Area of fair territory: 111,000 sq. ft.

Area of foul territory: Very small

Fences: LF to CF: 13 ft

            RF: 23 ft

Elevation: 815 feet

General Information

Address:
34 Kirby Puckett Place
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For ticket information call: 1-800-33-TWINS

Who Plays Here: Minnesota Twins (AL); Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
First Opened: April 3, 1982
Surface: SporTurf (1982 to 1986), Astroturf (1987 to date)

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Construction: Barton Malow (Southfield, MI)
Owner: Metropolitan Sports Commission
Cost: $68 million

Financing: A combination of government and private sources - including temporary taxes on hotel, motel and liquor sales; the sale of revenue bonds (backed by the City of Minneapolis); and corporate contributions totaling more than $15 million - made sure the Metrodome's construction and early operations were on sound financial footing. The Legislature provided that no more than $55 million in revenue bonds be sold for construction, but because non-construction costs were not included in that figure, the cost of the stadium is close to $124 million, including donated land, street and other improvements by the City of Minneapolis, and investments by the Twins and Vikings.

History

     The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome has been home to the Twins since 1982.  It is the only public stadium in the country that does not rely on a continuing tax subsidy to finance operations, maintenance or debt payments.

     It was the third domed facility in baseball, and remains the only air-supported structure among the 28 used.  The roof requires 250,000 cubic feet of air pressure per minute to remain inflated, and on at least three occasions slight tears caused by heavy snows have caused the roof to deflate.

     The Metrodome played host to the 1987 and 1991 World Series, 1985 All-Star Game, Super Bowl XXVI, and the NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament in 1992. The Metrodome includes 7,600 retractable seats in right field, a retractable curtain displaying the banners from the Twins' championship years, and a plaza added along Kirby Puckett Place prior to the 1996 season.  The pitcher's mound is powered by an electric motor and can be raised and lowered at the push of a button.

Playing Field:
The fields Astroturf was installed in January, 1995 and is removable.

Metrodome Firsts
Game - April 6, 1982, vs. Seattle
Pitch - Pete Redfern
Batter - Julio Cruz
Hit- Dave Engle
Double- Manny Castillo
Triple - Gary Gaetti
Home run- Dave Engle
Grand slam - Gary Ward
Stolen Base - Julio Cruz
Victory - Floyd Bannister
Save - Mike Stanton

Analysis

     In its early days, it used to be called the "HomerDome," but in the last three years it has actually suppressed home runs by 6%.  Indeed, over the last decade it has played roughly neutral for power hitters, although it has boosted runs by 5-10%.  Left handed hitters can shoot for the short porch in right, and indeed lefties have had their home runs boosted by 17% over the least three seasons; meanwhile, the alley in left field is a good distance off and right-handed power hitters have had their home run output depressed by 21% over the same period.

     More than home runs, this park boosts doubles substantially because the ball skids to wall more quickly than it would on artificial turf.

Defense:  The high, white, Teflon-coated fabric roof makes it difficult to see the ball when hit high in the air.  Other than that, the park doesn't pose any special problems for defensive players.  The spongy artificial turf is fast, but the hops stay true and the number of errors committed here are usually quite low.

Who benefits: Left handed power hitters have an easy shot to the modest right-center power alley, particularly when the air conditioning is turned off and the ball carries better.  Hitters who can run with speed can take advantage of the park's tendency to boost triples.

     Defensively, the Twins did a great job in 2000, committing just 39 errors at home versus 53 on the road.  In opposing ballparks, the Twins committed 55 errors versus 62 for the opposition.

Who gets hurt: Right-handed hitters have a Infielders with a lack of range can have problems here, especially at shortstop and second base.  Cristian Guzman is a fine shortstop, but Jay Canizaro has limited range at second for this turf.

   Teams with a lack of defensive talent at the corners will make a high number of misplays, allowing the opposition to take extra bases and manufacture runs.

Location

Minneapolis, Minnesota: Left field (SW), Fourth Street South; third base (NW), 501 Chicago Avenue South; first base (NE), Sixth Street South; right field (SE), Tenth Avenue South.

Park Factors

Seating Chart

Dimensions

Left field: 344 ft (1982), 343 ft (1983)

Left-center: 385 ft

Center field: 407 ft (1982), 408 ft (1983)

Right-center: 367 ft

Right field: 327 ft

Backstop: 60 ft

Apex of dome: 186 ft

Foul territory: small.

Fun Facts

• Highest run factor in AL in 1999 and 2000

• Highest triple factor in AL in 2000

• Highest double factor in AL in 1999

• Second lowest error factor in AL in 2000

• Second lowest infield error factor in AL in 2000

• Second highest double factor in AL in 2000

• Second highest hit factor in AL in 1999

• On May 4, 1984, in the top of the fourth inning, Oakland A’s batter Dave Kingman hit a ball through the roof. It should have been a homer, but Kingman was only credited with a double.

• The right-field wall is 23 feet tall and covered with plastic.  Players call it "the Big Blue Baggy" and "Hefty Bag"; the plastic-coated fence hides 7,600 retractable seats that are used when the stadium is in its football configuration.