KCRag Forum

42,000 seat open air stadium in the Warehouse District; Cost = $522 million; Twins pay $130 million, Hennpin County levies a .15% sales tax. Will open in 2010. Very preliminary renderings here:

Twins Ballpark



Pre-dawn vote gives Twins their stadium

After hours of committee meetings, years of waiting and dozens of starts and stops, the Legislature Sunday passed a $522 million measure to build a new Minnesota Twins ballpark in Minneapolis.....

The Twins bill allows Hennepin County to levy a new sales tax of 3 cents on a $20 purchase to pay for the Warehouse District ballpark and infrastructure. Although state law requires a local referendum vote on any new sales tax, the Twins tax is exempt from that requirement.

They should have just spent all that money to refurbish the Metrodome, I mean can't you remember that 1991 World Series. What about the giant hefty bag in right field? There's just soooo much history and uniqueness there, how dare they do something like this. 


No, but seriously, good for them. It's going to have minimal surface parking and be located right across the street from a new transit center hub serving a LRT line and Commuter Rail Line. I can't say I'm not a little bit jealous.

my pops was born in minneapolis and probably the biggest twinkies fan in kansas city, and although he loves the new stadium, he cringes at the fact of no retractable roof. yes in the summer it gets really hot in minneapolis, but late september early october it can get a little chilly.

this is also a good sign for the vikings and the gophers. a master plan was developed to get 3 new stadiums, one for the twins, vikings and the gophers. since the twins is almost official, that means its time to move to the vikings. i have seen renderings of the new vikings stadium and its pretty nice, and the gophers stadium will be on campus instead of downtown.

the metrodome is sweet, i went to a couple twins games last summer and there were signs and groups outside protesting a new stadium. whatever gets done will be an improvement and itll be sad to see the metrodome go. but hey, the baggie fences will still be a feature in the new park, so thats some good news

heres the previous renderings showing the retractable roof, which in my opinion was a good idea...





and heres a rendering of the concourses just for fun (i really like the 2 story concourse idea)...

And here's some even older renderings/models from 1997...






Even though it took about 10 years, it's good to see that they got this done. Yeah, Minnesota is probably one of the places that a retractable roof would be necessary, but I'm sure they're more than happy to get a new ballpark instead of nothing.

While I am seriously disappointed that KC did not build a new downtown ballpark, in the wake of all these cookie-cutter throwback stadiums, I am encouraged that when we do build a new ballpark that it will be a cutting edge design.

However, good for Minnesota, anything would be an improvement over what they have.

i am way more jealous of their transit system.

BVC wrote: While I am seriously disappointed that KC did not build a new downtown ballpark, in the wake of all these cookie-cutter throwback stadiums, I am encouraged that when we do build a new ballpark that it will be a cutting edge design.

However, good for Minnesota, anything would be an improvement over what they have.

Interesting about all the talk on traditional ballpark designs.  There was a small article in this month's GQ talking about the Allianz Arena in Munich and how US stadiums are more traditional.  They they show a picture of the Sprint Center and mention HOK.  The trend is, at least for arenas, headed to more modern designs.

So if you see a GQ in the news stands, check out the little blurb on the Sprint Center.

I was at a Twins game two weekends ago and that stadium is horrible.  One exit and entrance into the whole place because they have to keep it inflated.  Your neck is wretched at the end of the game because chairs even with the first base line face out to center field, you have 20 chairs until you get to a row, the aisles are so narrow where you by food.  It was just horrible.  Felt like a combination of Blade Runner and Baseball 3000, where they use robots to play the game.  

The location of the stadium is great through, as is the activity outside of the park.  They build the whole stadium for 70 million and have seen the ROI on it 10 times over.  But now is the time to up grade

Kard wrote: Interesting about all the talk on traditional ballpark designs.  There was a small article in this month's GQ talking about the Allianz Arena in Munich and how US stadiums are more traditional.  They they show a picture of the Sprint Center and mention HOK.  The trend is, at least for arenas, headed to more modern designs.

So if you see a GQ in the news stands, check out the little blurb on the Sprint Center.

for all those who dont know what allianz arena is.........





chyea, i know what youre thinkin

Good for the twins---baseball is meant to be played outside.

Stupid Minnesotoans! Don't they realize how difficult its going to be to park there and get in and out! Suckers!!!!

Seriously though, its very cool its near the Target Center and near a large park. Very cool. That's a happenin town.

That looks great with Minneapolis. I hope thats what Omaha looks like with the propsed ballpark in north DTO.Thats what I want in Omaha. Poor KC 

Merged.

They are finally catching up and building a Kauffman...just in a better location (for some).  Makes me envious that we built such a quality stadium 30 years ago.

KCPowercat wrote: They are finally catching up and building a Kauffman...just in a better location (for some).  Makes me envious that we built such a quality stadium 30 years ago.

You should work for the Bush administration...talk about spin.