Metrodome
Minneapolis, MN
After spending more than two decades at Metropolitan Stadium, it was time for a new stadium for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Twins (MLB), who both played at the stadium. Built in the mid 1950s, Metropolitan Stadium was beginning to deteriorate after two decades of existence. Throughout the 1970s, the Vikings were one of the best teams in NFL and regularly sold out the 48,000 seat Metropolitan Stadium. Due to the deteriorating condition of Metropolitan Stadium, the Vikings began discussing building a new stadium in 1971. Talk of a new stadium for the Vikings continued throughout the decade. The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission was formed in 1977 and stadium politics dominated the Minnesota State Legislature the same year. Two years later in 1979, a new dome stadium was approved to be built in downtown Minneapolis. On December 20, 1979, construction began on the multipurpose dome stadium. A dome multipurpose stadium was chosen because of the extreme cold and wintertime weather. Named after former Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey, the H.H.H. Metrodome, was completed in just over two years. The Minnesota Twins (MLB) played the first game ever at the Metrodome on April 6, 1982.

The Vikings inaugural first game at the Metrodome was on September 12, 1982. Over 64,000 seats in two tiers circle the entire field when the Metrodome is in football configuration. When the Vikings shared the Metrodome with the Twins, it was one of the easiest stadium to be converted from baseball to football. The entire process only takes around four hours. A section of 7,600 retractable seats formed the 23 foot high right field wall during a baseball game. However, theses seats are pulled out, allowing the capacity to be increased during football games. The dome roof consists of over ten acres of Teflon-coated fiberglass. It is the only air-supported dome and fans enter the park through revolving doors that prevents the release of the air and keeps the dome upright. In order to remain inflated, the roof requires 250,000 cubic feet of air pressure per minute. The roof has snow melting ducts to prevent a collapse. However, in the fall of 1982, the dome collapsed, but was re-inflated. Since its opening in 1982, there have been several changes to the Metrodome. They include LED Boards, new color replay screens, a new Plaza outside the stadium, new rows of seats behind home plate for baseball, new Terrace Suite, re-construction of all concession stands and new concourse televisions. After the 2003 season, the Astroturf field was removed and replaced with Fieldturf. Currently, the Vikings are lobbying to receive funding to construct a new stadium because the Metrodome lacks many amenities found at other stadiums throughout the league. However, in recent years they have failed to receive support from the State of Minnesota. The Vikings are now the only tenant at the Metrodome as the Twins move to their new ballpark, Target Field, in April 2010.

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