Transcripts

text | pdf |

---

CATHY WURZER: Governor Jesse Ventura, and a group of state business leaders will meet later today to talk about the future of the Twins. The group is working on a proposal to buy the team from owner Carl Pohlad. They're also exploring ways to build a new ballpark. On the phone right now, Minneapolis businessman Harvey Mackay who will be meeting today with the governor. Good morning, Harvey.

HARVEY MACKAY: Hi. Good morning, Cathy. Nice to be with you.

CATHY WURZER: Likewise. Thank you. You know, earlier this week, Harvey, the governor's spokesman, said, quoting him now, "the governor believes he has made his position on stadiums very, very clear. But if someone has a miracle in their pocket that he can help facilitate, he's ready and willing." What do you have ready that the governor might want to listen to today?

HARVEY MACKAY: Well, you have to start with this premise, that you can't solve the problem, Cathy, OK, unless you first admit that you have one. And I think there's many officials and people and department heads throughout the state that don't think there's a problem. And they haven't thought there was a problem for years because of a lot of wolf being hollered. Today, unfortunately, we are there.

So about miracles, you just have to be a good listener. You have to go around the table. You have to analyze. And of course, you have to go down swinging, pardon the pun. And that's what we're going to be doing, at least that's what I'm going to be doing.

CATHY WURZER: Can you share any of some of the talks that you've had with some of the other business leaders about what you might want to present to the governor today?

HARVEY MACKAY: Well, no, I don't think so at all. There's splinter groups, people that have had a lot of interest in buying the Twins. But the most important thing, quite frankly, is not to buy the Twins at this particular point because if they're gone, when we talk next week at this time or 10 days from now, then it doesn't matter who was going to buy them.

So right now, as far as time is of the essence and time is crucial, the important thing, quite frankly, from my perspective, is, that how do you stop this locomotive? The timing is just atrocious. I just happened to be lucky enough to see all seven World Series games in person, happened to be there at ground zero.

And of course, when you see what's going on with our country economically, at war. And then to have this come up on top of the already superimposed recession, wow. So we're trying to stop the locomotive and timing, and we need some extra time. So if there's a delay, then, of course, we temporarily win the game.

CATHY WURZER: Bud Selig says, getting a new revenue-producing stadium is key for the Twins, that new owners won't make a difference without a stadium. Do you think, Harvey, new owners are the key to turning around negative public reaction to a new stadium?

HARVEY MACKAY: Well, any time you've got someone that's had some problems and admitted that they've had some problems, ownership, that certainly might increase, Cathy, the probability of getting a new stadium. But I emphasize, on a probability basis, that will not that will not be the key at all.

I have to say that we've got a team effort. A team effort meaning that a lot of people are working on this from all different areas. I mean, you have to just remember you have senators, congressmen, we've got a five state area problem-- Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin.

We've got Mike Hatch. We've got a Florida lawsuit. We've got the Players Association. All these things combined are pecking away. And again, stay tuned. I think the probability when they announced it was almost zero. I think the probability of a delay right now possibly could be in the 20%, 25% area with maybe the momentum building.

And why? Well, we're looking-- you're familiar with Paul Ridgeway maybe. He's heading up a citizens drive in the five state area. His goal is 100,000 emails. And he's going to present them to Bud Selig.

And now, on top of that, at 2 o'clock this Sunday, he's having or they're having a rally. The fans and the congressmen and the senators and the mayors are going to be there. And so if I could say to you at this particular point in time, anyone that's listening that wants to maybe make a difference, 2 o'clock this Sunday at the HHH Metrodome would be greatly appreciated.