Published 2 days ago • loading... • Updated 2 days ago

Exactly 15 Years Later, Vikings Share Memories of Metrodome Collapse

On Dec. 12, 2010, the Metrodome's roof buckled and burst about 5 a.m., forcing the Minnesota Vikings to move their home game to Ford Field, Detroit.
A weekend blizzard dumped 17 inches of snow faster than the short-staffed facilities crew could clear, while road conditions kept some personnel from reporting, Pete Eisenschenk said.
Facilities personnel tried multiple measures—pressure, heat and direct hosing—before the roof sagged, increasing internal air pressure, pumping 140-degree air and using 105-degree water via firehoses.
Policy makers and stadium proponents responded by accelerating replacement plans after advocates for a new downtown Minneapolis stadium seized the collapse as proof, helping the replacement campaign win state Legislature approval and paving the way for U.S. Bank Stadium.
Fifteen years on, locals still remember the spectacle as no current Vikings roster player was present and it preceded Brett Favre, Hall of Fame quarterback's final Monday Night Football appearance.

Insights by Ground AI

16 Articles

Metrodome roof collapsed under 17 inches of snow 15 years ago

When the sun rose over Minneapolis on Dec. 12, 2010, something was missing from the city’s skyline: the white Teflon bubble of the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. A weekend blizzard had dumped a whopping 17 inches of snow on the dome faster than the short-staffed facilities crew could hose off its 10 acres of surface area with hot water. The roof buckled overnight before finally bursting about 5 a.m., sending chunks of snow and ice tumbling onto t…

2 days ago·Saint Paul, United States

Read Full Article

Think freely.Subscribe and get full access to Ground NewsSubscriptions start at $9.99/year