New Twins stadium?

Will stadium plan fly? That is a good question. Many legislators seem to have a "been-there done-that" approach to receiving a new stadium proposal.

Rep. Ron Erhardt (R-Edina): "The current plan has been preceded by several."
Sen. Wes Skoglund (DFL-Minneapolis): "I've been through this so many times."

However, some are a bit warmer. Sen. Linda "Sleep in Committee" Higgins (DFL-Minneapolis) said, ""It's a very attractive proposal. That's an awful lot of jobs that they're proposing."

My biggest objection to any stadium proposal has been the request for state financing, state grants, state backing or other forms of state assistance. That seems to not be the case with this proposal.

The total cost would be about $478 million, including infrastructure and finance costs. Pohlad would contribute $40 million up front with an additional $85 million to follow before the ballpark would open in 2009. The proposed sales tax increase is projected to raise $28 million a year and underwrite $353 million in county debt.

However, the plan is asking for an optional roof to be paid for by the state:

The plan as presented so far does not include a roof, but urges the state to consider paying $100 million for one. The Twins and Hennepin County have said they would build an open-air stadium if money for a roof was not available.

Now, just let the voters of Hennepin County vote on it and it should be square.