http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_5757239

 

Hennepin OKs Twins stadium deals, but fight continues over land sale

BY EMILY GURNON

Pioneer Press

Article Last Updated: 04/26/2007 02:45:39 PM CDT

 

Hennepin County signed off today on several deals related to the Twins ballpark, including a 30-year lease with the team and approval for the issuance of $350 million in sales tax revenue bonds.

 

The actions cap months of questions about whether the $522 million ballpark project would move forward.

 

"For the first time, I think we can actually schedule a groundbreaking, or at least think about it," said Jerry Bell, president of Twins Sports Inc.

 

But the battle over the acquisition of the ballpark land continues - in court.

 

During a meeting in Hennepin County District Judge Stephen Aldrich's courtroom this morning among attorneys for the county and the landowners, County Attorney Mike Freeman likened the upcoming eminent domain proceedings to combat.

 

It will be "World War III in the condemnation process," Freeman said.

 

He asked the judge for a four- to six-week delay in the deadline for each side to submit its appraisal of the property. The appraisals are due May 8. The following week, the two sides will meet for a hearing with the three condemnation commissioners, those appointed by the court to come up with a fair market value for the land.

 

With the Twins now a "significant financial participant in this process," the county and the team need more time to present a united case, Freeman said. That involves deciding which experts will testify and what particular testimony to present, he said.

 

"I guess there is sort of an invasion here, isn't it?" Aldrich said, referring to the taking of the land.

 

Land Partners II, who represent the largest landowners of the eight-acre site, have not opposed the condemnation, but want the process to move forward without delay.

 

The actions taken by the county commissioners include a grant agreement between the county and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority for financing and construction of the stadium; a development agreement among the county, the authority and the Twins regarding the construction and site acquisition process; a baseball playing and use agreement to provide for the management, operation, maintenance and use of the ballpark when it's completed; and a 30-year lease for the team.

 

Three commissioners said they were still opposed to the way the ballpark is being financed - with two-thirds of the cost coming from a 0.15 percent sales tax in Hennepin County that was not approved by voters.

 

"There's too much public money in this, and not enough private money," said Commissioner Gail Dorfman, "and it's not a good deal for the taxpayers."

Theres only a small handfull of decent looking stadiums now, theyre all new and beatiful... makes baseball more fun to watch...

You may click on the story link to see the video

 

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_135134523.html

 

Twins Ballpark Site Ready For First Building Stage

 

(AP) The first clear sign of the beginning of construction on the Minnesota Twins' new ballpark will soon arrive on the downtown site: the dump trucks.

 

Clearing of the area has begun on the 10-acre parcel just west of Target Center, and portions of the site -- which has been a parking lot -- will be stripped to prepare for excavation.

 

Crews will begin hauling material out next Monday, said Dan Mehls, who is managing the project for M.A. Mortensen Company. Most of the concrete and asphalt will be recycled, he said.

 

On Tuesday, the Twins staged a mock diamond with home plate and the bases placed on their actual spots when the $522 million stadium opens for the 2010 season. The entire site has been fenced off for security.

 

"It's a start," Twins executive Jerry Bell said. "You have to begin someplace."

 

The site clearing is the first phase of the project. Third Avenue North will also be removed between Sixth and Seventh streets during this phase.

 

The official groundbreaking is scheduled for August, when a railroad line will also be relocated and the site will be excavated. During excavation, the site will be leveled 2 to 3 feet lower and eventually stabilized with gravel. Up to 100,000 cubic yards of material will be moved out.

HOK made a few changes to the ballpark design. They extended the seats in leftfield and added the upper deck to the rightfield side.

 

 

 

Not really a huge fan of all that seating in the outfield. Kinda looks like a football stadium.

It's an open air stadium? In Minnesota, that is retarded.

What? No hefty bag?

It's an open air stadium? In Minnesota, that is retarded.

 

April is going to be bad in terms of cold and potential snow but it's not going to be much, if any, worse than Detroit or Colorado. They should have gone retractable roof but that likely wouldn't have been approved because of the increased cost so they took what they could get.

 

I live less than 5 minutes from the site and can't wait until it opens. Should be a beautiful park.

HOK made a few changes to the ballpark design. They extended the seats in leftfield and added the upper deck to the rightfield side.

 

 

 

Not really a huge fan of all that seating in the outfield. Kinda looks like a football stadium.

Upper deck outfield seats are strange.

 

At least it's going to be fun watching players run in the snow instead of said snow making the inflatable roof of the Triple H Metrodome collapse.

It looks like Jacobs field flipped around. Very nice though, beautiful park.

It looks like Jacobs field flipped around. Very nice though, beautiful park.

They say the field dimensions are very similar to PNC Park, which they claim will be neutral to batters and pitchers.

Cool article on what would be the signature item in the ballpark:

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/2703...iD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

 

Some recent construction pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03118.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03119.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03120.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03121.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03122.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/dsc03123.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/attach24.jpg

 

http://i56.servimg.com/u/f56/12/06/09/51/attach25.jpg

 

courtesy of Minnescraper and MOJO

^great pics, I really think that the new Twins park is going to be one of the nicest. It fits into the streetscape excellently and its just another amazing park by HOK

HOLY sh*t IT LOOKS NICE

Im so not jealous though

 

*maybe i am*

there ,ucky they dont have norman braman living there

The Twins have announced that the name of their new stadium will be Target Field.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...sp&c_id=mlb

a) having target acquire the naming rights is one of the biggest surprises i have ever seen for a minneapolis based sports franchise.

 

b) its going to suck major balls to see a game there early in the year and late in the year, HOWEVER its going to be awesome in the summer.

Im so jealous.

Courtesy of Dossman:

 

 

 

 

 

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr117/ndoss_01/ComingAlong015.jpg

 

http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr117/ndoss_01/ComingAlong007.jpg

sigh* What a lovely ballpark Minnesota is gonna get. I have this uneasy feeling that Loria's image for the Marlins new ballpark is gonna be a bit scary but I hope i'm wrong and the Fish get a thing of beauty.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v15/El_Grande1/targetfield111.png

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v15/El_Grande1/targetfield112.png

progress seems slow. I guess slow and steady is the approach?

From http://www.twinsballpark2010.com/ :

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.twinsballpark2010.com/_resources/PC110117a.jpg

 

http://www.twinsballpark2010.com/_resources/PC110118a.jpg

A nice video giving the latest on the construction:

 

http://www.ballparkauthority.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7b5657CF7A-4E6C-4E0B-A321-77419423F559%7d

 

It's close to ready.

Man, it looks really nice. For a moment there I thought that picture of the field from the middle row was CG, but no. I was surprised, park looks beautiful.

Yeah, it looks mostly completed on the field level.