PROPOSED TWINS BALLPARK

Minneapolis, Minnesota Tenant: Minnesota Twins (AL) Opening: April 2010 Groundbreaking: August 30, 2007 Style: Open air Surface: Grass Capacity: 40,000 (baseball only)

Architect: HOK Sport (Kansas City) and Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Inc. (Minneapolis) Construction: M.A. Mortenson Co. (Minneapolis) Owner: Minnesota Ballpark Authority Cost: $522 million Public financing: Approximately $392 million from a 0.15 percent sales tax in Hennepin County Private financing: $130 million from the Twins Lease: 30 years

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Location: In the Warehouse District, just north of Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. Left field (NE), 5th Street; 3rd base (NW), BN and Santa Fe Rail Road tracks & HERC Plant (Hennepin County Garbage Burner); 1st base (SW), 7th Street; right field (SE), 3rd Avenue & I-394.

Dimensions: Left field: 328 feet; left-center: 371 feet; center field: 402 feet; right-center: 371 feet; right field: 331 feet.

Early on Sunday morning, May 21, 2006, state lawmakers gave final approval to a financing plan for an open-air stadium for the Minnesota Twins. The $522 million ballpark is expected to be ready in time for the 2010 season.

Under the terms of the plan unveiled at a Metrodome press conference April 25, 2005, the Twins and Hennepin County would build a $360 million, 40,000-seat open-air stadium. The site was near the confluence of I-394, the end of the Hiawatha Light Rail line and the proposed Northstar commuter rail in downtown Minneapolis.

The total cost of the ballpark project was projected to be $478 million, including bonding costs, site preparation and surrounding infrastructure, such as road and pedestrian improvements. No state money would be required.

The proposed ballpark wouldn't include a roof, but the Twins still favored one. The team encouraged the state to help cover that cost, projected to be at least $100 million. Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad had promised to contribute $125 million to the project.

In January 2004, the Minnesota Twins unveiled plans for a proposed retractable roof ballpark which would help ensure the long-term viability and competitiveness of the franchise while providing fans throughout the Upper Midwest with the nation's premier baseball venue.

The conceptual Twins ballpark design is a product of HOK Sport + Venue + Event, the same group that designed Saint Paul's Xcel Energy Center, Baltimore's Camden Yards and San Francisco's SBC Park. While a site is yet to be determined, the proposed ballpark has been designed to fit on a generic four-square city block. Once a site is selected, variations in the design would be necessary in order to accommodate the site, surrounding structures and infrastructure needs.

The new Twins ballpark would honor Minnesota's rich baseball heritage and reflect the state's dynamic blend of urban sophistication and rugged outdoor vitality. Featuring the most intimate seating configuration in the game today, Minnesota's new ballpark would mark the return of outdoor baseball for a new generation of Twins fans. More importantly, the ballpark's retractable roof would offer the best possible fan experience and give fans across the Upper Midwest comfort in planning a baseball outing regardless of the weather.

"The design reflects Minnesota's abundant natural beauty and its citizens' vibrancy," said HOK S+V+E senior principal Earl Santee. "This ballpark will preserve and honor the state's wonderful baseball tradition and add an exciting new dimension to the quality of life. It will be an inviting landmark for all of Minnesota and an intimate home for America's pastime."

Featuring just 40,000 seats on four levels (Lower Deck, Suite Level, Club Level and Upper Deck), Minnesota's new ballpark would be among the most intimate facilities in all of Major League Baseball (MLB). Highlights of the seating configuration include only 12,000 seats in the Upper Deck, which would represent the fewest number of upper-level seats in all of MLB. Minnesota's new ballpark would also feature more than 17,000 seats between first and third base; 60 private suites; 12 group party suites; 4,000 Club seats and disabled seating for more than 800.

In addition to showcasing great baseball, Minnesota's new ballpark is designed to be a family-oriented entertainment destination. Inside the ballpark, fans would enjoy the comfort of expansive, heated concourses providing open views of the playing field on all seating levels. The new Twins ballpark would also feature a Minnesota Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, a retail store, a baseball-themed Sports Bar and Restaurant, an interactive area for kids and additional venues for group ticket buyers.

Minnesota's new ballpark would be the sixth retractable-roof facility to be constructed in MLB. However, while the roof remains in clear view to a majority of fans when open in other parks, the Twins design calls for the three-panel roof to move completely off the ballpark in less than 15 minutes. When open, fans inside the park would have the experience of an open-air ballpark. During cold or inclement weather, the roof would be closed, thereby providing shelter for fans and ensuring a more comfortable fan experience with no rain delays or rainouts.

The natural grass playing field would be slightly asymmetrical. The distance from home plate to the left field foul pole would measure 328 feet while the distance down the right field line would measure 331 feet. The power alleys to left and right would measure 371 feet with straightaway center field 402 feet from home plate.

The exterior of the Twins new ballpark would reflect the natural beauty of Minnesota. Wrapped in native Minnesotan Mankota-Kasota limestone, it would echo the look of the state's natural stone formations. The ballpark's exterior would be complimented by Fenway green steel and seating.

Panel says Twins ballpark land worth $23.8M (MLB; 08/20) Groundbreaking for Twins ballpark moved to August 30th (MLB; 08/10) Twins game, groundbreaking postponed after bridge collapse (MLB; 08/01) Selig says new stadium was essential to keeping Twins (S. Hartman; 08/01) Twins ballpark land price decision on August 20th (Minneapolis S-T; 07/26) Greed circles the plate at Twins stadium site (Lisa Goodman; 07/12) Twins want to host All-Stars in 2015 (Minneapolis S-T; 07/11) Taxpayers may be paying more for Twins ballpark (Minneapolis S-T; 07/06) Twins ballpark land was low-balled (Aron Kahn; 07/05) Public has stake in Twins ballpark case (Minneapolis S-T; 07/01)

Uncovering the Dome by Amy Klobuchar. Stadium Games: Fifty Years of Big League Greed and Bush League Boondoggles by Jay Weiner. Take Me Out to the Ballpark: An Illustrated Tour of Baseball Parks Past and Present by Josh Leventhal and Jessica Macmurray. The Ballpark Book: A Journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic (Revised Edition) by Ron Smith and Kevin Belford. Stadia: A Design and Development Guide by Geraint John and Rod Sheard. City Baseball Magic: Plain Talk and Uncommon Sense about Cities and Baseball Parks by Philip Bess. Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit (2nd Edition) by Joanna Cagan and Neil deMause. Public Dollars, Private Stadiums: The Battle over Building Sports Stadiums by Kevin J. Delaney and Rick Eckstein. Sports, Jobs, and Taxes: The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums by Roger G. Noll and Andrew Zimbalist. Modern Marvels - Domed Stadiums (VHS).

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the state had the money to put toward their infrastructure....they decided to try to squeek it out lost.

as far as bread and circuses, they should do what other teams do and get a local business to front the stadium...how about 3M park???

seriously though, they need at least a removable dome in the twin cities....or they will be snowed out at the beginning and end of each season.

The present ballpark was built 30-40 years ago. I’m sure it’s in great shape. Only a corrupt government would subsidize a new one in such circumstances. Same as my local government just signed a new teachers contract with generous salary increases when real estate values are sinking, hurricane insurance is insane and anti-taxation measures are on January’s ballot

Humphrey Metrodome — opened 1982 — only 25 yrs. old — the roof is rectangles — hexagons would be stronger.

I would have gone planetarium style — put a smooth interior roof with a likeness of the constellation Gemini on it.

But you’re all right — in view of the bridge collapse this is a frivolous expense.

Curious to how much to just renovate the current stadium. A problem when teams have to have the luxuries to make money and the owner isn’t wealthy enough to pay for it all. But between the Twins and Vikings with maybe some other partners they should be able to swing $650+ million without the City’s involvement, other than infrastructure improvements.

Not fair!

I think the city ought to build a bike path and ATV trail through center field. And a swingset on the pitcher’s mound. And how about something for senior citizens - a pigeon park at shortstop, with bench, peanut vendor and water fountain.

Did I miss any group?

Cost: $522 million Public financing: Approximately $392 million from a 0.15 percent sales tax in Hennepin County

I am a jerk, I guess, when it comes to these publicly funded ball parks/fields. I just wonder how long it takes - in REALITY- for a municipality to recoup that sort of money. I suggest that they never do in a situation such as this. They already have a functional ball field and pro team. So any actual "increase" in revenue would be negligible, thus the reason for the increase in sales tax.

And in this case - even those who don't give a rip about baseball or a new field still are forced to help pay for it.

And as at least one has said - aren't there more pressing needs for the city than a new stadium? If I claim I need government payouts for something in my life (say FEMA funds), but at the same time I am crying and moaning for that money because I NEED it - I run out and buy me a couple of new cars, and a Condo on the lake.... Just seems that priorities are messed up.

Corporate welfare for these teams just boggles my mind. Pay players millions of dollars, owners pocket millions of dollars, but expect the taxpayers to build your facilities for you.

The HHH Metrodome is a crap ballpark. Sorry, but it’s true. “Multi-purpose” stadia — thioe designed to host baseball, football, rock concerts and tractor pulls — typically do none of them well.

It doesn’t matter so much for football, where the field is built to rigid specs and one is just like the next. But a round stadium for baseball is a travesty.

In the ‘60s, there was a fad for building one stadium to rule them all, as Tolkein might have said. Atlanta/Fulton County, Riverfront, Three Rivers, Candlestick, Veterans’, Montreal Olympic, the Metrodome, and so on. They were all pretty awful places to watch a baseball game. Most have been blown up or revamped.

Camden Yards, Wrigley, the park at Arlington, Turner Field, Fenway, Yankee Stadium, Chavez Ravine, THOSE are ballparks. Places with charm and character, where you’d love to spend a summer afternoon and you wouldn’t want to be anyplace else. And if the wind’s blowing in from left field, you can even catch a whiff of history. Kinda smells like stale beer, depending on the park.

I’m speaking as a baseball fan, and I’m talking aesthetics. Public fuding for a ballpark is another issue. If it brings jobs and a tax base to an area that needs it, it’s no more outrageous than the money spent to attract a factory. I don’t claim to know a lot about the specifics, and I’ve never even set foot in Minnesota, so I don’t have a dog in that hunt.

between the Twins and Vikings with maybe some other partners they should be able to swing $650+ million

Problem is, the Twins need a baseball stadium and the Vikings need a football stadium. They cannot pool their funds for a common goal, because they do not have a common goal. It is certainly possible to build one stadium for both, but they tend to suck.

“Problem is, the Twins need a baseball stadium and the Vikings need a football stadium. They cannot pool their funds for a common goal, because they do not have a common goal. It is certainly possible to build one stadium for both, but they tend to suck.”

I agree, the Ballpark in Arlington..I mean the Ameriquest Field is lovely and the Palace of Jerry will be mindbogglingly terrific. I voted against the Palace of Jerry, but not to be crude I will be the first one there to nut on it, it’s going to be that awesome!

Sorry, but Turner Field is just another ball park. It makes sense for stadia to house football and baseball — the seasons overlap very little — stadia are not cheap. Of course if the taxpayer pays, then expenses don’t get scrutinized.

I hadn’t realized it but the current Dem Senator from MN wrote a book on what a boondoggle the Metrodome was — “Uncovering the Dome” — you’d think she’d have put greater scrutiny on this new one.

They should do like the idiots in Tampa.

Raise sales taxes .5, give the owners (Glasers) ALL revienue from the parking and ALL revenue from consessions (no matter what event is being held), NO taxes, and NO maintenance fees. Of course the Glaser do have to rent the stadium, it costs them a whopping $1.00 per year!

Oh and the naming rights went to the Glasers too.

What a DEAL for the taxpayers! /s

Sorry, but Turner Field is just another ball park.

If you can say that with a straight face, you must have never watched a ball game at AFC.

It makes sense for stadia to house football and baseball

In the same way it makes sense for a floor wax to serve as a dessert topping. Baseball and football have wholly different requirements. An ideal football stadium is an oblong oval surrounding a 120-yard grid. An ideal baseball stadium is a pie-slice shape.

An ideal football stadium is heated, because the game is played in winter. Yes, I know about Green Bay fans, but those people are insane. An ideal baseball stasium is open to the sun and the night breeze.

Leaving aside the issue of public financing, which is a bad idea, any facility that tries to accommodate baseball and football will not do either well. It's a mis-mtch, like a combination machine shop and bakery -- as long as you don't mind metal in your bread or grain in your gears ...

Never made it to AFC, but I did see games at Three Rivers (baseball, never football)...also made it to Tiger Stadium, Shea Stadium, Oriole Park, Humphrey Metrodome, San Diego...

I think you exaggerate....the only reason that most of those stadia were replaced was because of the suits, and for the most part, the suits don’t even watch the game.

Oh, the suits — that is, the folks who pay for the skyboxes — are most certainly a big part of the calls for a new stadium. You can hardly compete for an all-star game or a Superbowl if you can’t sell enough box seats.

i just don’t think a stadium built for both baseball and football can handle both well. Of course, at 3:30 on a perfect afternoon, the worst ballpark is a better place to be than the best office cubicle.

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