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Flag Pole: En Route?August 20, 2008 10:46 PM
Word came today from Ben McEvers, my contact at the Richfield American Legion, that the Twins have now made some formal moves to acquire the old Met Stadium flag pole which stands in front of their building. As a review, Ben contacted me many years ago now to tell me the story of the flag pole. His buddies saw it still standing amid the rubble of Met Stadium, and asked the demolition guys if the Legion could have it. They were given permission as long as they did all of the work -- which they did. In fact, they found a company willing to volunteer to rehab the pole and get it installed properly. If you've never seen it, it's huge! You can't miss it as you drive south on Portland Avenue between the crosstown and 66th Street (where a new traffic circle is currently being constructed). When the Twins started soliciting ideas for the new ballpark, getting the flag pole was the first one I sent, and it was embraced immediately! The message relayed to me today actually contained the team's plan for the pole: it will be installed where the plaza connects to First Avenue -- assuming that portion of the project eventually finds funding. Personally, I would have preferred it a little closer to the playing field, at least inside the main gate. But just knowing that I helped make it a part of the project is pretty gratifying. Ben and I have agreed to meet at the flagpole on opening day of 2010 to get some pictures. (I know. There will come a day when no one remembers how the flag pole made its long trek from one classic ballpark to another. By my family's scrap book will contain the story. And that's something.) More Recent Photos I haven't exactly been holding out, but I just haven't found the right opportunity to post some pretty cool recent photos. Since I know how hungry everyone is out there for images, I'll try to get a few out per day.
CommentsTo utilized enhanced comment features, please enable cookies in your browser. From the first ballpark picture will you be able to see the field for free on the pavilion? Looking at the 2nd pic above... seriously, how cool is it going to be when Morneau is the first one to rip a homerun ball up onto the right field plaza?? Granted, I don't know the exact distance that would be, but if possible, would have to rank right up there with Bonds into McCovey Cove. It would probably bounce half way to the Metrodome... I was down at the site checking it out yesterday. Although there may not be smells coming from the HERC, the entire outside promenade that faces the HERC is going to be one UGLY view. If I were the architects, I would have made the walkway inside the structure instead of on the outside. I guess people will only use it getting in and out of the park... the only thing I can figure is that they're planning on tearing that thing down in the very near future -- but maybe not if it's going to feed steam to downtown?? Also, has anyone seen the Northstar platform? I'm very confused about how they will fit the tracks in between the south platform and the 4th st. freeway viaduct support. There does not seem to be any room there to do so. Nice Pictures. I am hoping to go to the state fair and possibly check in on the Twins booth and see whether they have more updated renderings or anything new for that matter, because it is just getting plainly ridicoulous from the Twins part of things.
Posted on August 21, 2008 at 10:14 AM by NewGuy
On a different note the Target Center is the ugliest Baketball Arena in the association, whoever designed that place should be given an F- for just having the ugliest arena out there. The Target Center should be torn down and a new arena should be in place to complement the new ballpark.
Posted on August 21, 2008 at 10:20 AM by NewGuy
Does anyone have any interior/concourse pictures? I agree, tear down the hideous Target Center. But why bother building another arena. Let the Wolfies play in the Roy Wilkins Auditorium or maybe the De La Salle High School gym. yes, the wolves should play in the minneapolis North High school gym until they earn there way to a new arena New pics of Mauer, Morneau, Span, etc touring the ballpark site
Posted on August 21, 2008 at 11:40 AM by luckylager
Sorry bout that, first link didnt work. 08/20 update on "Sights & Sounds".
Posted on August 21, 2008 at 11:42 AM by luckylager
Why not put a forest of trees between the HERC and the ballpark to try and cover it up The target center really should have a new facade. it needs brickwork on the outside and that would slove the problems. It simply has not ever fit in with the warehouse row that it sits on. The inside of the trget center is ok. they just need to fix the outside and really that shouldn't cost too much to do. Another reminder to set your DVR to record the new Twins ballpark tour on "Under The Lights", FSN North, 7:00 TONIGHT. Aloha. Can somebody record and forward to me (or YouTube it) the ballpark tour from tonight's pregame show? (No FSN in our house, alas.) Many thanks. Posted on August 21, 2008 at 3:11 PM by Rick 15 Agreed, Rick - We need a YOUTUBE of the tour! Maybe they'll document the extreme difficulties and complex challenges of setting up a ballpark webcam... HEY! Im the new uniform of the minnesota timberwolves and I love the exterior of my home.. it is AWESOME! Hey new uniform not so fast its the year 1996 and I am ushering in a new era of timberwolves uniforms but I think we can agree on one thing.. the exterior of our home is AWESOME! 1992 & 1996, On the FSN ballpark show the tour guide says that the back wall of the home dugout will be limestone. If they don't do the visitors also I think that is dumb. If I heard correctly, the restaurant will be called "The Town Ball Club". The big, cantilevered restaurant will be caled The Metropolitan Club. For season ticket holders only. I completely forgot this was on, and just caught the last five minutes or so. I just looked up the FSN schedule, and it they will be replaying the heck out of this program: Twins New Ballpark Tour Moose I think one of the most interesting things I got out of that is that the exposed concrete in the concourses will all have some kind of treatment - even the ceilings. The ceilings in the main concourse look to be about 20 feet high. I found it interesting that if the site would have been just 30 feet shorter on any side, it would have been impossible to build a ballpark on that site. I remember hearing that the restaurant is going to have the mpls. lakers court for the floor and I thought someone said that it would be called 573 bar in honor of harmons hr total. having the old minneapolis lakers court as the floor of the metropolitan club restaurant in the new ballpark would be pretty cool. would love to take a look at that. speaking of the lakers franchise. man, i wish they never would have never moved out to la. they don't even have any lakes out there! :-) Yeah it would be sweet to still have the Lakers and the North Stars but thats the life of a Minnesota sports fan its a tough life we live. So only season ticket holders can use the 'cantilevered restaurant?' F that. Hey everyone, Was at the fair tonight. The Twins booth has a video showing the 3D layout of the lower seating bowl (view down the 3B line) panning from behind the plate to RF. Looks great. I asked when it would be put online and they said the first of the year. Also asked about webcam #2 on the Ford Centre. The guys there had no clue what I was talking about and didn't know if one was being put up or not. Lafferty, I'm getting spoiled. Why isnt this game in HD? Picture looks like dookie. Two comments; First, to Lafferty: If they've got one restaurant for everyone (the one in LF "administration building," then I don't see the harm in a "season ticket" restaurant. Call it a perk for those that don't buy club level tickets or suites. It's not like there won't be a restaurant for everyone. Second, WTF on the new animation being on the web-site the "first of the year?" That's pathetic. And having no idea about the second web-cam? I don't know what to say... This organization doesn't seem to understand that all its fans don't live within a close drive of MSP, and can't drive to the site at the drop of a hat to see this stuff. Moose Ya, that is bullsh*t, if I wanna pay to eat there, they aren't gonna let me??? And it is going to have the Mpls. Lakers floor from either the Minneapolis Armory or Auditorium (I can't remember), as it has been sitting in boxes since it was dismantled. Hey luckylager, I love your post on the strib about 'you ain't nothin but a waitress in the sky'. I can't stand NW stewardesses. At first I thought, man how does he have the time to read and post on every site in town, and then I realized I was doing the same. Doht! Time to get a hobby. Is it weird that the people manning the Twins booth at the fair A)don't seem to know as much as we do about the project, and B) don't seem to care as much as we do about the stadium? My experience of the guys at the State Fair booth is that they don't have a clue. I wouldn't put too much stock in anything they say. It's kind of like the guys I encountered near the ballpark model at TwinsFest. Not only did they not have any inside info, they sometimes didn't even get the basics right. A couple of times I wanted to step in and correct things I heard that I knew were incorrect, but I didn't. Maybe if the Twins paid me... Posted on August 21, 2008 at 9:21 PM by Rick 40 Hahahaha... This is usually what I do while I watch the game. I just couldnt resist the "Waitress in the Sky" post. Didnt make me too many friends on the Strib site. I'll never be allowed to fly NWA again. Hey guys, anyone been to Tropicana Field? I'm in Orlando for a week and last night I drove the two hours to St. Petes to watch the Rays and Angels. When I first saw it my thought was how tiny it looked (that is in comparison to the Dome). Wow, when I got inside I felt like I was in the rotunda at the MOA, totally looked like a mall. I guess that's better than a sea of concrete. The concourses were huge though compared to the 20ft hallway in the Dome. Some places they were actually split with a center "island" and a number of attractions mixed in too. The field/stands interior gets even smaller when you walk in. Being enticed by the construction of our new stadium I took note of a number of different things wondering how they'd be incorporated. The ticket I bought off the street was pretty good, Sect 216, but there's no way I would have paid $38, face value (I paid $20). Don't be fooled how it looks in the link. The 200-level section hangs well over the Black and Orange 100 level suites. And likewise for the third deck over the 200-sect. So, all that really to say, if you were in any of the suites the only real view you have is only that of the field (no looking "up"). From what I can tell with the Twins' new place is that it won't be that recessed. I just don't want to pay $50 for one of those seats. And speaking of seats, they have the same plastic, blue ones as in the dome with the same number placards and everything. It was creepy. And my final thought on the Twins' new home...let's go simple, "old" school: New Metropolitan Stadium. Simply put, The New Met.
Posted on August 21, 2008 at 9:24 PM by chuck in ak (sortof)
But it ends well, I cant believe I'm saying this but our BULLPEN won the game for us! Nice 2-1 win tonight! Nice to see Punto and Span come through in the 12th, but more impressive was Guerrier, Crain, and Nathan. Let's not forget that Baker only gave up 4 hits! Posted on August 22, 2008 at 12:31 AM by Rick 46 Hide Facebook box
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"The only thing the ballpark can give a visitor that he cannot get anywhere else is baseball."– Shannon/KalinskyExplore the SiteHere are 50 images chosen randomly from the 2363 found on this site. Click the image to be taken to the original post. A new list is created every 10 minutes.
A truck is leaving the HERC plant. Here you can see the proximity to the promenade. For the record, the truck drove right by me and I smelled nothing... There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow! (I loved this place as a kid.) Steel going up fast. The french fry lights were on! Stairs down to Seventh Street now have the start of railings The Northstar circulation building is starting to take shape. A closer look into the park from down the street. How great will this view be during a game?? The first completed mural The field will feel very close. Love the red flowers -- just like the original concept drawings. That NEVER happens. From the TV camera platform -- the view you'll see on TV The green in question (click for very large version) This is what it looked like during the first open house in March. Here's a correction: The LRT platform will actually be able to load outbound trains from both sides. Fissure dude Grid for the ironwood louvres is in place From the roof of the Minnekahda building (courtesy Bruce Lambrecht). "Original" or "Dinger" Dog Sunday afternoon, WFTC-HD 720P Bronze glove delivered (awaiting installation) with Met flag pole horizontal behind the gate Yankee Stadium Looking from the middle of the third base side back toward the entry door The rendering which excited a fan base! (Inset is an enlargement of the pictured neon sculpture.) This is the area above the pro shop, with some new support structure This is a slightly blurry view of the pavilion in center. It has a quirky shape, but one which is completely consistent with the overall ballpark design. Nice work there. You can also get a glimpse of the greenery which will rise above the fences. Balcony of the Town Ball Tavern. The canopy as viewed through the outfield stands. The lighting approach, despite what you may have heard, is actually very traditional. Saturday afternoon, KMSP-HD 720P This is the LRT path looking from the ballpark site (behind me) toward downtown. The line currently ends about two blocks up this street. This bridge over I-394 is also being partially rebuilt as part of the ballpark project. This is the trapezoid (for lack of a better name) in right center. Be sure to notice section of seats just below the pavilion and above the fence (which I hadn't noticed before). For those who are interested, what looks like an old-style scoreboard is in fact a high-def video board which will look, at times, like an old-fashioned scoreboard. New section labels, but some curious choices. Fabulous Fantasy Welcome Visitors From Two Men On (Accessiblity) Glossary BRT - Bus Rapid Transit DSP - Dave St. Peter FSE - Full Season Equivalent HERC - Hennepin Energy Resource Company (aka the Garbage Burner) HPB - Home Plate Box HRP - Home Run Porch LC - Legends Club LRT - Light Rail Transit MBA - Minnesota Ballpark Authority (will own Target Field) MOA - Mall of America MSFC - Minnesota Sports Facilities Commission (owns the Metrodome) NYS - New Yankee Stadium SRO - Standing Room Only STH - Season Ticket Holder TCFBS - TCF Bank Stadium TF - Target Field Selected Bibliography - Analysis Selected Bibliography - Surveys
Selected Bibliography - Nostalgia |