Metropolitan Stadium: The Birthplace of Major League Sports in Minnesota
For a quarter century, Metropolitan Stadium—affectionately known as “The Met”—stood as one of the most important sports venues in Minnesota history. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, just south of Minneapolis, the stadium became the heart of professional sports in the Twin Cities from the late 1950s through the early 1980s. Today, the site where cheering crowds once filled the stands is home to one of the largest shopping complexes in the United States—the Mall of America—but the memories of the Met still live on among sports fans.
From Cornfield to Major League Stadium
Metropolitan Stadium opened on April 24, 1956, after construction began the previous year on farmland purchased to help attract major league sports to Minnesota. Initially built for the Minneapolis Millers, a minor league baseball team, the stadium quickly became part of a larger plan to bring big-league teams to the region.
That vision became reality in 1961, when two franchises moved in:
Minnesota Twins (MLB)
Minnesota Vikings (NFL)
Both teams would call the Met home for the next 21 seasons, turning the stadium into Minnesota’s primary sports stage during the 1960s and 1970s.
A Multi-Sport Hub
While baseball and football defined the stadium, Metropolitan Stadium hosted a variety of events over the years. The Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League played there from 1976 to 1981, and the venue occasionally hosted concerts and special sporting events.
Some of the stadium’s most memorable moments included:
The 1965 World Series, where the Minnesota Twins faced the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The 1969 NFL Championship Game, which the Vikings won on their way to Super Bowl IV.
Legendary performances by players like Harmon Killebrew, whose famous 520-foot home run in 1967 became one of the longest in stadium history.
At its peak, the Met could hold over 45,000 baseball fans and nearly 50,000 for football games, making it one of the largest outdoor stadiums in the region at the time.
The End of an Era
By the late 1970s, the aging outdoor stadium no longer met the needs of Minnesota’s professional teams. Harsh winters and outdated facilities pushed the Twins and Vikings to seek a modern indoor venue.
In 1981, both teams played their final seasons at Metropolitan Stadium before moving to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. After several years sitting empty, the stadium was demolished in 1985.
The Site Today
The location of the old stadium was eventually redeveloped into the Mall of America, which opened in 1992. Even though the stadium is gone, small reminders remain inside the mall. A plaque marks the exact location of home plate, and a red seat on a wall commemorates where Harmon Killebrew’s historic home run landed.
A Lasting Legacy
Metropolitan Stadium may no longer stand, but its legacy continues in Minnesota sports history. It was the place where the state welcomed major league baseball and football, hosted championship games, and built generations of passionate fans.
For many Minnesotans, the Met represents more than just a stadium—it symbolizes the moment when the Twin Cities truly arrived on the national sports stage.
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