MPR's Michael Khoo reports on a House committee approving a package that removes most of the public subsidies from the ballpark plan. The Twins say it's doubtful they would support such a deal, but they say they were encouraged by the suggestion they study the financing plan used for the Minnesota Wild hockey arena.
ART HUGHES: The Sports Facilities Commission sponsored seven public forums in recent weeks. Consultant John Himle who distilled the comments into the report, says they show the public feels an urgency to deal with the Twin stadium issue. He also says the comments are not related to the team's current success on the field.
JOHN HIMLE: The case has been made, by and large, with the public that the Twin stadium needs to be addressed quickly. And I should also point out that we were hearing this comment even before the Twins season started.
ART HUGHES: Himle says people at the forums expressed some support for public financing in the way of no interest loans, surcharges, and taxes on stadium spending. He says there is no support for a general tax increase for sports facilities. The report also says the public is behind a retractable roof if and when a new ballpark is built. The report is less favorable toward the Vikings, who are trying to make a pitch for a new football stadium with more skyboxes, club seats, concessions, and other improvements that will increase revenue. But Himle says the public has no time for that argument.
JOHN HIMLE: What we did here were people were expressing a view more often than not was that, what's wrong with Metrodome? Or why can't we renovate the Metrodome, and wouldn't that work?
ART HUGHES: The public forums and the subsequent report are the result of a request by Governor Jesse Ventura earlier this year that the Commission gather public input and report back to the legislature. Sports Facilities Commission Chair Kathryn Roberts says the report is an indication there's sufficient public backing for movement on the Twins' stadium.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: I think really the level of urgency or the timeline ultimately gets decided by the legislature and not by us. What we want to say is that there was a sense of urgency all around the state of Minnesota, saying that they want the Twins' issue addressed.
ART HUGHES: The report's recommendations could be lifted nearly verbatim from the sports facilities Commission's earlier study, concluding a Metrodome renovation was the most cost effective option for the Vikings. The Commission contends a $260 million upgrade, slightly more than half the estimated cost of building a new dome, would provide the team with enough revenue while keeping construction costs manageable.
The Vikings have a lease for the dome that extends through 2011. The team maintains only a new stadium will keep the Vikings competitive in the NFL. Vikings executive Vice President Mike Kelley says the Commission slanted the information to get the conclusion it wanted. He says the team's own polling shows more people would like to see an open air stadium in conjunction with the Gopher football team on the University of Minnesota campus.
MIKE KELLY: What we've said to the legislature is, listen, isn't this at least worth taking a look at? And as a result, there's a bill that they're now considering which is passed out of two House committees now and one Senate committee that essentially will do that.
ART HUGHES: Sports Facilities Commission members stick to their recommendation that a modified Metrodome is viable for both the Vikings and the Gophers. They say they will use the report as a basis to urge legislators and the governor to act on a financing package for the Twins. Art Hughes, Minnesota Public Radio.
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