Target Center

Target Center
Location	600 First Avenue North Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403-1416
Coordinates	44°58′46″N 93°16′34″W
Broke ground	July 12, 1988
Opened	October 13, 1990 (underwent major renovations in 2004)
Owner	City of Minneapolis
Operator	Midwest Entertainment Group
Surface	Multi-surface
Construction cost	$104 million USD ($175 million in 2012 dollars)
Architect	KMR Architects
Project Manager	M.A. Mortenson Company
Structural engineer	Ericksen Roed and Associates, Inc.
General Contractor	Ames Construction
Capacity	Basketball: 19,356 Original capacity: 19,006 Ice hockey / Arena football: 17,500 Center-stage concerts: 20,500 End-stage concerts: 13,000–18,600 Wrestling: 15,500 End-stage wrestling: 18,500
Website	http://www.targetcenter.com/
Tenants
Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA) (1990–present) Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) (1999–present) Minnesota Fighting Pike (AFL) (1996) Minnesota Arctic Blast (RHI) (1994–1996) Minnesota Valkyrie (LFL) (2011–present) Minnesota Devils (Kids National Basketball Association) (2010-2011)

The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites.

The center is home to the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx and the LFL's Minnesota Valkyrie. The facility has also hosted RHI and Arena Football League teams in the past.

History

The interior before a Timberwolves game

The Timberwolves originally built and owned the arena in 1990. The City of Minneapolis purchased the arena in 1995, although management has changed hands a few times. The management was changed in May 2004 from Clear Channel Entertainment to Midwest Entertainment Group, a joint venture of the Timberwolves and Nederlander Concerts.

On May 2, 2007 AEG Facilities assumed the Management contract of Target Center. The city of Minneapolis owns the arena and AEG Facilities manages day to day operations.

In 2004, Target Center underwent a major renovation that saw the replacement of all 19,006 of its original seats plus the addition of nearly 1,500 new seats as well as the reconfiguration of the lower bowl to make the arena more fan-friendly.^{[citation needed]} In addition the arena's original scoreboard was replaced with a new state-of-the-art 9-by-16 foot video screen and state-of-the-art LED signage, LED signage on the upper deck fascia, a new luxury lounge (Club Cambria) and improved access for fans with disabilities.

The arena has been host to several professional wrestling events including several episodes of WCW Monday Nitro and numerous WWE shows. One memorable episode of Nitro took place on October 19, 1998, where local sport legends John Randle and Kirby Puckett alongside Minnesota native Ric Flair chased WCW president Eric Bischoff out of the building. On May 22, 2005, WWE hosted the seventh annual Judgement Day pay-per-view event. As well as many other WWE events like the Eddie Guerrero tribute show. On October 24, 2010 the Target Center hosted the second annual and final Bragging Rights event. The arena also hosted SummerSlam 1999, as well as the July 19, 2011 episode of Friday Night SmackDown set to air on July 22, 2011.

The Professional Bull Riders held a Built Ford Tough Series event at Target Center during the 2003 and 2006 seasons.

Target Center was once one of three NBA arenas with parquet floors, including TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, and Amway Arena (later Amway Center) in Orlando--the floor was replaced prior to the 2008 NBA season. It hosted the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, the 1995 NCAA Women's Final Four and the 2000 NBA Draft.

The Target Center held the memorable UFC championship UFC 87: Seek and Destroy in August 2008, which featured the Welterweight title match where Georges St-Pierre defeated Jon Fitch.

The Target Center recently hosted one of its most successful events of the year with the Winter Wonder Slam Tour which featured Skillet, tobyMac, and Shonlock. Despite the economic downfall in the Rock industry, especially for concerts, Skillet sold out The Target Center; in the midst of a snowstorm.

The Target Center hosted the Rally for the Republic convention organized by the Campaign for Liberty, a movement founded by Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who ran an unsuccessful bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Among the attendees of the convention included former Governor of Minnesota Jesse Ventura, Barry Goldwater, Jr., and former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson.

The Target Center is the first arena to have a green roof. It was unveiled on September 15, 2009.

In February 2011, the Timberwolves and the city of Minneapolis introduced a $155 million proposal to remodel the Target Center. Plans include shifting the main entrance to the corner of 6th Street and First Avenue, two large glass atriums, another restaurant, and a complete remodel of the interior.

Target extended it naming rights agreement through 2014 [1] in September 2011.

Notable Concert Tours

Page & Plant 1995. Neil Young & Crazy Horse 1996. Pearl Jam 1998. Roger Waters 1999. Phil Lesh & Friends 2000. U2 2001 and 2005. Rage against the machine 2008. Britney Spears performed a sold-out concert on April 3, 2009, as apart of her 2009 tour, The Circus Starring Britney Spears

Target Center has faced competition for concert tours since 2000, when the Xcel Energy Center opened in nearby Saint Paul, MN.

The Target Center hosting a Rage Against the Machine concert.

U.S. Bank Theater

Target Center can convert into a 2,500-to-7,500-seat theater known as the U.S. Bank Theater. The Theater contains a moveable floor-to-ceiling curtain system that allows the venue to be transformed based on specific show needs. In addition to concerts, the U.S. Bank Theater can also be used for family and Broadway shows.

Transportation and location

Target Center is a block away from the Warehouse District/Hennepin Avenue station of the Hiawatha Line. The arena is also across the street from the well-known Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue and an entertainment complex known as Block E. In addition, Target Field, the new Minnesota Twins stadium is located just across the street from Target Center, and shares the public parking that Target Center uses.

Events and tenants
Preceded by Metrodome	Home of the Minnesota Timberwolves 1990 – present	Succeeded by current
Preceded by first arena	Home of the Minnesota Lynx 1999 – present	Succeeded by current
Preceded by first arena	Home of the Minnesota Fighting Pike 1996	Succeeded by last arena
Preceded by Delta Center	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1994	Succeeded by America West Arena
Preceded by Madison Square Garden	Host of SummerSlam 1999	Succeeded by Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena
Preceded by Mellon Arena	Host of WWE Bragging Rights 2010	Succeeded by final

External links

• Official website
• Target Center Renovation, Official by the Target Center.