The city of St. Paul "launched a petition drive"
yesterday to let voters decide whether the city should help
fund a new Twins ballpark and the team "indicated its
willingness to make a commitment" to St. Paul in ballpark
talks, according to Rybin & Chanco of the ST. PAUL PIONEER
PRESS. Rybin & Chanco add that the Twins' statement "was a
far cry from announcing the choice of the St. Paul plan over
the one in Minneapolis but it provided some indication that
the team may be willing to pledge" to negotiate with St. Paul
in the months before the November 2 stadium vote. Twins
President Jerry Bell, on team Owner Carl Pohlad: "[He] has
always said we will work with anyone who will keep baseball
in Minnesota. If that means we need to be committed to St.
Paul, we will do that." St. Paul Mayor Norm Coleman, on the
fall referendum: "I don't think there's any other way to do
this. You've got to let the people decide." Minneapolis
Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton spokesperson Amy Phenix:
"Certainly, the Pohlads have indicated a willingness to
listen to the city of Minneapolis and the county, and they
have also indicated a willingness to listen to the city of
St. Paul" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/16). But Pohlad told
the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE: "At the present time, we are
listening to both St. Paul and Minneapolis. A decision has
not been made" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/16).
COULD IT WORK? In St. Paul, Tom Powers, on public
funding of a new park: "Perhaps it will all fall into place.
Perhaps it won't. I'm stunned we've made it to this point."
The Twins' Bell: "This has been the best thing that's
happened in a long time for people who work for the Twins.
People feel better. They feel wanted. It's been very
uplifting." Powers noted, "The idea of some sort of public-
private partnership is not being dismissed outright [for a
stadium deal]" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 6/16).
