Supporters of a new Twins ballpark were "jolted" Monday
when stadium opponents added 13,000 signatures to a petition
"demanding" that Minneapolis voters "have the final say on
any city contribution" of more than $10M towards a new
facility, according to Patrick Sweeney of the St. Paul
PIONEER PRESS. The amount added "virtually guarantees" the
proposed amendment to the Minneapolis City Charter will be
on the ballot in the November 4 general election. Sweeney
adds that "public sentiment that generated the signatures
makes it very likely that voters will approve the proposed
charter change." Twins President Jerry Bell said the team
will not spend any money to defeat the referendum (PIONEER
PRESS, 8/26). However, a new group called People for
Progress announced plans to fight the anti-ballpark
initiative. A group rep said Minneapolis "business
interests" would finance the effort (STAR-TRIBUNE, 8/26).
FAIR NUMBERS? Just days after MN Gov. Arne Carlson said
he may speak to the full legislature pushing a new ballpark,
the MN Republican Party released results from a straw poll
showing 3-1 opposition to a publicly funded ballpark, which
the STAR-TRIBUNE's Weiner & Whereatt write "appears to
undermine the efforts of" Carlson (STAR TRIBUNE, 8/26).
