Members of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities
Commission "distanced" themselves from the tentative deal
that MSFC Chair Henry Savelkoul struck with the Twins,
denying they were involved in the financing negotiations
between the state and the team, according to Jay Weiner of
the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. The six commissioners said
that Savelkoul, and MN Gov. Arne Carlson's chief of staff,
Morrie Anderson, made the deal without consulting them. The
group claims Savelkoul was working as Carlson's "agent," not
as the commission's chair. Weiner notes that all the
commissioners back a new Twins ballpark, but some think the
Vikings and Univ. of MN sports are being "ignored" in the
process to help the baseball team. Savelkoul: "I'm here in
the middle and there's nothing I can do about it other than
be here. Everyone has an answer. Everyone knows a simple
answer. It's somewhere between 'the state should write a
check' to 'don't give one dime.'" In interviews, the six
members said their stance "shouldn't be interpreted as a
revolt against Savelkoul," but in response to a state
politician's claim the group negotiated in "bad faith" on
the public's behalf (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/28).
SAVE OUR TWINS: Columnist Patrick Reusse, on the
importance of keeping the Twins: "The continued presence of
major league baseball in Minnesota is more important to me
than many of the things on which the state's politicians
choose to spend my tax dollars. ... With the exception of
film, it is the finest form of non-participatory
entertainment we have in this country" (Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, 1/28).
