MN Gov. Jesse Ventura "has ordered the return of
voluntary contributions" for a new Twins ballpark, according
to Robert Whereatt of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, who
cites Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission (MSFC) Exec
Dir Bill Lester as saying that "late next week," 630 checks
totaling $85,826.36 will be returned to those who gave to
the ballpark fund, which was "administered" by MSFC. The
idea for the voluntary fund was Ventura's as he proposed
"about a year ago" during his weekly radio show that "those
who truly want" a new stadium could "pony up their dollars
instead of seeking public money." The fund was established
"not long after" the address, with the "plan being to return
the contributions if a 'viable plan' for a stadium didn't
materialize." Ventura Communications Dir John Wodele, on
the decision: "The feeling was that without a viable stadium
proposal that would use private money, to which this could
be applied, it seemed that would be inappropriate to hold
the money any longer." Lester said that although it will
cost $0.33 to mail a check for $0.01, "it will be done."
Lester: "Our agreement was that we would return it, and we
didn't differentiate between people who were serious about
keeping baseball in Minnesota and those who were just doing
it frivolously" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 7/21).
