Metropolitan Stadium (Bloomington, Minnesota)

Construction and design

Opened in 1956, the stadium started as a baseball park designed to host the long‑running Minneapolis Millers, a prominent minor‑league club. The facility reflected mid‑20th‑century practical design: uncovered grandstands, simple sightlines oriented toward the infield, and a natural grass playing surface. When the ballpark was enlarged in 1961 to accommodate major‑league play, additional seating and facilities were added. The layout was adapted to serve both baseball and football, a common compromise at the time that required seasonal conversion between configurations.

Teams and primary use

The stadium was home to the Minneapolis Millers until the arrival of major‑league baseball. In 1961 the relocated Washington franchise began play as the Minnesota Twins, and the stadium also became the first home of the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings that same year. Regular‑season baseball and football games were the venue's primary use, supplemented by spring exhibitions, minor‑league contests and community events.

Notable events and atmosphere

Fans remember the Old Met for its open skies, close proximity of seating to the field, and seasonal character: baseball in the spring and summer, football in the fall. The stadium witnessed early milestones in the histories of the Twins and Vikings and hosted many memorable regular‑season games and promotional events. Beyond sports, the facility occasionally accommodated civic gatherings and other large events typical for regional stadiums of its era.

Access, transportation and community role

Located in Bloomington near major roadways, the stadium was part of a suburban expansion of sports facilities during the postwar decades. Parking, bus access and regional traffic patterns shaped how fans attended games and how the stadium fit into the broader community infrastructure. It served as a focal point for Twin Cities professional sports before the development of larger, more modern venues.

Decline, replacement and demolition

By the late 1970s and early 1980s, expectations for indoor comfort, year‑round scheduling and modern amenities led teams and local officials to pursue an enclosed replacement. The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome opened for the 1982 season, and Metropolitan Stadium was taken out of professional use soon after. The older structure was dismantled in the mid‑1980s and the site was redeveloped.

Redevelopment and commemoration

The former stadium site became the location of the Mall of America, which opened later as a major retail and entertainment complex. A small commemorative marker in the shape of a home plate on the mall's ground floor marks where the Old Met's home base once stood, preserving a tangible reminder of the site's sporting past. Interpretive materials and local histories also recall the stadium's role in the region's cultural life.

Legacy

Although the physical structure no longer exists, the name Metropolitan Stadium and the nickname "Old Met" remain in local memory and historical accounts. The venue is often cited as an example of mid‑century multiuse stadium design and of the transitional period when cities adapted existing ballparks to accommodate both baseball and football. For further information about its teams and history, consult stadium overviews and regional histories: stadium overview, the city of Bloomington, the Minneapolis Millers, material on the Minnesota Twins, the Minnesota Vikings, and retrospective coverage of the move to the major league era. Archival photographs, oral histories and local collections preserve fan experiences and game‑day records for researchers and enthusiasts.

• Opened: 1956, originally for minor‑league baseball.
• Expanded in the early 1960s to host major‑league baseball and professional football.
• Replaced by the Metrodome in 1982; demolished in the mid‑1980s.
• Site redeveloped as the Mall of America; commemorative home‑plate marker remains.