Twins And Hennepin County Ramping Up Efforts For Ballpark

Twins Teaming With Hennepin County For Help With New Ballpark Deal

The Twins and Hennepin County (MN) are “intensifying a joint effort to create a Minneapolis ballpark deal in time for approval” before the Minnesota state legislative session ends May 23, according to Aron Kahn of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS. Sources noted that Minneapolis is a “much more likely” site than St. Paul, in part because Hennepin County “has far greater ability to raise tax revenue in support of the ballpark” because of its larger population. Three sources said that a “major sticking point is how much money the Twins would contribute to the ballpark.” St. Paul officials said that they heard rumors Hennepin County is working with the team, but “they had been assured that the rumors weren’t true.” Carl Kuhl, spokesperson for St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly, said, “It’s news to us.” Twins Sports President Jerry Bell, on the Hennepin County partnership: “It appears that that’s the most reasonable method right now, given what the cities want and given the time available” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 4/15).