.^{[citation needed]}. The NFL in Los Angeles would either require a new stadium, or major renovations to the Rose Bowl Stadium or Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Alamodome also is outmoded by current NFL standards, and would require major renovations.

The NFL and fans have pressured Minnesota governments to finance a new, revenue-generating stadium. Downtown Minneapolis as well as the suburb of Blaine have been explored as potential stadium sites. The Vikings are seeking taxpayer subsidy of more than $300 million to assist in construction of the stadium, which may also be used for the many other events currently taking place at the Metrodome.

[edit] Anoka County proposal

On September 20, 2005 the Vikings and Anoka County reached an agreement to build a 68,000 seat retractable-roof stadium in Blaine, where the Vikings and the county would each pay $280 million and the state $115 million. It would have opened in 2009 or 2010 if approved by the legislature. After the approval of the stadium plan Wilf dropped plans to include a roof of any kind, which would have severely limited the site's utility for year-round events in Anoka County. In November 2006 Anoka County officials pulled out of the partnership. In addition to unapproved site design changes the Vikings had started to work behind the scenes with officials from Minneapolis, the site of the current Metrodome. Anoka County believed it had an agreement to be an exclusive partner, and since County officials did not want to get into a bidding war with Minneapolis they withdrew from the project.

[edit] Downtown Minneapolis proposal

The Vikings and Minneapolis are currently conducting studies about redeveloping land around the Metrodome and building a new stadium, tentatively named the Vikings Stadium, on the same land as the Metrodome. If it were to happen, the Vikings would likely play at the new TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota starting in 2010 while a new stadium is constructed on the current site of the Metrodome.

Unlike previous owner Red McCombs, the present Vikings ownership has publicly disavowed any plans to remove the team from Minnesota. On May 17, 2006, the State Senate announced that any further work on the Vikings stadium bill would cease until the 2007 legislative session. The bill which authorized financing for the Twins Ballpark included provisions to prepare the field for a Vikings stadium deal in 2007, this was before Anoka County pulled out of the project. Wilf has more recently expressed interest in redeveloping the land on which the Metrodome currently sits. Local politicians are pushing the Vikings ownership to possibly renovate the Metrodome because of its location and existing infrastructure. A renovation would cost roughly $200 million compared to the new stadium cost which would push $700 million. A possible renovation would include the addition of a club level, new seating, new, larger concourses with increased concessions and bathrooms, renovation of existing suites, create permanent seating for football, and large video boards outside the Metrodome walls. Zygi Wilf has denounced any ideas of a possible renovation citing it would cost as much to build a new stadium as renovating the Metrodome.^{[citation needed]}

Fans in attendance at the Metrodome

[edit] Other events

• Prep Bowl (Minnesota State High School League; state high school football championships)
• High school and small college baseball games through the spring and football games in November hosted by Augsburg College. Also other small college football events including the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.
• Various high school baseball, softball, soccer and football games
• Monster truck, motocross, and other motorsport events.
• Large concerts
• Large religious services and gatherings
• Rollerdome^[17] and MDRA running (exercise programs in the concourses)
• Conventions, such as TwinsFest, golf shows, home and garden expos, and car shows
• Cultural celebrations, such as Hmong New Year gatherings.
• Wrestling shows, such as AWA WrestleRock '86
• Monster Jam
• Minnesota Youth in Music Marching Band Competition

[edit] Travel and accessibility

The Metrodome is located near the junction of Interstate 94 and Interstate 35W, and many fans come by car. There is limited parking in surface lots throughout eastern downtown, ranging from $5 for a Twins game, to $50 for a close stall at a Vikings game. On-street meters provide the lowest parking rate, especially the "free evenings" meters near the heart of downtown six blocks from the Metrodome. A new option as of 2004 is the Downtown East/Metrodome station on the light rail Hiawatha Line. Many people also come by bus, whether on a charter or on the regular regional bus system. Bus service is also available from the University of Minnesota.

Tailgating has often been a popular pre-game activity for football fans, and many nearby parking lots have been available in the past for people who want to start early. However, in recent years, new development in the downtown region of Minneapolis has meant that these parking lots have begun to disappear. In 2004, the Vikings offered fans a tailgating area in the huge parking lot known as Rapid Park. The area however is on the opposite side of downtown Minneapolis from the Metrodome itself, next to the Target Center, (although shuttle buses did go back and forth) and is the building site for the new Twins Ballpark which the Twins broke ground for in late August of 2007.

[edit] Career-achievement events

• The Metrodome was the scene of several players joining the 3000 hit club, including Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield, and Cal Ripken, Jr..
• Dwyane Wade recorded just the fourth triple double in NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament history on March 29, 2003.
• On June 28, 2007, in the top of the first inning, Frank Thomas hit a three-run home run to left-center against Carlos Silva for his 500th career home run. He was later ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
• On September 30, 2007, Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers threw his record-breaking 421st career touchdown pass to Greg Jennings while playing the Vikings at the Metrodome.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

• MSFC official site
• Minnesota Twins Web site
• Minnesota Vikings Web Site
• University of Minnesota sports Web Site
• Ballpark Digest review of Metrodome
• Field of Schemes website referencing the stadium controversies in Minnesota
• Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in the Structurae database

Coordinates: 44°58′25.97″N, 93°15′29.14″W