Thanks for the update looks like their about done with target field cant wiat till outdoor baseball!

Great update Rick.

I always had a theory about a "Mauer Gate" (before I knew this one existed).

This is 10 years or so down the road and a HUGE pipe dream, but:

The HERC is gone.
The triangle patch of land that currently houses the HERC is purchased by the MBA/Twins.
That land is then transformed into a grand plaza, and the LTR station is moved to this area, allowing for expansion. The plaza could contain the Twins HOF/Restaurant. A large walkway/starircase will go over the current Northstar rail and will lead up to a remodeled facade of the stadium, containing gate #7, the second main gate (other than #34). It also fits in the numbering order.

This may be why this side of the stadium is so bland. Obviously they are able to disguise their plan by saying "well this portion faces the HERC and no one will really be back there, etc, so that is why didn't do much on that side". But all the while, they plan on this being one of THE places to be before/after games, once the HERC is out of the picture.

A man can dream, can' he?

Rick, How long can a item be in our "cart"?

Rick, LOVE the new look. Much cleaner looking (I do websites for a living, so I'm always critiquing sites I visit) and I'm totally psyched to get the 2010 calendar and be part of the ticket trading service. Thanks for being the ringleader of this ever-growing community of people that love Twins baseball and the new stadium.

i'm digging the new layout. thanks again for all the hard work you put into this site!

Thanks for the update Rick and for all your efforts in creating such a great website. I like the Ballpark Magic add by the scoreboard in the banner. Nice Touch!

Love the new look and thanks for all the new pics, looks like their about done, cant wait till outdoor baseball!

Thanks for the update looks like their about done with target field cant wiat till outdoor baseball!

Very nice update Rick.
Nice pics too.

What are we going to do in five months when TF opens up??

Thank you, Rick. Everything looks great! I hope you know how much your hard work is appreciated by all!

PS - I think it's a little early to simply assume that Nick Punto's going to have a gate named after him, don't you? :)

who thinks rick should start another site about the marlins park? I'm sure he wouldn't mind moving to Florida for the winter ;)

Great job rick. That last pic is awesome.

Site looks fantastic Rick!

Thanks for all the hard work!

Great pics Rick.
I wonder if I might have passed you by during the Northstar opening on the 14th - I was there too. Didn't ride the train, but went down to the TF station to check it out.

Thank you, Rick - I hope you know how much everyone appreciates all of your hard work!

How do we know it's not going to be the "Punto Gate?" :)

Nice clouds... where are the Care Bears?

WTF?

Interesting, when I was at Buffalo HS in the late 90s early 00s I always got asked if Phil Mackey and I were related (my last name also Mackey, you dont see too many Mackeys), then recently i've had many people ask me if I have a brother or cousin who is on KFAN, I had no idea what they were talking about, i dont get KFAN in very well in my car, so I dont listen to them nor know who is on there, but to my surprise, the same kid who people thought I was related to in HS is the same kid on KFAN now being posted about (and commented about lol) Ok, VERY lame post by me, just found it very intruiging. I'll hang up and listen now :)

Bulldog, TTH is referring to the clouds that are the background image on the website.

Care Bears...lol

tth - and what the hell is wrong with the care bears?

you know and i know that "care-a-lot" was a beautiful castle in the clouds where the care bears lived out their happy days. the care bears were the luckiest bears in "care-a-lot".

and we could all use a "rainbow rescue beam" from time to time. especially if the evil "great fetuccini" is about and causing trouble.

care bears unite!

i don't want to hear one more bad word about the care bears.

;-)

Back in the days of my youth, I was an assistant manager at Pizza Hut in Rochester. They have a nice, big Pizza Hut now, perhaps even more than one. But in 1984-1984 they only had one small Pizza HSouth Broadway accross from Soldier Field.
There was a promotional tie-in with the then-fabulously popular Care Bears, in which we were selling Care bear glases dirt cheap while supplies lasted. There was a new one each wek. We were short on space as it was, so storing case upon case of these glasses really put us in a bind.
But selling them made people crazy. EVERYONE simply had to have these glasses, and the place turned into a zoo, with parents who were frantic to have these glasses. Whenever we ran out of our supply, we faced the angry mob of parents who would scream at us and demand satisfaction.

I hated that promotion and still today, thoughts of the Care Bears dredge up only unpleasant thoughts.

Wasn't 1984 about the time the Care Bears Movie came out as well? I was DONE with the Care Bears after seeing that movie. My God!

About that time, The Smurfs were my cartoon of choice, oh, and reruns of The Flintstones (which I don't see anywhere on TV anymore). And even though I'm well into my thirties now, I still like a Garfield and Friends episode now and again (OK, I have all five seasons on DVD).

Great post, Rick. I hope you get a "final" tour to take pics of the park. You're one of the only media members who would do it justice.

Wow....And some of you thought the Vikings discussion was bad...

Kevin, I'm sorry. So, so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. I forgot that many of the guys on here probably got their first boners from watching Rainbow Brite.

Rick, nice upgrades, I'll be linking the store to all of my family for christmas gifts

Overall, nice job - just saying, the clouds give it the aura of a 14-year-old's Myspace page.

Look at a lot of fourteen-year-olds' Myspace pages, do you?

I have wondered in the past, and maybe we wont know until April, but I've wondered about the entry procedures at TF, whether you'll just go single file through the door with a guy and a ticket scanner, no turnstiles (i.e. Target Center, and the X) or if they'll have self-serve turnstiles, i.e. Citi Field (Click my name for a YouTube video I found. I hope TF does not use the same entry procedures Citi Field does. Please note, this IS NOT my video, I have no idea who's doing the commentary on the thing).

outdoor baseball - blue sky, clouds - i feel ya, Rick! Sometimes you should make it dark blue and stars to replicate a night game sky. (maybe that will agree with these guy's design sensibilities)

tth - the Care Bear reference is the most amusing thing you've ever said by far. lol

Luke, when baseball starts, we'll be watching baseball and chatting via InGameMagic, dontcha know?? :D

Jacquie

Rick, if I wait until 2010 to buy the scrapebook, will there be any left? Because I asked for the calender and the scrapebook for christmas and inccase I don't get it.

Luke, that video was slightly amusing because when they guy turned the camera towards himself his mouth did not move at all when he was talking! i thought it was a little funny...

But yes I hope things are similar to the X where there are no turnstiles and just ticket scanners. Makes everything a little more seamless.

Andrew Clem added the T.F. profile on his site. Click link.

Yeah, the video is rather humorous...but I'm hoping the Powers that Be at TF don't make the same mistake that Citi Field did and have people scan their own tickets. More than one person in that video had trouble with it...

The Coen Brothers' take on Joe Mauer (see link)

Rick, I like the night sky. Much better than the whimsical clouds.

Rick,

Metrodome is #8 on that list. It is listed as Mall of America Field.

Rick i love the new layout! I was in Kansas for 2 days so i had to catch up but yeah, another great update sir

TTH-i read that Mauer coen Bros espn article on the long car ride to kansas, pretty funny

To everyone, maybe we can start a petition to allow rick the final tour and maybe send it to DSP or whoever? I don't know how to really set up one of those online ones. Rick, how did you get the other tours again?

Oh yeah and maybe all of us can have a beer sometime in spring? Personally, i may or may not be in MN, because i may be moving to NYC for a internship that would prob be at least jan-april but yeah just an idea

I'd get together for a beer. Maybe we should all meet at Hrbeks before some game...
Did any of you watch the Behind the Lights last night on Fox Sports North? It's the first time I saw it, it was about the turf installation. It was still good though.
Rick, I had seen alot of those tour videos of Citi. I'll agree with you, it wasn't a pretty sight...but, TF kinda does have seats like that, those "mini-rows" that are above all the entry tunnels in the upper reaches. You're gonna be seeing people go up and down all game long. Granted, you won't have to stand up for alot of people wanting to get by, or risk getting your hot dog sneezed upon by some kid as it's passing down the row from the vendor to you...but, and I know we mentioned it here before, there's gonna be tons of traffic by those rows.

I was thinking to myself, I know that Populous has had a trademark with gigantic sized staircases entering their latest stadiums as of late (i.e. CitiField and TCFBS) and I thought, huh, I wonder if they did one like that at TF someplace. I caught myself just in time to remember that they in fact do have a mammoth staircase at TF, the one right by the B Ramp that leads up to the Trapezoid.

Anybody know when the wind sculpture will be completed?

On that Park Factors chart - interesting how Yankee stadium is at the top of the HR list, but at the bottom of the 2B and 3B lists, and number 20 on the runs scored list. Not sure what that means - maybe that its dimensions are small enough to allow HRs while preventing doubles and triples. They must have had a relatively high number of solo homers.

I'm with you, Rick - I think there will be no short supply of dingers at TF. The Twins have stated that the park is thought to favor neither pitchers nor hitters, but I have a hunch this will be a hitter's park - less foul territory, and I bet the ball carries better than in the stuffy dome. Just a guess.

I've always thought it would be kind of cool to meet some of you other Ballpark Magic addicts. Something should definitely be setup for some time in the spring!

tlj - you can buy me a beer.

Lightage on the wind veil!

Damn Dee, you beat me to it!

Now if only Ron Darling can get hit by a Greyhound bus... (OK, not really, but...)

The items aren't saving in my "Cart" when I logout of my account. Why?

Thanks and Rick, if I wait until 2010 to buy the scrapebook, will there be any left? Because I asked for the calender and the scrapebook for christmas and inccase I don't get it.

Anybody else notice that the conductor in Rick's pic above looks just like T1000?

And the engineer, Fabio?

More like a drunken Christian Slater.

Is it just me, or does it look like they removed that open fire pit from the roof deck?

Gus Johnson should call every playoff game in every sport until the end of time.

I'd be happy.

I'd like to hear Kevin Harlan doing some baseball. That would be pretty sweet.

I thought the engineer looked like one of the Pohad sons (the one who is a filmmaker or writer or whatever).

sorry, I meant Pohlad

I hate to wake a sleeping giant, but watching last night’s Patriots vs. Saints game, I got to wondering. Is anyone clamoring for the Superdome or the Georgia Dome to be replaced? Do the Saints and Falcons make money in their older domes?

I just went by TF during my lunch. The first portion of the wind veil is up, and it looks so good. Workers had moved onto the second section.

The superdome still hosts superbowls every couple of years, so by that standard there is no need for replacement.

Steeks,
I doubt that the Superdome will be replaced anytime soon given the money [almost $200 million] that went into repairing it after Katrina and all the other problems the state has; it also looks as if there's going to be another $300 million of renovations coming up.

As far as the Georgia Dome goes, it's ten years younger than the Metrodome and has more seating and luxury boxes. That said, it looks like the new stadium talks are starting to come up there even after only 17 years [see link].

Has anyone seen the yahoo report about Mauer setting a deadline for a deal to be done before the season begins or he'll stop negotiating. It just doesn't sound consitant with what Mauer has been saying as of late. What does everyone else think?

I'm guessing that Yahoo report is coming from a writer on the East Coast?

Just a hunch...

I don't believe that Yahoo! report. Mauer just said last week at his press conference that, it will happen when it happens and he is not the type of person to set deadlines.

It's probably just someone from a big market trying to draw attention and fuel speculation about the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Angels, etc.

As for the Georgia Dome, believe it or not, Arthur Blank, the Falcons owner, has already began exploring ideas for a new stadium to replace the Georgia Dome. This was before the recession hit, so I don't know if he is still exploring ideas, but its definitely on the radar in Atlanta.

The Washington Redskins have also mentioned a new stadium to replace FedEx Field, which opened in 1997 as Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. Pretty ridiculous if you ask me.

Any wind veil pictures? I'm itching to take a look!

I have not paid too much attention to the Vikes in years - Red and jail kind of cooled me off, I guess. So, I don't get the stadium issue. Maybe someone should help me out. Don't they have a place to play that was built with them in mind? There were some great questions for Wilf posed on the op-ed page of the Strib yesterday. The line of reasoning was basically that if Wilf wants to pick our pockets so he can make MORE money he should be told to go pound salt.

Our Metrodome is 3rd world. It doesn't even deserve to house dog shows.

And the new stadium wouldn't be owned by Zygi.

But his can all be found ad nauseum in the previous post.

Looks like the field's being put to bed for the winter. I don't think they could have asked for better weather these past three months to get the grass going.

This is how we know Joe will sign with the Twins. see link

I will take some photos tomorrow of the wind veil and maybe even a video. Not sure how great you will be able to see it through the skyway, especially since you have to stand back to see it ripple. It looked so cool though. It reminds me of one of those metal pin boards that you have as a kid, where you put your hand under it and see the outline. That's how the thing moves.

wow, the field blinds you with the lights shining on that white tarp

I was watching HS Hockey Night on FS North and they showed another milestone being reached at Target Field with the last seat being installed today. It was in the Legends Club with the wood back. They also showed some quick footage of the tarps being layed out to cover the grass for the winter.

Nothing major, but its always nice to see some baseball news, in particular, ballpark news, in November, December, and January.

I was wondering about that. ARe they going to cover the grass with tarps prior to the snowcover? I'm sure someone out there has their PHD in this area, but does the grass come back better with snow directly on or is it better to have it covered in some way. I would think a breathable cover unlike the rain tarps that they use in the summer. Similar to how they cover the greens at most golf courses over the winter.

Re: The tarp

I think it's a little sad actually. Couldn't they have chosen a color OTHER than white? Holy God...it makes it look like the non-outdoor-baseball gods decided to snow specifically on the field. Nowhere else, just the field.

I think it looks awful. Couldn't they have put a Miller Lite ad, or a "this IS Twins Territory" sign or the symbol of the Anarchy, Nihilism or the Unification Church or something down there??

*sigh*
That has to be a joke, right? Nobody could really give a rat's ass what the tarp looks like. Seriously.

OK, I'll admit it, the crack about the Unification Church was a joke, but come on...white?

"Twins extend arbitration to Pavano" Click name for link

Seriously luke, it's going to be covered by a bunch of white shit anyway....who cares??????????????????

In regards to comment #51 tth, I will, I'll even get you a Surly! Something tells me you're less of an objectionable ass in person.

Truth, I'm finally starting to agree with the things you're saying, or maybe it's just that you're finally starting to say some agreeable things...

In any case, I too would like to see Ron Darling get hit by something. Like a pink slip...

Can you feel the love tonight??? TTH = less of a dbag

Re: the tarp

Good lord you people will find just about anything to bitch about. Also, FYI, that's not "THE" tarp the team will use in the regular season. As an example, click my name and check out the archived Washington Nationals construction camera (go abck to about January 2008) and they have the same white tarp over the whole field! But have none of you ever watched a game where there was a rain delay? The tarps used for delays cover only the infield, and cover the dirt (which is more importaint than covering the grass in rain)! Good gravy!

The only people who will ever know about the field tarp in the first place (let alone its color) are the few dozen or so of us who frequent the webcam. As long as the grass is green in April, it doesn't matter what color the tarp is.

Goober - cool link; going back in that calendar gives you an idea of how rushed that stadium was. They didn't install the sod until early Nov, and the topsoil wasn't completely in when they started sodding. DiVito must have been sh#&ing bricks.

They just painted new lines on top of B ramp. Is that going to be normal parking again? They shot down any and all ideas for the roof? Seems like a good place to drub up some more money with a sponsorship gimmick of some sort. Am I crazy?

So I just went over to take photos and videos of the wind veil. While I was up in the skyway, I noticed 3 guys in suits standing by the window with planners out. I was standing right by them taking pictures and overheard their convo. One said "Well, we should definitely take him up here and show him the Plaza before he goes in for the tour." The guy next to him said something to the effect of "I agree, but when are we talking? Bill wants to spend more time with him before they head over." They started walking away as they were saying that. I don't mean to start up rumors, but who would be in town visiting that they would be talking about? Has anybody heard anything? I am eating lunch now but will post the pictures soon.

Here are a couple pics of the Wind Veil.

Really crappy video of the same veil

DVS2008 - Now you got me excited. Hopefully a FA.

Rick - Just noticed this. On the website header on the picture, you have placed the Ballpark Magic Logo on one of the advertising boards next to the scoreboard. NICE TOUCH!

Maybe they are bringing Batista back for a look at third!

Or maybe Moon Shot is coming for a tour, and they wanted to show him the plaza...you know, where his pitches will be landing.

I never knew that the TARGET FIELD sign above the metro club would light up, but it does.

Hey Rick,
I was looking at your old site, "Remembering Met Stadium" and I see that many of the photos of the abandoned Met were taken by Lowell Prescott. Is he your brother or your dad? And were you able to just walk in or did you have to climb?

Kevin az,

what are the chances i can get a pair of decent priced tickets to thie vikes game this weekend down there?

acannywaw,

Starting new conversation topics is always a good way to interact with others. Might I suggest asking about why a retractable roof wasn't added to the design plans? Or, pick a more abstract topic like asking why people think the tarp is white. If that fails, bring up 80s cartoon characters.

maz,

your chances are close to zero unless you're willing to pay big bucks. the vikes are always a tough ticket here because of the many transplanted minnesotans, but for the first time arizonans actually give a crap about the cardinals and it's been very difficult to get seats for the good games. now when they play the rams or 49ers, people are selling tix at face value or below. for the vikes game, be prepared to spend $200 for the worst seats in the house - which aren't too bad as i've sat virtually everywhere at UPS.

Michael-
You are correct sir. Click my name for a few shots i took back in October when it was first lit. They are a closer from just across the plaza by the Target Center. Enjoy!

Murray's Steak sandwiches to be served at Target Field's Mill City Grill concessions.

Sounds very good, but I wonder what it will cost? $10?

Click link for information

I was wondering the same thing - If a crappy dome dog was - what $6ish? - real meat will be at least $10. :P

Murray's is a nice start....Now if they sell Kramarczuk sausages, then I'll be a believer!

I agree with Kevin in AZ, Kramarczuk sausages are the best, and would be a great addition to the cuisine at TF!

jared - is it just me or is the "D" on target field already partially burnt-out?

Beta-
Haha, yep. Although, I won't say burnt out because i don't know, but not working is a just explanation even though burnt out is possible. That was the first thing my girlfriend pointed out by saying "what's the point in 'brand new' if the lights are already burned out?". She said it with such disdain and a goofy scowl, i couldn't help but laugh and tell her not everything works right the first time.

Thanks Kev,

looks like i will st be getting drunk in mesa and watching the game on tv... its 160 for a nosebleed seat so yea no thanks then parking ....

a part of the d was burnt out during the first few days of the light burn. it's fixed now.

I noticed in some of the photos that the seats directly in front of the skybox immediately behind home plate doesn't seem to have any of the railings that surround the seats on all the other skyboxes. Is there a reason that particular skybox is railing-free? Is it reserved for a VIP of some sort?

Aha! One in the same. It would have been fun - and a little sad - snooping around the old Met.

Aha! Posting under a nom de plume!

It would have been fun and fascinating - and a little sad - nosing around the old Met after the abandonment. I'll always remember it as it was in the late sixties.

maz,

parking is free at UPS if you park at the high school 1/4 mile north of the stadium. they have free valley metro busses all stacked to take you to the front door - it's awesome! the parking passes you see on ebay are the ones that season ticket holders pay for who want to park and tailgate in the lots surrounding the stadium. there's no tailgating allowed in the free park and ride lot. you may want to go there and take your chances with scalpers. many times i've missed the first 5-10 mins and the scalpers get desperate to unload their unsold tickets. if you don't mind missing the 1st quarter, you may get in for a decent price. be careful in mesa, it's third world in some parts.

Now that the Wild remembered how to play hockey it seems to me that there is less interest in baseball right now! I'm excited for the new guys we got. They're really providing the spark we needed. This place will get lively again when we resign Mauer of course!

Thanks agian kev,

yea my brother lives in mesa and when i walked into his apt i got the shock... i forgot AZ lets you carry firearms with no permit he had a 40 cal.. on his waist in a holster looking out the window at the crackheads! you mn transplants are crazy man!

prob skip the game and go to a sports bar save a few hundrend

Ballpark Authority has an updated photo set. Click my name. Its a nice update, but how many times do we need to see the same things over and over. They need to start showing us ballpark fans some of interior spaces!

i took pictures today. hoo-ray.

The BP Authority pics were great. For many reasons:

1) there was no infernaled snow in the pictures
2) we saw the "wind veil in action" which was neat.
3) it's just fun to look at.

Also - good news, TwinsFest information is out! Click my name for the info, if you haven't already seen it. Sounds like a wonderful time to be had by all as usual. Tickets go on sale next Tuesday. This time I'm buying them in advance...
Two highlights that I like:

•An inside look at Target Field - from the Metropolitan Club to the Budweiser Roof Deck to Hrbek's and more (not to take anything away from the last four years of hard work from Rick).
•An exhibit by Twins curator Clyde Doepner "New Beginnings: 1961 Metropolitan Stadium. . .1982 H.H.H. Metrodome. . .2010 Target Field.

maz,

if you and your brother haven't decided on where to watch the game, i recommend that you guys go to four peaks brewery. the place is owned by transplanted minnesotans and is by far the largest viking bar in the valley. it's in tempe. click on my name for their website. and if you go, try the carne adovada, it's out of this world!