Remember the Original original renderings of the stadium on the river where the Guthrie is now?

Yeah, looking back at those renderings from January 1997, that would have been an amazing stadium site along the Mississippi riverfront. They could have also had a retractable roof and all for $300 million or so. (Don't remember the exact figures, but they could have had a lot more for less money had they gotten their act together earlier) But in the end, you can't go wrong with the current design which will be much more intimate and have it's own appeal rather than the "retro" appeal that the 1997 proposal would have had. It would have been essentially another Coors Field/Camden Yards ballpark only with the addition of a retractable roof.

Just seeing that last picture of the old model with the roof makes me thankful for what is reality. We'll have a REAL ballpark, not an airplane hangar like Miller Park, Chase Field or Minute Maid Park.

I have an umbrella, that's all the roof I will need. I have a parka and thermal underwear, that's all the protection I'll need in April.

I think all the pro-roof people are of the generation born post-metropolitan stadium. It wasn't that bad folks.....Tell them Rick, you're almost as old as I am!!!

Jim Souhan has a good write up as well about the new ballpark and the model (click on link).

The thing I thought was most interesting was the fact that the top row in the left field grand stand will be approximately the same distance as the bottom row of the upper deck in the Metrodome. That is a BIG difference and will go to show how intimate this new ballpark will truly be.

Rick, I looked at the pics on the StarTrib website and I can't see where the tweaks were made. Are they real minor?

This ballpark is going to be incredible. Top-5 in baseball in my opinion. I love those seats out in the left field corner surrounding the admin. building and the greenery on top of the HR fence. And I agree, it is a great thing to not have a monstrosity of a retractable roof looming over the park. Miller Park is a nice comfortable park, and I've also been to Houston's park, but they feel like domes. Like kevin in mn says, our park is going to be a real BALLPARK. A throwback to the old days where they built a park into the surrounding neighborhood as best as they could. How sweet is the fall of '09 going to be? The Gophers back on campus in an outdoor stadium that harkens back to Memorial Stadium, and the anticipation of Opening Day 2010 for the Twins and their amazing park.

Thanks for pointing that out.

In reading Souhan's column, I was a little surprised to hear that the capacity would come in at just under 40,000. I was thinking with the added outfield seating in left field that it would be over 40,000.

I like how this is actual outfield seating in the new ballpark where nearly every homerun will be caught by a fan unlike the current dome.

i can't wait to see the reactions of right fielders that are robbed of an out (and the hitter being gifted) of the right field stand overhang.

In regards to the administration building, are the plans still there for some sort of sports bar? If so, I hope it remains open on non-game days and before games, say 11 to 3.

This ballpark is simply going to be amazing! Most importantly this ballpark is going to be different than all other ballparks and have its own unique identity with the limestone, administration building incorporated into the ballpark, the parking ramps beyond the outfield fence, the plaza area, the unique left field grandstand, the light rail/northstar commuter lines, and the overall intimate design. This ballpark will be one-of-a-kind and will have its own identity.

The best ballparks of baseball are all smaller urban ballparks (and OPEN AIR ballparks) that have incorporated the area infrastructure as part of the overall design. Ballparks such as PNC Park, SBC Park, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Camden Yards all provide unique experiences such as the Roberto Clemente Bridge (PNC), McCovey Cove (SBC), Waveland/Sheffield Avenues along with rooftop seating and ivy walls (Wrigley), the Green Monster (Fenway), and the giant Warehouse (Camden Yards). These are all urban ballparks that have used the area infrastructure to give the ballpark its own unique identity and Minnesota will be able to say the same thing in 2010 when they will have one of the best ballparks in baseball! This will be a ballpark to be proud of and no one is more deserving than Minnesota Twins fans!

What a waste of roughly $400 million in tax dollars. $400 million dollars would be much better spent on roads, schools, police and fire departments, or given back to the taxpayers. Why raise taxes on the citizens of a state that already has one of the highest tax burdens in the nation? Apparently the $750 million toy train that runs an annual deficit of $10 million was not a enough to bleed taxpayers. Minnesotans don't own the Twins, so therefore it is not our responsibility to buy them a new place of business. I could only imagine the outrage of some local journalists if politicians proposed building Target, Best Buy, or 3M a $400 million complex. We wouldn't accept that from them, so why accept it from the Twins?

C'mon adam you can't be serious comparing target, best buy and 3m to the Twins. Would anyone pay to go watch those companies work?

Is there any new photos from ground level of the ballpark? I am a diehard twins fan living in oregon and i am getting board with the web cam I would like to see something new!

You are paying to buy the product the company puts out there. The Twins are a corporation, and the games are their product. Comparing the Twins to any other corporation is a fair comparison, since Target, Best Buy, 3M, and the Twins all make enough annually to build the office buildings, warehouses, and yes, stadiums needed for them to efficiently conduct their business. If we don't subsidize other privately owned corporations, why subsidize the Twins? Best Buy, Target and 3M all contribute more to our economy monetarily, yet their would be an outrage to give them money to prevent their departure, why are we doing the same for the Twins? Furthermore, the funding for this stadium is coming from the public, yet the public was not allowed a referrendum to decide the issue. This is America, our forefathers didn't fight against taxation without representation with the hopes we would be forced into the same predicament some two hundred years later. The Twins wanted their stadium, why did we not make them buy their own. This organization is turning into a toddler crying for candy, and our politicians are turing into the parents that are spoiling that puerile child. Ridiculous.

Adam,

You're assuming that Target, Best Buy, 3M, etc. DON'T get subsidies. They absolutely DO!

Best Buy got a huge break on their Richfield headquarters. Target is going to get a huge break on their Brooklyn Park complex. And that's just two very recent examples. How many bailouts has NWA had over the years?

So you're right. The Twins are no different than any other corporation in this respect.