Transcripts

text | pdf |

---

MICHAEL KHOO: When the ballpark bill stumbled in committee, Twins officials retreated to rethink their strategy. Now they're back, capitalizing on the team's surprising on-field successes. With fan interest revived, the team has asked friendly legislators to appear during game time broadcasts in support of the stadium bill. During a recent home game, Twins announcer Dick Bremer welcomed Republican Representative Harry Mares of White Bear Lake.

DICK BREMER: The history of baseball in this five-state area, you hate to lose it.

HARRY MARES: Well, you can't believe the phone calls I'm getting tonight as I left the office about 6:30. There was a phone call from an 80-year-old gentleman that said keep the Twins. He doesn't come to a game, but he enjoys it on TV, on the radio.

MICHAEL KHOO: Mares is the chief house author of the Twins bill. Later in the broadcast, he encouraged fans to press state lawmakers to rally behind the stadium proposal. The effort seems to be working. Republican leaders have generally opposed using public money to help fund the ballpark. But now, House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty, who along with Speaker Steve Sviggum, has been deluged with phone calls and emails, says the House will probably vote to dislodge the bill from committee sometime this week.

TIM PAWLENTY: The long and the short of it is that there's going to be a committee hearing and whether we agree or disagree on the issue. We don't think we should duck votes.

MICHAEL KHOO: The bill calls for the Minnesota Twins and other private sources to fund half of the $300 million ballpark. The state would offer an interest-free loan and other tax breaks to cover the remainder. GOP leaders aren't saying the bill will pass, only that it'll start moving forward again. But Twins spokesman Dave St. Peter says even that's encouraging.

DAVE ST. PETERS: Well, I think it's very important that we try to move this year. That said, I don't know that anyone here is truly optimistic. I think we're cautious.

MICHAEL KHOO: The atmosphere is in sharp contrast to four years ago, when opponents of public subsidies literally overwhelmed the Capitol switchboard with angry phone calls. This time, organized opposition has been almost nonexistent. Tom Goldstein, editor of a Quarterly Baseball Journal, has pushed for a smaller ballpark to be built with private funds. He says opponents of the current plan simply don't have the resources to fight the stadium battle year after year.

TOM GOLDSTEIN: The way that these stadium campaigns are waged is they just keep them up until everybody goes back to their normal life. And then they appear. Then they gain strength. I mean, that's the Twin strategy. It's just to wear everybody out. And right now, it's effective.

MICHAEL KHOO: Goldstein says taxpayers will lose millions in foregone interest. and he opposes a sales tax free zone to be created in and around the ballpark. Governor Jesse Ventura has raised the same objections. Ventura's spokesman says the governor is willing to discuss stadium proposals. But on his weekly radio show, the governor argued the team's newfound success demonstrates a new ballpark isn't necessary.

JESSE VENTURA: You put a winner on the field. They're contending. They've had the greatest start in Twins history. They're in first place right now. And lo and behold, the people are coming. Lo and behold, the stadium is filling up, the old Homerdome of '87 and '91 when you didn't hear one complaint about that stadium back then, did you?

MICHAEL KHOO: A Senate version of the bill is currently on hold until after the House acts. With the new momentum, the process could soon move forward in both houses. But with only two weeks left in the session and major deals on taxes and spending yet to be negotiated, time is short. At the Capitol, I'm Michael Khoo, Minnesota Public Radio.