Wishful Fields Archive Target Field History

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Potential Sites

March 2, 2007 5:16 PM

COMMENT

Today's article in the Star Tribune got buried pretty quickly on their web site under an avalanche of snow coverage. But it's interesting because it names six sites that Hennepin County has discussed and presented to the Twins for consideration.

They are:

1. "a 40-acre parcel near the new Target Co. campus in Brooklyn Park...along Hwy. 610 owned by a three-person limited partnership"
2. "property owned by the Star Tribune near the Metrodome"
3. "the Farmers Market on the near North Side of downtown Minneapolis"
4. "property along the Mississippi River near Dowling Avenue in north Minneapolis"
5. "an undisclosed parcel in St. Louis Park"
6. "the Brookdale Mall property"

I'm glad to see the Farmer's Market on the county's list. That would make a great site for a stadium. The view of downtown really is better from there.

The article also includes two nuggets worthy of further digestion:

County Board Chairman Randy Johnson said that he had recently met privately with a Hines Interests official to try to break the stalemate, but that he was unsuccessful. Hines, a Texas-based developer, reportedly owns an option on the stadium land through an agreement with Land Partners II and had previously announced its own redevelopment plans for other land surrounding the stadium.

But Johnson said he came away with few answers, including details on Hines' specific role in the stadium land's ownership.

"I kept asking, 'What's Hines' involvement?' " he said. "I never get very many answers."

The emphasis above is mine, but it could explain a lot. Perhaps the LPII folks are bound by some agreement they made when they thought the Legislature would never pass stadium legislation. Just a thought.

Next is Mike Kaszuba's characterization of LPII's reaction to the $13MM offer:

Spokesmen for Land Partners II have scoffed at the county's initial sale-price offer, saying the property is worth considerably more.

Scoffing is not really a good place to start negotiating. Rich Pogin asked me in a comment below what fuels my negative impressions of LPII's behavior. It's this sort of thing. (I've since begun a conversation with him which I hope to be able to share in this space very soon.)

Call for Ballpark Sites Redux

So the county has their list, and we have ours. Two sites have been added to our list from your comments:

7. Kmart site at Lake and Nicollet (thanks Andrew -- I love this one, but can't imagine the pieces falling into place in time)
8. Bryn-Mawr Meadows (near the impound lot, but not part of it)

Keep the ideas coming!

Comments

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LPII not greedy? Give me a break.

Bryn Mawr Meadows is a fabulous spot for a park...but parking would be a nightmare. Another fun spot would be the old PARADE Stadium. They could use the existing field and build a stadium around it...?

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 7:39 PM by Jeff 1

I have an idea for an aspiring journalism student. Find the names of the 100 investors behind LPII and post them. It is really not fair to Pogin to make him the next Norm Greene without exposing the other decision makers behind the scenes.

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 8:07 PM by Bill 2

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 8:08 PM by Bill 3

Rick give a slack on the comment I never talked to the reporter for the article

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 8:46 PM by rich 4

Sorry, Rich. That's imprecise language on my part. I meant to imply that the perception of scoffing is what fuels people's negative impressions. (I think it's unlikely that anyone actually "scoffed"...)

Posted on March 2, 2007 at 9:06 PM by Rick 5

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Explore the Site

Here are 50 images chosen randomly from the 3004 found on this site. Click the image to be taken to the original post. A new list is created every 10 minutes.

Can you name that field? (Braemer Park, Edina)

Directly above the ceiling here is the hidden concourse which served the upper deck prior to the renovation. That concourse was closed off to the public, but became a service level for ballpark employees. It's one of the many quirks which will be lost when the wrecking ball takes the place away.

The admin building (note TF logo on banner)

This looks toward the middle of the park. The third base side of the Legends Club is to the right up ahead, while the 573 Club is just barely visible at the end of the hallway. It extends to the left.

Stairs and escalator down to the platform

At Comerica Park, some aisles have railings and some do not.

Looking for some detail

Instrument of evil.

Despite what those signs say, every one of these places was selling either snacks or Yankee memorabilia out of its front door. Do you suppose anything like this will spring up anywhere near the new Twins ballpark?

Also viewed from the B ramp, that's the upper deck in left field.

Champion's Club details (click to enlarge)

All three seating mounds

A whole bunch of guys working on something.

Photo by Tyler Wycoff

Giant screened images! (573 Club, my back to Seventh Ave windows)

Work on the pavilion in center.

Which way to the skyway? Really??

Through the windows of the Metropolitan Club you can see one of the displays of Met Stadium memorabilia.

I realized I've never shown how the walkway over Seventh Street meets the A ramp

A view straight on of the Pro Shop area and ticket windows (just barely visible). The piers you see beneath the plaza are already almost completed (see final photo).

Carew atrium menu part 1

For some inexplicable reason, a lot of the new parks being built these days feature grand staircases like this one.

Carew atrium menu part 2

Here are some less intrusive things things you can actually get at the ballpark.

Here's the view of the entrance ramp to 394. Looks like they are painting...

Looking through the transit hub

In case you don't know, that's Earl Battey.

View level as seen through the Seventh Street circulation ramp

Detail of the train tunnels (click to view the entire drawing)

The view down Sixth Street toward the ballpark site. A pedestrian bridge will extend this street right into the main entrance of the park. The regrettable facade of Target Center is on the left. Butler Square is on the right. Click on the image to see what it looked like on this very spot about 100 years ago.