The Minnesota House and Senate yesterday "rejected
every effort" to finance a new Twins ballpark, according to
Whereatt & Weiner of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Although
legislators agreed to reconvene November 13 for "a last-gasp
effort," Whereatt & Weiner write that Tuesday's action
leaves the ballpark "push in a shambles." The Senate did
pass one proposal, allowing MN Gov. Arne Carlson to
negotiate a sale of the team by January, at which point
stock in the franchise "would then be offered." However,
even that bill's sponsor, State Sen. Roy Terwilliger
"acknowledged" that it was "merely a vehicle to keep the
stadium effort alive." State Rep. Ann Rest, a ballpark
supporter: "We were severely rejected" (Minneapolis STAR
TRIBUNE, 10/29). In St. Paul, Ragsdale & Sweeney write that
the Legislature sent a "clear message to the Twins on
Tuesday: If you want a new stadium, build it yourself"
(PIONEER PRESS, 10/29). Twins Exec VP Kirby Puckett spoke
to a crowd of "several hundred" Twins fans who rallied for a
new ballpark at the State Capitol, but the STAR TRIBUNE's
Conrad de Fiebre writes, "at best, the results were mixed"
(STAR TRIBUNE, 10/29).
IN NC: Don Beaver, who heads the ownership group that
is attempting to purchase the Twins, said that if the NC
Triad doesn't approve next May's referendum concerning
funding for a $210M ballpark, he "would look toward
Charlotte," according to Stan Olson of the CHARLOTTE
OBSERVER. Beaver, who "expects" the May vote to win
approval, said "[i]f the Triad vote fails, Charlotte would
certainly be next in our plans" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 10/29).
