Construction on the Metrodome began on December 20, 1979 and was funded by the state of Minnesota. The dome is air-inflated and requires 250,000 ft³/min (120 m³/s) of air to keep it inflated. Three times in the stadium's history, heavy snows have caused a small puncture in the roof and caused it to deflate. Varying air pressure due to a severe storm also contributed to a dramatic deflation once during a game.
The Metrodome is both beloved and reviled by Twins fans, as the Twins have won both of their World Series championships in its friendly confines (and winning both Series by winning all four games held at the Dome), but its sightlines are designed for football, not for baseball, and the way many seats are situated forces fans to crane their necks to see home plate. Because it was designed for football, the Metrodome has severe disadvantages as a baseball venue. Neither the main nor the upper concourse has visibility to the field, meaning fans risk missing play whenever they leave for the concession stands. The Dome's sight lines tend to be poor, with nearly 1,400 seats having obscured or partial visibility to the playing field. Fans of all three of its major tenants note and revile the complete lack of natural lighting, the Dome's processed air and cramped seating arrangements.
The Metrodome is nearing the end of its useful lifespan. The Twins, the Vikings and the Gophers have all proposed replacements for the Metrodome, of which the proposed Twins ballpark is closest to fruition as of 2004. It is likely that one or more of these proposed replacements will open by 2010.
The Metrodome is located near the junction of Interstate 94 and Interstate 35W, and many fans come by car. A new option as of 2004 is the Downtown East/Metrodome station on the light railHiawatha Line. Many people also come by bus, whether on a charter or on the regular regional bus system. A shuttle from the University of Minnesota is available when the Gophers play games at the dome.
Tailgating has often been a popular pre-game activity for football fans, and many nearby parking lots have been available in the past for people who want to start early. However, in recent years, new development in the downtown region of Minneapolis has meant that these parking lots have begun to disappear. In 2004, some new options had to be considered for fans. The eventual result was setting up a new tailgating site quite a distance away, but with shuttle bus service provided.
