After its debut post the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, the Gold Over America Tour has returned for its second edition. The previous edition featured only the women’s gymnastics team. However, this time the bronze medal-winning men’s team has joined them too. The results have been quite spectacular as the gymnasts have already put on a show at Oceanside, Arizona, LA, and other states.

Next on the stoop is Target Center in Minnesota after tonight’s performance at Denver’s Ball Arena. The Athleta-sponsored tour has been a true spectacle. The show blends traditional gymnastics with music, and visuals to tell the story of the Team USA Olympic medal-winning gymnastics squad. So here’s everything you need to know about the rich history of the arena set to host a one-of-a-kind tour.

Learn about Minnesota Timberwolves’ home: Target Center

Target Center opened its gates for the first time on October 13, 1990, becoming a home court for Minnesota’s own Timberwolves since day one. However, nine years after hosting home games of the NBA team, another basketball team was ready to call the arena their home. This time it was the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx.

Debuting in 1999, the Lynx have built their legacy as four-time WNBA and six-time conference champions, with Target Center as their backbone. Located in downtown Minnesota, the Target Center houses 19,536 basketball fans under one roof. Speaking of roofs, the Arena inside the 831,533 sq. ft. stadium complex became the first to install a ‘Green Roof’ in 2009.

However, that’s far from the only special feature of the arena. It’s only one of two venues in the entire nation with a movable floor. According to arena managers, ASM Global, the floor can rise or fall by 5 feet in just 25 minutes. Beneath that floor lies the sprawling 160,000 sq. ft Life Time – Target Center Arena Club. Will the show starring Simone Biles take advantage of this movable floor? Well, you’ll have to wait until September 27 to find out.

Despite these state-of-the-art additions to the prestigious venue, the Target Arena began to need a makeover in 2017. The massive $145 million project was a collaboration between home teams, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Lynx, the City of Minneapolis, and AEG Facilities. The renovation modernized the outdated 1990s design, bringing Target Center into the 21st century.

The extensive renovation vastly improved the versatility of the prestigious and capable arena. This versatility is why Gold Over America chose to bring Simone Biles & Co.’s electric performance to downtown Minneapolis. There’s never been anything quite like the Gold Over America Tour. Yet this is far from the first time the arena is set to host a musical event.

Target Center’s highlight events besides Simone Biles’ Gold Over America Tour

“35 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have played Target Center in its history – including Minnesota music legends Prince and Bob Dylan,” reveals the Target Center website. The arena started moonlighting at the concert venue shortly after opening its doors to NBA fans.

In fact, despite generating a footfall of early a million fans each year, neither the Timberwolves nor the Lynx hold the attendance record in Target Center. Instead, that record belongs to the Irish rock band U2. 20,200 rock music fans packed the stadium to the brim to watch U2 perform live in 2005. However, Target Center has hosted several other landmark concerts.

Nearly two decades ahead of the upcoming performance by Simone Biles, and others, Hole band’s frontwoman Courtney Love, performed at Target Center on November 30, 1994. The Center came just months after Kurt Cobain’s untimely passing on April 5, 1994. Fast-forward to 2013, four generations of rap artists came together for one night at Target Center.

LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Public Enemy, and De La Soul brought their signature rap styles under one roof. The rap concert kicked off a three-year high for concerts at the Arena. Two-time Grammy Award winner Garth Brooks graced the venue in 2014. The late King of Pop, Michael Jackson’s sister, Janet Jackson, followed suit in 2015. Additionally, Target Center has also hosted combat sports events, specifically three UFC events.

Debuting with UFC 87 in 2008, the last event at Target Center, UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. dos Santos, happened in 2019. Heavyweight Francis Ngannou gave fans a highlight reel finish, knocking out dos Santos in round one. Now it’s time for gymnastics icons, Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard, and many more to take over the arena.

Do you think the GOAT will set a new attendance benchmark at Target Center? Write your thoughts in the comments.