U.S. Bank Stadium marks a new chapter in stadium history

U.S. Bank Stadium will celebrate its grand opening just over a month from Wednesday.

It's hard to miss the stadium as you drive into Minneapolis. It's already carved out a prominent spot in the city's skyline.

People seem to have mixed reviews of the design. For some, the massive structure is an example of how culturally important stadiums have become and how eager we are to build the next best thing.

But places to watch sports have always played an important role in public life here in the Twin Cities.

MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Kristin Anderson, who's spent a long time researching this history. She's a professor at Augsburg College and is working on a book on sports facilities in the area.