Metropolitan Stadium
Minneapolis, MN

Today, Minnesota Twins fans probably wish that there team played outside at Metropolitan Stadium, instead at the Metrodome. However, Metropolitan Stadium has been gone for many years now. In 1953, a group of people began looking for a site to build a stadium, that one day could bring a

major league baseball team to the Minneapolis area. In 1955, a site was chosen to build the stadium in Bloomington, MN, a suburb of Minneapolis, on a farm. Construction on Metropolitan Stadium began in June of 1955. The stadium was completed in just one year, and opened on April 24, 1956. The tenant of Metropolitan Stadium was the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association league.

When it opened Metropolitan Stadium has 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 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. Also in 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 grew to 30,000. Seating was added behind the left and right field outfield walls.

In 1960, Griffith agreed to move to Minnesota, if Metropolitan Stadium was enlarged to seat 40,000 fans. Major League Baseball approved the move on October 26, 1960. The Washington Senators moved to the area, and became the Minnesota Twins. By 1962, the second deck at Metropolitan Stadium had been extended to both the left and right field foul poles, and the scoreboard sat in right center field. When the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) moved to Metropolitan Stadium in 1965, a double decked grandstand was added in left field. The capacity was now at 45,919. Metropolitan Stadium remained the same until it closed. In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s 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. The stadium was demolished, and The Mall of America sits where that stadium once was.