Thursday, April 29, 2004
Communities Push State for Stadium Money
St. Paul wants to spend $244 million on the Twins, the money to come from parking and bar taxes. Hennepin County and Minneapolis want to spent $271 million on the Twins, the money to come from general sales taxes, food, liquor, lodging and parking taxes. Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis Star Tribine reports that they're both upset with the State of Minnesota for not coming up with another $100 million quickly enough.
Meanwhile the Twins say that while they're willing to pay a third of the ballpark's cost, they're not willing to pay a third of the project's total cost. According to Aron Kahn of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the club has admitted, though, that the present bill would raise enough money for them to build and operate a ballpark.
Testifying yesterday at legislative hearings, Ball Four author Jim Bouton condemned staidum subsidies "as 'America's most costly hostage crisis.' He said team owners essentially say to the public, 'Build us a new stadium or you'll never see your team again.'" Supporting subsidies, Vikings coach Mike Tice said they would help the teams and thereby make people happy: "It creates confidence in our community when our sports teams do well."
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St. Paul wants to spend $244 million on the Twins, the money to come from parking and bar taxes. Hennepin County and Minneapolis want to spent $271 million on the Twins, the money to come from general sales taxes, food, liquor, lodging and parking taxes. Jay Weiner of the Minneapolis Star Tribine reports that they're both upset with the State of Minnesota for not coming up with another $100 million quickly enough.
Meanwhile the Twins say that while they're willing to pay a third of the ballpark's cost, they're not willing to pay a third of the project's total cost. According to Aron Kahn of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the club has admitted, though, that the present bill would raise enough money for them to build and operate a ballpark.
Testifying yesterday at legislative hearings, Ball Four author Jim Bouton condemned staidum subsidies "as 'America's most costly hostage crisis.' He said team owners essentially say to the public, 'Build us a new stadium or you'll never see your team again.'" Supporting subsidies, Vikings coach Mike Tice said they would help the teams and thereby make people happy: "It creates confidence in our community when our sports teams do well."
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