It's been interesting to read the recent postings about my perceived position about a proposed ballpark. I know for some, the mere mention of the word "stadium" is enough to delete this right now. In my defense I would like to clarify a few things.
Political leaders can either bury their heads in the sand when the going gets tough or they can work with folks to find solutions. For me, leadership is the latter. This is not business as usual. The Mpls ballpark proposal consists of an urban, compact, open air ballpark (think of a modern day Wrigley Field ). The proposed location leverages existing freeway access, parking and other infrastructure. No existing businesses will need to be relocated. The site offers a tremendous opportunity to both benefit from and enhance light rail and commuter rail which will connect immediately adjacent to the site. The design of the park will be intimate and fit into the urban fabric of the Warehouse District. Not to mention interesting ways to capture steam heat from the nearby Hennepin Cty Energy Resource Center which could improve fan comfort without an expensive retractable roof. The Mpls proposal leads with location, design and PRIVATE financing while other proposals have first offered a huge public check and disregarded urban planning and design. Earlier this week, several architects at a meeting of the American Institute of Architects, praised the urban planning underlying this proposal. It is also important to note that this proposal stems from the work of our Citizen's Committee, which unlike other ballpark task forces, was completely independent of the MN Twins and Major League Baseball. Now, the tough part. Can Minneapolis stand up to Major League Baseball and at the same time work with the private sector on a ballpark proposal that works for our city? I believe the answer is yes. Unlike any other proposals, this one requires the Twins and the private sector contribute 2/3rds of the cost. Of the remaining 1/3, a substantial amount would be raised through parking revenue from Twins fans parking in the existing ramps. Thank you, if you've read along this far. This issue, while very controversial, is one that the citizens of Minneapolis can and must resolve. If you want to learn more the Citizens Committee, which recently recommended that Mpls advance this ballpark proposal, check out their web site at: <www.NewBallparkInc.org> Paul Ostrow Mpls City Council Ward 1 _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
