TCF Bank Stadium TCF Bank Stadium , sometimes referred to as either " The Bank " or " The Gopher Hole , " is the football stadium for the Minnesota Golden Gophers college football team at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis , Minnesota . The 50 , 805 seat on - campus " horseshoe " style stadium is designed to support future expansion to seat up to 80 , 000 people , and it cost $ 303 . 3 million to build . TCF Bank Stadium is the first of three spectator sport s stadiums that either have been built or are being developed for the major tenants of the Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome – the Gophers and two professional teams , the Minnesota Twins baseball and Minnesota Vikings football teams . Served by existing and under construction light rail , the three stadiums are located within a radius loosely centered at the Guthrie Theater on the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis . History . TCF Bank is the third on - campus stadium and fourth stadium used for University of Minnesota football . Previous fields have been Northrop Field , Memorial Stadium , and Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome . Location . The TCF Bank Stadium site is located on the northeast side of the Minneapolis campus , near the site of the former Memorial Stadium . The stadium ' s site had been the location of the Huron Boulevard Parking Complex , where the university ' s four largest parking lots were located . The address is 2009 University Ave S . E . The stadium is part of a 75 - acre ( . 3 km² ) expansion of the Twin Cities campus , the largest since the West Bank was built in the 1960s . Current plans for the area call for the construction of as many as ten new academic buildings by 2015 . The proposed Central Corridor light rail transit line is expected to run near the stadium , with a station in Stadium Village serving the facility . Construction of the Central Corridor is scheduled to begin in 2010 and be completed by 2014 . An environmental impact assessment of the stadium site was conducted by the university between December 2004 and March 2006 at a cost of $ 1 . 5 million . The results were approved by the Board of Regents on March 27 , 2006 . Design . TCF Bank Stadium is a horseshoe - style stadium which organizers said would have a " traditional collegiate look and feel " . The first phase of the construction includes approximately 50 , 805 seats , with the design able to support future expansion of up to 80 , 000 seats . There are 39 suites , 59 loge boxes , and 300 indoor club seats . On December 7 , 2006 , the university announced that the stadium ' s field would be laid out in an east - west configuration , with the open end of the stadium facing campus . This layout , similar to that of Memorial Stadium , provides a view of downtown Minneapolis . The scoreboard for the stadium was designed and built by Daktronics at a cost of $ 9 million . At high by wide , the HD - X light - emitting diode ( LED ) video display technology scoreboard is the third largest in college football - only stadiums . The new stadium also incorporates a tribute to the university ' s veterans . On September 17 , 2009 , the University of Minnesota announced that TCF Bank Stadium was awarded Silver Certification , the first college or professional football stadium to achieve LEED certification . Stadium proposal . The push for a new on - campus stadium for the Golden Gopher football team began in the fall of 2000 . The university cited poor revenue and lack of a college football atmosphere at the off - campus Hubert H . Humphrey Metrodome as their main reasons for wanting to move back on campus . A plan for a joint Minnesota Vikings / University of Minnesota football stadium was proposed in 2002 , but differences over how the stadium would be designed and managed , as well as state budget constraints , led to the plan ' s failure . In September 2003 a highly publicized attempt was made by T . Denny Sanford to be the lead donor for the project , but in early 2004 the plan fell through when the two parties were unable to come to an agreement on the financial terms . The university unveiled preliminary stadium drawings and a general plan to seek state money and donations in December 2003 . On March 24 , 2005 , the university and TCF Bank announced a deal that would have the bank contribute $ 35 million towards the project which would give them naming rights . The deal was given an expiration date of December 31 , 2005 ; time enough for the Minnesota Legislature to provide the bulk of funding needed to make the project a reality . During the remainder of 2005 the university concentrated on drafting a stadium proposal that would draw the support of state politicians . The final plan proposed that the state of Minnesota would contribute 40 % of the stadium cost while the university would raise the remaining 60 % on its own . Portions of that 60 % were to be funded by the TCF naming rights , while the remainder would come from a $ 50 per semester student fee , private donations , the sale of 2 , 840 acres ( 11 . 5 km² ) of university land in rural Dakota County back to the state , and game day parking revenue . Even though the university proposal drew widespread legislative support , the stadium effort suffered a setback when the 2005 legislative session ended before the stadium bill could be heard . Late in 2005 when it became evident that this would happen , the university and TCF Bank announced that it had extended the naming rights deal to June 30 , 2006 . Despite the 2005 session having ended with the bill not coming to a vote , the stadium effort did not lose momentum in the legislature and was introduced quickly in the 2006 session . On April 6 , 2006 , the Minnesota House of Representatives passed the stadium bill on a 103 – 30 vote . The house bill was nearly identical to what the university was proposing and had full university support . However on May 9 , 2006 , the Minnesota Senate passed a radically different version of the bill on a 34 – 32 vote . The Senate version would have removed the TCF naming rights deal , the student fees , and the purchase of the university owned land . The proposed funding that was removed was to be replaced with a state wide tax on sports memorabilia . It also would have required the stadium to be named Veterans Memorial Stadium ( which would be similar to the previous on - campus football stadium Memorial Stadium , which was last used in 1981 and then demolished in 1992 ) . Governor Tim Pawlenty stated he supported the House version . He signed the TCF Bank Stadium bill in May 2006 at the University of Minnesota McNamara Alumni Center . Legislative approval 2006 . Even though the differences between the House and Senate bills were major , the details were ironed out and approved on May 19 , in a House – Senate conference committee . The TCF Bank naming rights and land sale remained in the bill , as did a scaled down $ 25 per year student fee . The tax on sports memorabilia as well as the Veterans Memorial Stadium name were voted out . The committee also voted to increase the state contribution to the project to compensate for the smaller student fees . The compromise bill was then approved by both the full house and senate on May 20 , and was signed by Governor Tim Pawlenty on May 24 . Funding . The stadium ' s cost totals $ 288 . 5 million of which the university will pay 52 percent and the state of Minnesota the remaining 48 percent . Including interest the state ' s cost is about $ 10 million per year or about $ 1 . 7 million per game for 25 years . About $ 50 million of the state ' s portion goes to the purchase of 2 , 840 acres ( 11 . 5 km² ) of undeveloped university land , part of the Rosemount Research Center in Dakota County , over 25 years by the state of Minnesota who will assume responsibility for risks if the site requires environmental cleanup . The university retains its right to use the land for its " research , education and engagement mission " in perpetuity . The university ' s share is $ 111 million or 52 percent . TCF Financial Corporation of Wayzata , Minnesota is contributing $ 35 million over 25 years in exchange for the " TCF Bank " naming rights and other agreements . The university projected earnings of $ 2 . 5 million per year or $ 96 million over the life of agreements with TCF that will include marketing debit cards to alumni and ticketholders . If unable to fulfill its contractual obligations , TCF Financial Corporation must propose an alternate name subject to the approval of the university . Other corporate donations have been pledged as well , including Best Buy ( $ 3 million ) , Dairy Queen ( $ 2 . 5 million ) , Target Corporation ( $ 2 million ) , Federated Insurance , General Mills , and Norwest Equity Partners . The university is also accepting donations from individuals . Initially donations were only being sought from " high - end " donors ( those contributing $ 100 , 000 or more ) , but in June 2008 the university expanded the fundraising effort to gather smaller donations as well . On May 21 , 2009 , the University announced they had received a $ 6 million donation from T . Denny Sanford , meaning the university had achieved its goal of $ 86 million in private fund raising . The remainder of the university ' s portion will come from a $ 12 . 50 per semester student fee ( $ 25 per year ) and game day parking revenue . Even though the cost of building TCF Bank Stadium originated at $ 248 . 7 million , changes in the construction planning raised the cost to $ 288 . 5 million . The university has vowed that even if the stadium cost rises again , it will not seek more money from the state nor increase the student fees any further . The University has been charging all U of M students a mandatory Stadium Fee of $ 12 . 50 every semester since planning for the project began , and is continuing this fee despite the stadium being finished . The cost of the stadium was $ 288 . 5 million of which the university had to pay 52 percent , and with an average of more than 50 , 000 students in a given year , in one semester the university makes more than $ 625 , 000 from the stadium fee , meaning they receive more than $ 6 . 25 million every 5 years from students . While $ 12 . 50 may not seem like much , it means that the university has forced every student to fund the TCF Stadium , despite the fact that many students were vehemently opposed to its construction . Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux donations . The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community ( SMSC ) agreed to donate $ 10 million for stadium construction , the largest gift Gopher athletics has ever received . The university matched an additional $ 2 . 5 million to create a $ 5 million endowment for scholarships for Native American and low - income students . The hospitality plaza on the stadium ' s west side and the scholarship were named to honor the community , and the plaza designed to " . . . celebrate the history , presence , and cultural contributions of all eleven Native American tribes in Minnesota " . The University received an additional $ 2 million from the SMSC for construction of the plaza in 2009 . Construction . On June 8 , 2006 , the university announced that it had selected Populous ( then known as HOK Sport Venue Event ) to design TCF Bank stadium . HOK Architects was one of the three finalists , along with HNTB Architects and Crawford Architects , that made presentations to the university on May 24 , 2006 . The local firm that worked on the project was Minneapolis - based " Architectural Alliance " , and " M . A . Mortenson Company " was the general contractor . Schematic designs of the stadium were presented to the public on January 3 , 2007 . Infrastructure work at the stadium site began in late June 2006 , and a ceremonial groundbreaking took place at the stadium site on September 30 , 2006 . The beginning of construction on the stadium itself along with the unveiling of the stadium ' s logo took place on July 11 , 2007 . Site preparation and foundation work continued through the summer and fall of 2007 . More than 8 , 800 tons of steel that make up the stadium ' s skeleton was put in place between January 28 , 2007 – June 28 , 2008 . Expansion . The T . Denny Sanford Hall of Fame was opened in Fall of 2010 , located on the Southwest end of the stadium next to Goldy ' s Locker Room . This hall of fame is not football specific , rather encompassing all of the University of Minnesota ' s athletic programs . It housed Floyd the pig after the win against Iowa in the 2010 football season . Alcohol controversy . University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks originally planned to have the school apply for a state liquor license in order to serve beer and wine in limited areas of the stadium . Under his proposal , alcohol would have been available only to occupants of premium season ticket seats ranging in price from $ 1 , 800 to $ 45 , 000 a year . This is / was consistent with the University ' s long - held alcohol policy at other on - campus athletic venues , such as Williams Arena and Mariucci Arena . This is also consistent with other NCAA institutions ( including all other Big Ten Conference teams except for the University of Michigan ) with on campus stadiums . No Big Ten stadiums serve alcohol in their general seating . In May 2009 , the Minnesota legislature passed a law that states that no alcohol may be served or sold anywhere in the stadium , including in suites and premium boxes , unless all ticketholders 21 or older in the stadium can buy alcohol at a game . The University of Minnesota regents voted on June 24 , 2009 , on Bruininks ' subsequent proposal to ban alcohol entirely at campus athletic events ( and also ban it in Mariucci and Williams arenas ) , which passed 10 – 2 . In May 2010 , the legislature passed a law saying that alcohol could be served in premium seating if it was also available in one - third of the general seats . Bruininks declined to ask the board of regents to make this compromise . Dan Wolter , a spokesman for the university , said , " We recognize and understand that underage drinking is a big problem in our society as a whole so that is a stand that the University wanted to take . " On July 11 , 2012 , the University of Minnesota regents voted to allow beer sales at the stadium starting in Fall of 2012 . Other uses . While TCF Bank Stadium is the game day venue of the Golden Gophers football team , the stadium will also provide the University with several other uses . The stadium replaced Northrop Auditorium as the home of the University of Minnesota Marching Band , providing the band with new storage , rehearsal , and locker facilities . The university also expects to use the stadium for intramural sports , career fairs , and graduation ceremonies . University officials have also suggested that the stadium could be used to host outdoor hockey games , such as the annual NHL Winter Classic . In November 2009 , it was announced that the U2 360° Tour would be the first concert performance in the stadium on June 27 , 2010 . However , a majority of the 2010 U2 concert tour was postponed after U2 frontman Bono underwent emergency back surgery , and has been rescheduled for July 23 , 2011 after having been pushed back an additional week by the 2011 Drum Corps International Minnesota event . Other non - university uses for the stadium have been discussed as well . Minnesota State High School League state tournaments , concerts , and marching band competitions have all been considered . The stadium is currently home to the Drum Corps International Minnesota event , taking place in mid July each year since 2010 . TCF Bank Stadium was evaluated as a potential venue for a bid by the United States to host the 2018 or 2022 FIFA World Cup . In addition , TCF Bank Stadium was planned as a preliminary soccer venue in the Chicago bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics . Due to a collapse of the Metrodome ' s roof , the Minnesota Vikings ' Monday Night Football game against the Chicago Bears was held at the stadium on December 20 , 2010 , which was the Vikings ' first outdoor home game since exactly 29 years before when Metropolitan Stadium was closed . The game ended with the Bears defeating the Vikings , 40 - 14 . With the win , the Bears won the NFC North title and Devin Hester broke the kickoff return for touchdown record . This was Brett Favre ' s last game in the NFL after he sustained a concussion from being hit by Corey Wootton . The Vikings will play the 2015 NFL season in TCF Bank Stadium during construction of the new Vikings Stadium , which will require the eventual demolition of the Metrodome . The Vikings will reportedly pay $ 2 million for upkeep costs for that season . Since 2010 , the stadium has been home to DCI ( Drum Corps International ) Minnesota , the largest outdoor drum and bugle corps competition in North America .