Happy Trails, Metrodome

[Machine Head]

Not really happy trails, I suppose.

It's a dump, but it was our dump.

The upcoming NFL season will be the last the Minnesota Vikings will play in the Metrodome, the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority announced Thursday.

The Dome will be razed after the 2013 season, likely in January or February of 2014.

The new stadium’s architect, HKS Inc., and newly-named builder, Mortenson Construction, met Wednesday and settled on the demolition timetable, said Michele Kelm-Helgen, chairwoman of the stadium authority. The Dome needs to be torn down to make way for the new stadium.

The timing means that the Vikings will play two seasons — 2014 and 2015 — at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota campus.

http://www.startribune.com/local/192272341.html

 

[I Should Coco]

Good riddance to another multi-use facility.

Never went there for a baseball game, but saw a Gophers game there in the early 1990s and the vibe was more Arena Football than college football. Worst stadium in the Big 10, by a long shot.

Seeing a game at the new University of Minnesota stadium is on the bucket list, Machine Head. Maybe time it so I can catch the Twins at their new field, too.

 

[Captain Obvious]

I liked the Metrodome, but probably because my old paper bought a bunch of lower-bowl tickets every season when the Twins played there.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Many visits to the Metrodome, all for the Twinkies. For one series in he early 1980s we had our own personal beer vendor as attendance for the three games was about 7k total.

It served a purpose, and got a ton of use. Local college baseball teams will be SOL for two years and if they haven't reconfigured the new stadium a touch to make it viable for baseball, as was part of the agreement that helped get them so much public money.

 

[Armchair_QB]

The place had all the bad attributes of the 70s cookie-cutter stadiums but the city made good use of the place over the years.

Attended many Twins, Vikings and Gopher games there in the 80s and also saw my first NBA game there when the expansion Wolves played the Jazz.

Echo the thoughts on college baseball. Playing at the Dome was a way for small college teams in the upper midwest to get in a bunch of spring games without taking a costly trip to Florida every year. For their sake I hope the new stadium can be configured for baseball.

 

[X-Hack]

Went to the Metrodome once in the mid-90s for a Twins-White Sox game. Worst baseball venue I ever experienced.

With the Vikings having to play 2 years on a college campus, does that mean no beer at the concessions?

 

[Gutter]

 

[qtlaw]

Was there in '89 and saw a Twins game there in early August; it was a beautiful, sunny 85 outside and yet, walked into an AC "hefty bag" stadium for baseball. Awful.

 

[Knighthawk]

Great football venue. Horrific baseball stadium.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Was there in '89 and saw a Twins game there in early August; it was a beautiful, sunny 85 outside and yet, walked into an AC "hefty bag" stadium for baseball. Awful.

The Dome didn't have AC.

 

[Machine Head]

Good riddance to another multi-use facility.

Never went there for a baseball game, but saw a Gophers game there in the early 1990s and the vibe was more Arena Football than college football. Worst stadium in the Big 10, by a long shot.

Seeing a game at the new University of Minnesota stadium is on the bucket list, Machine Head. Maybe time it so I can catch the Twins at their new field, too.

TCF Bank Stadium is fine for watching a game, but the gameday experience there doesn't deliver much. It could also be said Minnesota football games haven't delivered much in the last 40 years as well, but moving on..

The Vikings will be adding some upgrades and I hope there will be something done to enhance the gameday experience the Mighty Gopher will benefit from.

There will be beer sold. It was at Gopher games this past year.

The new joint was positioned as a "People's Stadium" and the Vikings should stick to that and not **** over the other parties who will use the place, like the baseball people mentioned above.

 

[Azrael]

Was there in '89 and saw a Twins game there in early August; it was a beautiful, sunny 85 outside and yet, walked into an AC "hefty bag" stadium for baseball. Awful.

The Dome didn't have AC.

Sure it did.

It wasn't built with air-conditioning, but they installed it in 1983.

www.msfc.com/detail.cfm/page/msfcSite_PXFZGZEB_QYJTNEJR/

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/story?id=1585964

 

[Captain Obvious]

Was there in '89 and saw a Twins game there in early August; it was a beautiful, sunny 85 outside and yet, walked into an AC "hefty bag" stadium for baseball. Awful.

The Dome didn't have AC.

Yes, it did, except for the first year.

 

[Bubbler]

I used to watch games in the Metrodome in the 80s and 90s before I went there and I thought, "It can't be as bad as its described on TV. It has a kind of erector set rink-a-dink charm to it. Look a baggie for a wall in RF! It's quirky!"

Then I actually went there. Yep. It sucked massive balls. Probably the worst stadium I've ever been to a baseball game at with Riverfront its only real competition.

I'll never forget going to a mid-May game in 2003 with my brother. It was unseasonably warm and perfect baseball weather. Not a cloud in the sky, mid-70s, etc.

When we walked inside the soulless craphouse to attend the game, my brother and I looked at each other with a kind of WTF incredulity that were leaving the beautiful weather outside to watch baseball in the most sterile environment possible.

Covered, but never attended as a fan, a few Vikings games too. It was better for football, but Minnesotans have forever lost their hardiness when they pussed out and moved the Vikings inside.

 

[Machine Head]

Ok, that's pretty damn funny, but don't you have a bobblehead to buy?

http://sports.ha.com/c/item.zx?saleNo=7070&lotNo=80082

 

[Machine Head]

It's too bad Ron Gant wasn't able to control his momentum. Shame, really:

 

[Machine Head]

I used to watch games in the Metrodome in the 80s and 90s before I went there and I thought, "It can't be as bad as its described on TV. It has a kind of erector set rink-a-dink charm to it. Look a baggie for a wall in RF! It's quirky!"

Then I actually went there. Yep. It sucked massive balls. Probably the worst stadium I've ever been to a baseball game at with Riverfront its only real competition.

I'll never forget going to a mid-May game in 2003 with my brother. It was unseasonably warm and perfect baseball weather. Not a cloud in the sky, mid-70s, etc.

When we walked inside the soulless craphouse to attend the game, my brother and I looked at each other with a kind of WTF incredulity that were leaving the beautiful weather outside to watch baseball in the most sterile environment possible.

Covered, but never attended as a fan, a few Vikings games too. It was better for football, but Minnesotans have forever lost their hardiness when they pussed out and moved the Vikings inside.

You just made The Brotherhood's List.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Was there in '89 and saw a Twins game there in early August; it was a beautiful, sunny 85 outside and yet, walked into an AC "hefty bag" stadium for baseball. Awful.

The Dome didn't have AC.

Sure it did.

It wasn't built with air-conditioning, but they installed it in 1983.

www.msfc.com/detail.cfm/page/msfcSite_PXFZGZEB_QYJTNEJR/

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/story?id=1585964

Let me rephrase. It didn't FEEL like it had AC.

 

[Armchair_QB]

I used to watch games in the Metrodome in the 80s and 90s before I went there and I thought, "It can't be as bad as its described on TV. It has a kind of erector set rink-a-dink charm to it. Look a baggie for a wall in RF! It's quirky!"

Then I actually went there. Yep. It sucked massive balls. Probably the worst stadium I've ever been to a baseball game at with Riverfront its only real competition.

I'll never forget going to a mid-May game in 2003 with my brother. It was unseasonably warm and perfect baseball weather. Not a cloud in the sky, mid-70s, etc.

When we walked inside the soulless craphouse to attend the game, my brother and I looked at each other with a kind of WTF incredulity that were leaving the beautiful weather outside to watch baseball in the most sterile environment possible.

Covered, but never attended as a fan, a few Vikings games too. It was better for football, but Minnesotans have forever lost their hardiness when they pussed out and moved the Vikings inside.

Riverfront was a ****ty place to watch a game but Olympic Stadium is at the top of my personal list of worst baseball settings. Not one redeeming feature about that place.

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

I'm looking forward to the Vikings playing outdoors for two years. That's how it should be. I was hoping this new stadium would be outdoors, but I don't believe there's any way a new stadium in a cold climate will not be domed. That's in order to please the people plunking down thousands of dollars for season tickets.