The 32-year-old Metrodome is dying a slow and painful death. What was once home to more than 300 events a year, "The Dome" as Minnesotans called it, is on its way to becoming nothing more than a pile of rubble. The stadium is coming down in pieces as the Vikings build their new stadium on the same site.
First, the roof was deflated and major pieces of the stadium were removed. Over the weekend, explosives took down the "ring beam" around the stadium. Take a look:
Okay, so The Dome wasn't the greatest stadium on Earth, but it is the only venue ever to host a Super Bowl, World Series, MLB All-Star Game and the NCAA Final Four. Not to mention, it was the only professional stadium in the United States that did not rely on a continuing tax subsidy to finance operations, maintenance or debt payments.
The new Vikings stadium will open in time for the 2016 season. In the meantime, the Vikings will play in the University of Minnesota's TCF Bank Stadium.
