Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, usually simply called The Metrodome, and often nicknamed the Homerdome, 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 (MLB)
• 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)

History

Construction on the Metrodome began on December 20, 1979 and was funded by the state of Minnesota. The dome is air-inflated and requires 250,000 ft³/min (120 m³/s) of air to keep it inflated. 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 game. The stadium construction is notable in that the $68 million price tag was on budget, and the facility was completed on time, a rare feat in the world of stadium construction.

During its early years of operation, the field at the Metrodome was surfaced with SuperTurf, which was disliked by both football and baseball players as being 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.

The 1985 MLB All-Star Game, WrestleRock '86, 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. Curiously, 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 stadium was named in memoriam to former mayor of Minneapolis, U.S. Senator and U.S. Vice President, Hubert H. Humphrey, who had died in 1978.

The Metrodome is both beloved and reviled by Minnesota fans. The Twins have won both of their World Series championships in its friendly confines (and winning both Series by winning all four games held at the Dome), and the white roof, quick turf, and the right-field wall (or "Baggie") can provide a substantial home-field advantage for the Twins. Because it was designed for football, the Metrodome has severe disadvantages as a baseball venue. The way many seats are situated forces some fans to crane their necks to see home plate. Neither the main nor the upper concourse has visibility to the field, meaning fans risk missing play whenever they leave for the concession stands. The Dome's sight lines tend to be below average, with nearly 1,400 seats having obscured or partial visibility to the playing field. The Metrodome is widely known as a hitter's park, with a low left-field fence that favors right-handed power hitters, and the higher but closer right-field baggie that favors left-handed power hitters. 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 stadia, fly balls can easily get lost in the ceiling.

The Metrodome is the only venue in the world to host a MLB All-Star Game (1985), a Super Bowl (1992), an NCAA Final Four (1992 & 2001), and a World Series (1987 & 1991). It is widely recognized as one of the loudest venues in which to view a game.

The Baggie

Action during a Twins game during the 2004 ALDS.

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-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.

The Roof

File:Vikings Exhibition Game 990826.JPG

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.

The Metrodome's roof is made of two layers of Teflon fabric, and is supported by positive air pressure. 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 is accompanied by a strong breeze. The double-walled construction allows warmed air to circulate beneath the top of the dome, melting accumulated snow. However, on November 19, 1981, a rapid accumulation of over a foot of snow caused the roof to collapse, requiring it to be reinflated.

Because it's unusually low to the playing field (172 feet/52.4 m), the air-inflated dome is occasionally touched by the ball, altering play. 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 in 1984 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). The low roof has never been a concern for events other than baseball.

Possible replacements

File:10-10A.jpg

Metrodome during Gophers game in 2003, again from a similar vantage point.

The Dome 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), as many of the stadium's seats have obscured sight lines. Fans of all three of its major tenants note and resent the complete lack of natural lighting, the Dome's processed air and cramped seating arrangements. These tenants say the Metrodome is nearing the end of its useful lifespan, although the stadium is structurally sound and could last decades without major repairs. The Twins, the Vikings and the Gophers have all proposed replacements for the Metrodome, of which the proposed Twins Ballpark and new Gopher stadium have gotten approval and are set to begin construction in late 2006, early 2007. Rogers Centre, McAfee Coliseum, Dolphin Stadium, BC Place and the Metrodome are the last of the "multipurpose facilities" that were once common throughout professional sports.

The Twins wish to replace the Metrodome with a new ballpark in downtown Minneapolis within the next half decade. The Twins are on a year-to-year lease at the Metrodome, and may thus move to another city at any time. However, no large American markets or new major-league-quality stadiums exist without a current team; it is accepted that the Twins could not profit from a move to another city. Twins management claims that the Metrodome generates too little revenue for the Twins to be competitive. In particular, the Twins 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 in the Metrodome is said to be very low compared to other stadiums. The Twins are seeking taxpayer subsidy of more than $200 million to assist in construction of the stadium.

On April 26, 2005, the Twins and Hennepin County announced that an acceptable deal had been reached, involving the Twins paying roughly 1/3 of the cost of the stadium, with the rest being paid for by a 0.15% Hennepin County sales tax. The deal would need to be approved by the Hennepin County Board. On April 28 the Board announced that they were delaying a vote by one week. On May 3 the Board voted in favor of the stadium deal. The vote was 4-3 falling entirely along gender lines, with Commissioners Mike Opat (District 1), Mark Stenglein (District 2), Peter McLaughlin (District 4, a DFL candidate in the city's 2005 mayoral election) and Randy Johnson (District 5) in favor. Gail Dorfman (District 3), Linda Koblick (District 6) and Penny Steele (District 7) were against the proposal. Minneapolis DFL mayor R.T. Rybak had already weighed in favor of the stadium, a move said to hurt his bid for the party's endorsement for re-election. The plan passed its second hurdle on May 9, 2005 when a House committee of the Minnesota Legislature approved it to be sent to the floor on a 17-5 vote. This legislation later languished before the full Legislature, during a particularly gridlocked session, and was placed on the back burner, pending resolution of "more pressing" legislation.

On January 9, 2006, the Twins went to court to argue that their lease with the Metrodome should be considered "dead" after the 2006 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 2006 season. The revised stadium bill, which is substantially identical to the version passed by the House of Representatives in March, was voted on by legislators on May 21, 2006, after being approved by a conference committee on the 19th. The bill was passed by a 71-61 vote in the House and a 34-32 vote in the Senate. A ballot referendum, called for by many Hennepin County residents, was deemed infeasible due to the time-critical nature of the bill (a referendum would not be able to happen until the general election in November, while in order for the Twins to play in the Metrodome in 2007, dates need to be applied for by July 1). On May 26, 2006, Governor Tim Pawlenty signed the bill at the Metrodome prior to an evening game against the Seattle Mariners.

The University of Minnesota is looking for a solution to build an on-campus stadium to replace their use of the Metrodome, which is a mile west of the edge of campus. Attendance at Gopher football games rarely fills the Metrodome to capacity, and it is thought that, in order to pep up its student base for increased ticket sales, an on-campus stadium is required. In addition, an on-campus stadium would benefit athletic revenues, benefitting not only the football program, but the University's non-revenue sports. A University-only stadium is expected to cost less than half of what a NFL-quality football stadium might cost, and tentative plans have been developed to build a new stadium on surface parking lots just a few blocks east of the former Memorial Stadium. TCF Bank has agreed to be a substantial donor, and the stadium if built will be called TCF Bank Stadium. The University of Minnesota is expected to raise more than half the cost of the stadium via private donations. TCF Bank Stadium is expected to be open for the beginning of the 2009-2010 academic year. 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.

The Vikings are thought to be the least hampered by their current situation in the Metrodome, but they are also the only tenant likely to move after their current lease expires, in 2011; an enormous market without an NFL team exists in Los Angeles, and San Antonio has also been discussed as a possible site. The fear of losing the Vikings to another state may pressure governments to finance a new, revenue-generating stadium for the team. 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 non-baseball events currently taking place at the Metrodome. On September 20, 2005, the Vikings and Anoka County reached an agreement to build a 68,000 seat retractable-roof stadium in Blaine. The calls for the Vikings to pay $280 million, the county another $280 million, and the state $115 million. It would open in 2009 or 2010 if approved by the legislature. Unlike previous owner Red McCombs, the present Vikings ownership headed by Zygi Wilf has publicly disavowed any plans to remove the team from Minnesota. On May 17, the State Senate announced that any further work on the Vikings stadium bill would cease until 2007's legislative session opens. The bill which authorized financing for the Twins Ballpark included provisions to prepare the field for a Vikings stadium deal in 2007. Wilf has expressed interest in redeveloping the land on which the Metrodome currently sits. Local politicians are pushing the Wilf ownership and Vikings to possibly renovate the Metrodome because of its location and existing infastructure. A renovation of the Metrodome would cost roughly $200 million compared to the exhorbitant cost of a new stadium 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.

It is impossible for the citizens of midsize U.S. metropolitan areas, such as the Twin Cities, to be assured that any given professional sports team will remain in the area. In the Twin Cities, the threat of franchise relocation was recently realized by the Minnesota North Stars' move to Dallas in 1993. The sports fans in the city hope new revenue-generating facilities, such as the much-praised Xcel Energy Center, will commit teams to remaining in the market. With public support finally growing for replacement projects for "the Dome"'s three tenants, its end may be drawing near.

Other Events

• Prep Bowl (Minnesota State High School League; state high school football championships)
• Various small college football games
• Various high school baseball, softball, soccer and football games
• Monster truck, motocross, and other motor entertainment sports
• Large concerts
• Large religious services and gatherings
• Rollerdome 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.

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. A shuttle from the University of Minnesota is available when the Gophers play games at the dome.

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, some new options had to be considered for fans. The eventual result was setting up a new tailgating site quite a distance away, but with shuttle bus service provided.

Trivia

• After Kent Hrbek's infamous 1991 "T-Rex" tag of Atlanta Braves player Ron Gant, the Metrodome has been referred to as "The Scene of the Crime" by Atlanta fans.
• Dave Kingman of the Oakland Athletics in 1984, apparently hit a ball up into one of the roof's drainage holes. There are different tales about whether the ball actually came down or not. One rumor apparently had the ball coming down, and consequently being sent to Cooperstown.
• In 1986, a severe thunderstorm outside the Metrodome during a Twins game had winds of up to 65 mph. Near the bottom of the fifth inning, the wind tore a hole in the roof on the third base side of the stadium.
• The only crowd noise penalty against a visiting team in the NCAA was called against the Iowa Hawkeyes while playing the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 1991. Iowa fans typically bring 15,000-25,000 fans every other year to the Metrodome, and brought more in 1991 due to the team's contention for Big Ten champion that season. This is why the venue is commonly known to Iowa fans as, "Kinnick North".

External links

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

Preceded by Metropolitan Stadium 1961–1981

Home of the Minnesota Twins 1982–present

Succeeded by Current (new Twins Ballpark to open in 2010)

Preceded by Metropolitan Stadium 1961–1981

Home of the Minnesota Vikings 1982–present

Succeeded by Current

Preceded by Memorial Stadium 1924–1981

Home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers (football) 1982–present

Succeeded by Current (TCF Bank Stadium to open in 2009)

Preceded by First

Home of the Minnesota Timberwolves 1989–1990

Succeeded by Target Center 1990–present

44°58′25.97″N 93°15′29.14″W