TWINS BALLPARK MEASURES LOSE IN MN LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

          The financing bill for a new Twins stadium "suffered a
     crushing doubleheader defeat" Monday as both the MN House
     and Senate tax committees voted against the measure,
     according to Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE.  In
     the Senate hearing, a plan to finance the ballpark through
     Canterbury Park slot machine revenues failed by a 12-11
     vote, and a measure to fund the ballpark with "user fees"
     lost 14-8.  The "most popular initiative" in the House
     committee was a plan to "force" the Twins to stay at the
     Metrodome "by buying out their escape clause" with up to
     $21M in private and public funds.  That plan passed 13-12 in
     the committee, but "lost in a vote minutes later."  The
     Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy will
     now study the stadium issue and "return with different
     proposals this fall" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/13).