The Metrodome is officially known as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The domed sports stadium was constructed to replace the aging Metropolitan Stadium. The dome is the second oldest major league baseball, and the eleventh oldest in the National Football League. Common nicknames for the stadium include the Dome or HHH Metrodome or the Homerdome.
The Metrodome was officially opened on April 3rd, 1982, and is used for all major sporting events held in Minneapolis. The facility is owned by the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission of Minnesota, and the cost of construction was $68 million. The Metrodome was designed by the architectural firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The dome has a seating capacity of 45,564 which extends to 55,883 for baseball, 64,111 for football, and 50,000 for basketball. The stadium has had different surfaces over the years, from 1982-1986 the surface was Super Turf, from 1987-2003 the surface was Astro Turf, and as of 2004, the surface is composed of Field Turf.
The dome has provided the three major sports teams of Minnesota with a primary purpose, to provide a climate-controlled environment for sporting events. Developing the dome in the Downtown East neighborhood took many years to come to fruition. However, in recent years, the area around the dome has begun to develop with more bars, restaurants and parking, which has made the area more convenient for visitors.
Dome construction began on December 20th, 1979, and funding came from the state of Minnesota. The stadium is named after Hubert H. Humphrey, the former mayor of Minnesota, U.S. Senator and U.S. Vice President who had passed away in 1978. When construction of the dome was finished, the final costs came $2 million under budget, a rare occurrence for a modern stadium.
The Metrodome is the only sports stadium to host a Major League Baseball All-Star Game, a Super Bowl, an NCCA Final Four, and a World Series. The Metrodome is recognized as one of the "loudest'' domes stadiums in the U.S., due to the fact that noise is recycled throughout the stadium because of the domed roof. The roof of the dome is composed of two layers of Teflon with a coated fiberglass fabric, and to maintain constant temperature inside the dome, guests enter and leave the facility using revolving doors.
The Metrodome invites guests to relax in a climate controlled environment rife with the modern conveniences the park offers. The dome is conveniently accessible by Interstate 94 and Interstate 35W, and bus and charter service to the games is also available for a nominal fee. Guests are invited to tailgate in a large parking lot known as Rapid Park. Visitors will experience an environment like no place else, the Metrodome is one of the truly most unique domed sports stadiums in the United States.
