Huntington Bank Stadium rises on the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus as the on-campus home of Golden Gophers football. Opened on September 12, 2009, it was the first new stadium built in the Big Ten Conference since 1960, ending the Gophers’ long run inside the Metrodome and returning the team to an open-air, campus-centered game-day experience.
Designed by Populous with Architectural Alliance and Studio Hive, the horseshoe-shaped venue cost roughly $303 million to build and was laid out on an east-west axis so fans and players avoid facing directly into the sun. Originally named TCF Bank Stadium, it took its current name in June 2021 after Huntington Bancshares acquired TCF Financial Corporation.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Minnesota Golden Gophers football (NCAA, Big Ten)
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Opened: September 12, 2009
- Capacity: 50,805 (expandable to about 80,000)
- Construction cost: about $303 million
- Architect: Populous, with Architectural Alliance and Studio Hive
- Notable fact: First new Big Ten football stadium since 1960
The Game-Day Experience
The stadium’s open horseshoe design leaves one end zone exposed, framing views of the Minneapolis skyline beyond the field. A 48-by-108-foot video board, one of the largest in college football when it debuted, anchors the closed end, while the FieldTurf playing surface and tight sightlines keep the atmosphere loud and close to the action for all 50,805 seats.
Beyond Gophers football, the venue has hosted the Minnesota Vikings for two NFL seasons (2014-2015) while U.S. Bank Stadium was under construction, and Minnesota United FC’s MLS debut matches in 2017-2018, giving it a run as Minneapolis’s temporary home for three different pro and college tenants.
Sustainable, Record-Setting Build
When it opened, the stadium became the first LEED-certified college football venue in the country, built with steel that was about 97% recycled content. It also set the tone for its own records: the largest crowd on file is 54,147, packed in on September 3, 2015, for a game against TCU.
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Huntington Bank Stadium FAQs
Why was TCF Bank Stadium renamed?
The stadium was renamed Huntington Bank Stadium in June 2021 after Huntington Bancshares acquired TCF Financial Corporation, which had held the original naming rights since the stadium opened in 2009.
What is the capacity of Huntington Bank Stadium?
It seats 50,805 fans, though the structure was engineered so it could be expanded to roughly 80,000 seats in the future.
Has an NFL team ever played at Huntington Bank Stadium?
Yes. The Minnesota Vikings played their 2014 and 2015 home games there while U.S. Bank Stadium was being built in downtown Minneapolis.
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Photo: Lectrician2 / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.