Twins Owner Carl Pohlad "plans to work out a lease so
the Twins will play at the Metrodome for the next two years
with the hope of finding a way to build" a new ballpark, a
source close to Pohlad told Sid Hartman of the Minneapolis
STAR TRIBUNE. After meeting with the Metropolitan Sports
Facilities Commission (MSFC) on Friday, Pohlad said, "They
are working very hard. We are working very hard, too, and
are hopeful that something can happen." The MSFC has
offered the Twins a two-year lease with an option of two
more years in return for about $1M per year in ticket-tax
revenue. As part of the offer, the MSFC has agreed to drop
its lawsuit that contends the Twins don't have the right to
break the lease after this season. A suit hearing will be
heard this morning (STAR TRIBUNE, 7/19). In St. Paul,
Charley Walters reports that the Twins "will wait until
after the morning hearing to decide whether to accept" the
MSFC'S lease proposal (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 7/20).
TWIN NOTES: In Minneapolis, Hartman also reported that
NationsBank Chair Hugh McColl "continues to pressure Pohlad
to sell the club to McColl and move it after this season" to
NC (STAR TRIBUNE, 5/19). In St. Paul, Walters reported that
"a handful" of Charlotte investors attempting to buy the
team met with Pohlad on Thursday. Pohlad wouldn't comment
on whether they made an offer (PIONEER PRESS, 7/19)....In
UT, Buzz Owner Joe Buzas said that Twins President Jerry
Bell toured Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City last
week. Reports have the Charlotte group moving the Twins to
the team's AAA site in Salt Lake for two years while a new
ballpark is built in NC (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 7/19).
