Target Field. Photo by HOK

Target Field became the new home of the Minnesota Twins in April 2010. It’s an outdoor ballpark located blocks north of Downtown Minneapolis, and seats about 39,500.

The first push for a new Twins ballpark began back in 1994. It was led by Twins owner Carl Pohlad, Jerry Bell – the team’s president, and Bob Starkey – the Twins Financial adviser. The Twins home at that time, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, was not providing enough of a revenue stream to support the team on a long term basis.

There was much opposition to a publicly funded ballpark beginning in 1997, and as a result, the Twins organization responded with threats to sell the team, move the team or even eliminate the team altogether through a contraction arrangement made possible by MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. In 2002, the Twins decided to switch gears, and instead spent their time focused on a plan that would keep the team in Minnesota.

There were dozens of plans presented to finance the new ballpark, but most required financing at the state level, which the public opposed. In 2006, a plan that included a local county tax, along with private funds from the Twins was agreed upon and final arrangements to build the ballpark were complete. Groundbreaking for the new ballpark occurred on Aug. 30, 2007 and the Twins played their first home opener in their new ballpark on April 12, 2010. They won that first game by defeating the Boston Red Sox 5-2.

Construction costs for Target Field totaled about $425 million dollars. Hennepin County contributed about $350 million (including infrastructure costs). The Twins organization contributed about $185 million dollars. Target Corporation paid an undisclosed sum for a 25 year, naming rights agreement. Target also kicked in about another $4.5 million dollars for improvements to “Target Plaza”, a public space at the park. The team expects to generate an additional $40 million a year or more in revenue than they did at the Metrodome. (source: Twin Cities Business)

The ballpark was designed by the architectural firm Populous (formerly known as HOK Sport). Populous is a “global design practice specializing in creating environments that draw people and communities together for unforgettable experiences.”

Prior to 2010 the Twins played their major league baseball games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis (in 1983-2009), and Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN (in 1961-1982).

MN Twins Ballparks Target Field (2010 +) Metrodome (1982-2009) Met Stadium (1961-1981)
Location Minneapolis, MN Minneapolis, MN Bloomington, MN
Left Field 339′ 343′ 343′
Center Field 404′ 408′ 402′
Right Field 328 325′ 330′
Seating Cap. 39,500 56,144 45,919

Target Field Awards and Recognition

Target Field has been the recipient of a number of awards since it’s opening. These include:

Target Field Fun Facts

View playing field from any section in the ball park (simultion – may be slight delay with page display).
View time-lapsed webcam (recorded) showing one year of construction of the Minnesota Twins’ new stadium.