Read the article from Minnesota Public Radio

Twins, Hennepin County break logjam over stadium funding

by Brandt Williams, Minnesota Public Radio
April 9, 2007

Minneapolis, Minn. "” The financial logjam that has delayed construction on the new Minnesota Twins stadium has apparently been broken. And the team helped to break it.

Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat says the board will vote on a measure Tuesday to set in motion condemnation of land for the ballpark site before the end of April.

He says the deal was possible because of an additional financial committment from the Twins. Opat says construction crews can start breaking ground on the stadium as early as next month.

"Actually, the team will assist us with non-land infrastructure, primarily. The bridges and plazas are proving to be a little more expensive than we had thought. So we're going to get a little help from them," says Opat. "We're not going to talk about the details. But that's their additional involvement."

Opat says the county will acquire the ballpark site through a procedure called "quick take." The county will get the land after depositing $13.35 million towards the purchase price. A three-person panel will then decide the actual value of the land.

If the county disputes that amount, it can pursue a jury trial.