Goodbye Metrodome

This past weekend I had the chance to go to a Viking’s game with my father-in-law, my three children and my daughter’s boyfriend. The Vikings are having a lousy season and we live 7 hours away from the stadium but we wanted to go and see one last game inside the Metrodome before it gets torn down. (The Vikings are moving to new domed stadium in 2 years. In order to make room for the new dome the old one needs to torn down and the Vikings will play at the U of Minnesota the next two years.)

We have been season ticket holders for the Vikings for nearly 30 years. During that time we went to countless games and formed many memories. Like most things in life some of the memories are glorious, such as playoff wins and others heartbreaking, such as playoff loses. As we walked into the Dome and sat down I reflected on a lot of those memories. As the game went on I continued to reflect. It seems quite sappy but events from this Sunday’s games continually brought me to past memories.

When the Bears kicker lined up to kick a field goal I thought about Gary Andersen’s big miss against the Falcons. When a Bears defender got called for a horse collar tackle I recalled how on that exact spot Joey Browner broke the leg of a Bronco Running Back with the same type of tackle before horse collar tackles were illegal.

The Metrodome was built in the early 1980’s opening for the Twins in April of 1982. The cost of the project was $55 million. The Viking’s new home is set to cost $975 million (associated infrastructure cost will push the cost over $1 billion). The Metrodome is paid for.

Debt free.

I don’t intend to make this blog a debate on whether or not the Metrodome should be replaced or not. The Metrodome has it flaws and the Vikings think they either need a new home or they need to move to a new city. The votes have been cast and as of today the construction is underway on the new stadium.

The ship has sailed.

But one thing we can say looking back is that the Metrodome, at least by stadium standards, has served us well and has been a bargain. Hopefully in 30 years we can says the same thing about the new stadium.

To be thrifty is to use resources wisely. Looking back I think nearly everybody will agree that the Metrodome is a great example of thriftiness. It was used constantly for thousands of events throughout its history and serve long after it was paid for.

Goodbye Metrodome. Thanks for the memories.