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Today, Minnesota Twins fans probably wish that
their team played outside at Metropolitan Stadium, instead of at the Metrodome. However, Metropolitan Stadium has been gone for
more than three decades. In 1953, a group began looking for a site to
build a stadium that one day could bring a major league baseball
team to Minneapolis. In 1955, a site was chosen
to build the stadium in Bloomington, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Construction on Metropolitan Stadium began in June 1955.
The stadium was completed in just one year and opened on April 24,
1956. The Minneapolis Millers of the American Association league
became the first tenant at Metropolitan Stadium.
When it opened Metropolitan Stadium had a
capacity of 18,200. A huge three tier grandstand extended from
behind homeplate to the first and third base dugouts. From the
outfield, the three tier grandstand towered over the playing field. The
press box was at the top of the upper deck, and huge
lights stood above the rim of the upper deck. Not
connected to the lower level of seating, additional
seats extended down both the first and third base lines.
Trying to attract a franchise to the area, the seating
capacity was raised to 21,000 in 1957. The same year an
exhibition game between the Detroit Tigers and
Cincinnati Reds was played at Metropolitan Stadium. In
1958, the man who would eventually bring
baseball to the
area, Calvin Griffith, toured the area when his team,
the Washington Senators, played an exhibition game at
Metropolitan Stadium. Griffith liked the area and told
the city that if he moved his team, they would be the
first place on his list to move to. By 1960, the
capacity at Metropolitan Stadium increased to 30,000
with wooden bleachers added behind the left and right
field outfield walls.
In 1960, Griffith agreed to move to Minneapolis
if Metropolitan Stadium was enlarged to seat 40,000 fans. Major
League Baseball approved the move on October 26, 1960. The
Washington Senators moved and became the Minnesota
Twins. By 1962, the second deck at Metropolitan Stadium had been
extended to the right field foul pole, and the scoreboard sat in
right center field. The Minnesota Vikings (NFL) moved into
Metropolitan Stadium in 1961. In 1965, in exchange for a reduction
in rent, the Vikings financed and built a double decked grandstand
in left field. The capacity was now at 45,919. Metropolitan Stadium
remained the same until it closed. In the late 1970s and early
1980s Metropolitan Stadium fell into disrepair. The Minnesota Twins
and Vikings began wanting a new facility to play in. The
Metrodome, a domed stadium, was built in downtown Minneapolis
for both teams. The last game at Metropolitan Stadium was on
September 30, 1981. Demolition at Metropolitan Stadium began on
January 1, 1985 and was completed four months later. The Mall of
America is now located on the site.
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