Metropolitan Sports Center
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| Former names | Metropolitan Sports Center (1967–1982) |
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| Location | 7901 Cedar Avenue South Bloomington, Minnesota 55420 |
| Coordinates | 44°51′30″N 93°14′24″W / 44.85833°N 93.24000°WCoordinates: 44°51′30″N 93°14′24″W / 44.85833°N 93.24000°W |
| Owner | Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission |
| Operator | Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission |
| Capacity | 16,000 (basketball) 15,000 (ice hockey) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 3, 1966 |
| Opened | October 21, 1967 |
| Closed | April 13, 1993 |
| Demolished | December 13, 1994 |
| Construction cost |
$5.8 million ($41.7 million in 2016 dollars) |
| Architect | Pattee Architects, Inc. |
| Structural engineer | K.M. Clark Engineering Co. |
| Services engineer | Brush & Morrow |
| General contractor | Ernest W. Ganley Co., Inc. |
| Tenants | |
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Minnesota North Stars (NHL) (1967–1993) Minnesota Muskies (ABA) (1967–1968) Minnesota Pipers (ABA) (1968–1969) Minnesota Buckskins (WTT) (1974) Minnesota Fillies (WBL) (1978–1980) Minnesota Kicks (NASL) (1979–1981) Minnesota Strikers (MISL) (1984–1988) |
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The Met Center was an indoor arena that stood in Bloomington, Minnesota, United States, a suburb of Minneapolis. The arena, which was completed in 1967 by Minnesota Ice, just to the north of Metropolitan Stadium, seated 15,000. It was best known as the home of the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1967 to 1993. For its first 15 years, its official name was the Metropolitan Sports Center; the more familiar shorter name was adopted in 1982.
The Met's other tenants included the ABA's Minnesota Muskies, which played just one season before moving to Miami for the 1968-69 season. The league responded by moving the defending champion Pittsburgh Pipers to Bloomington, but the Pipers left to return to Pittsburgh after the season. The NASL's Minnesota Kicks played two indoor seasons at the Met from 1979 to 1981. The Minnesota Strikers of the Major Soccer League (MISL) played indoor soccer at the Met Center from 1984 to 1988. The Boys' High School Hockey Tournament was also held there from 1969 to 1975.
The arena also held entertainment-related shows, including the very first performance of Sesame Street Live in September 1980.
The Met Center was considered to be one of the finest arenas in the NHL for many years, both for its sightlines, and its ice surface. Among NHL players, the Met was known for fast ice, the best lighting, great locker rooms and training facilities. The Met never boasted fancy amenities, and by comparison to modern arenas it had cramped concourses, no luxury suites, and very few frills. As a sports facility, it could best be described as utilitarian, a theme which repeats itself in most Minnesota sports facilities built before 1988 (such as the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome).
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