House passes stadium bill

04/26/2006

BY ARON KAHN
Pioneer Press

The Minnesota House passed the Minnesota Twins ballpark bill this evening, pushing the team closer toward open-air ballpark that would be paid for mostly by Hennepin County taxpayers.

The Twins are seeking a new ballpark to increase team revenues by $40 million a year, enough to support an average major league payroll, officials say. The team’s current payroll of $63 million ranks 19th of 30 teams, but their revenue of $114 million last year was last in baseball.

The measure was approved by a 76 to 55 vote.

A new 0.15 percent Hennepin County sales tax would pay for 75 percent of the $522 million project, with the Twins kicking in $130 million by opening day and another $10 million a year for operating expenses.

The measure in the House seeks to let the county collect the tax without a referendum among Hennepin County voters. The Hennepin County Board approved the deal earlier this month.

The Twins also would have to sign a 30-year lease and give the public 18 percent of proceeds from any team sale — a percentage declining over 10 years. The latter is based on the assumption that a sale price would rise substantially because of the new revenue-raising ballpark.

The team would get all income from the ballpark.

House Speaker Steve Sviggum on Tuesday predicted passage, but the bill’s supporters were expected to get a fight from Hennepin County lawmakers who say the tax is unfair and that residents should have the chance to vote on it.

The outdoor ballpark would open in the spring of 2010 in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis.

The Senate Taxes Committee plans to take up the matter later this week, perhaps Thursday. Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he prefers a county referendum on the tax, but would sign the bill without a mandatory ballot issue.