Spicer...FINALLY an article we ALL care about...I can't hate or disagree with any thoughts on this article...but just have serious excitement for this project...

This Stadium is going to be very similar to the stadium in Pittsburgh...I can see it now...Noon start on a Thursday, Sun towering over the Stadium, the City Scape behind the outfield, and a cold beverage of choice in hand...screw the weather in Minnesota...Life is always better outside...let's all enjoy it...if we can handle 20 below in the winter we can handle a little rain and wind...right?...

How frickin' exciting! I can not wait until that thing is finished! I love how Bruce thinks this project is his favorite - I've been to Camden and Petco, so if this is his favorite, we are in for a real treat. It makes me want to move back to MN - well...just for a couple months...or a couple good series...
Like Court Paper Guy, just sitting out there watching a game, drinkin' a beer, keepin' box, spittin' seeds or tossin' shells...man, that's good, clean Livan - sorry, I mean livin'...
Having gone to a bunch of Dodgers and various other outdoor parks, baseball is best enjoyed outdoors - unless of course, you're in the 7th game of the World Series and your starting pitcher has just come out in the top of the 10th to finish 'em off and the crowd is going so ape shit that you can't hear yourself think...a whole nother story...

Wonderful article. I agree with court paper guy, a story everyone can appreciate, personally one of my favorites! I'm so excited for the park!!! Fresh air, sunny afternoons and breezy nights.

I'm curious to see if there will be a late addition of a retractable roof. If this spring is any indicator we would have had more soak than swing. I hadn't seen a sketch of what the park was going to look like before now, the excitement grows!!!

Spicer, do you know what the season ticket prices look like for the new park? How do they compare to the prices now?

There won't be a retractable roof, that's already been established. It would cost hundreds of millions more to add on. The ballpark will be better without it anyways. It won't feel boxed in and there won't be a giant shadow cast from the roof. Plus we're minnesotans we can handle a little cold! The summer nights will be amazing

The park looks and sounds amazing. However, I remember going to games at the outdoor ballpark in Bloomington. All everyone talked about was getting an indoor stadium. I think we definitely need the retractable roof, or before you know it I'm afraid we'll be hearing about how great it was having the Metrodome.

Anon. #1- If you go to the "ballpark page" link referenced in the Post, there is a "Ticket Center" section on the left-hand side of the page that offers a wealth of Twins ticket information.

Is "I think the site, primarily, makes it a very challenging and unique project. We’re calling it the most urban project we’ve done" a backhanded compliment?

Did he give any indication on what some of the unique features of the ballpark would be? Are they gearing it towards being more batter or pitcher friendly?

I cannot wait until it opens... I will definitely make a trip back into town to see it!

Captain- Some of the more unique features include: "Knotholes" along 5th St., which allow fans to watch ball without buying a ticket; a 360-degree open concourse (like the XCel Energy Center) which gives fans a continued view of the game- also, said concourses will be twice as wide as those in the Dome; and seats will offer more legroom, with fewer seats per row. As per the parks dimensions, they are presently listed as the following- 339' to Left, 377' to LF Power Alley, 404' to Center, 367' to RF Power Alley, and 328' to Right.

Any chance they can transfer the 'baggie' from right field at the Dome into the new park? Nothing says class like that baggie.

It is nice to see the Twins moving to even more of an urban area than their present location. I wish the Cowboys and Rangers did the same.

I located the Mavs near downtown and now the area is booming with hotels, restaurants, clubs and shops.

The new Cowboy stadium is doing something interesting, first it is having many luxury boxes on the ground floor. In the negative Jerry Jones is charging a one time license fee to season holders that allows the purchaser the right to buy season tickets for 30 years, it is as low as $5,000 for some seats and as high as $150,000 for other seats (50 yard line), that is per seat for thirty years. This does not include the seat and is non-transferable, in other words, if I move to Chicago after I buy the Cubs and I want to sell the right to buy my 50 yard line seats to Marg Schott, I can not.

Are the Twins doing anything similar? I am sure the Twins do not have as many season ticket holders as the Cowboys, but I have seen a pattern of owners trading up prices, which leads to less fans and more corporations.

I'm looking forward to:
- Watching downtown pandhandlers and urban outdoorsmen fight for those 5th St knotholes.
- Catching whafts of incinerating garbage when the wind blows from the west (which it does almost all the time due to the rotation of the Earth).
- Seeing It's Brothers turn from an underage/college bar to a place for yuppies.

Can't wait for the new ballpark! Love the interview!! Love the knotholes for the niggardly fan! I heard te garbage burner is going to provide heat for the seats and the stadium. Is this true?

Mark Cuban- Economics look good for the club concerning the new stadium. As of 2 months back, 47 of the 55 suites were already leased and said spaces are said to be pretty damn cool, with seating for 12, 14-foot ceilings and multiple, high-definition TV's. The additional dollars are rumored to give the club an added $40 million a year in new cash- let's hope they spend it well.

Cyber & Billy Bean- As per the incinerator, let's hope the sweet smell of success drowns out the scent of that burning garbage. The Twins, it should be noted, are receiving praise for their Green efforts, and yes Billy, there is a chance that heat from the incinerator could be used to heat the water below the field. Also, the club is trying to get a LEED certification, which would involve, in short, a third-party, nationally-renowned stamp of environmental approval. Back in April, Newsweek applauded the club for such efforts.

Judd-
i really liked this article because i actually learned something from it. Live in close proximity to the new park. I've always wondered why i didn't see more of the structure erected, like the U of MN football stadium, but i now see that soil plays an important part in this equation. In addition, i wish you would've asked why they didnt feel the need to have greater seating capacity??? i could be wrong but i was just wondering...
good article:-)

I read some of the stadium. Can't wait!

LIVING IN MINNEAPOLIS DURING THE 60'S,THE TWINS DID NOT PLAY NIGHT BASEBALL UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF MAY AT METROPOLITAN STADIUM. WILL THAT BE THE CASE AT TARGET FIELD IN 2010.