In the "Jim Graham plan" the Twins would be bought but IMMEDIATELY turned into a publicly offered stock for-profit corporation. This corporation would hire the best management staff available to actually run the team. Someone like McPhail would be a good choice. Stock holders get first shot at ALL tickets and you offer a minimum of 1 million shares or better yet 10 million shares. Since such individuals owning stock would want to attend games more often it would guarantee success of the team. Then the original stock holders would make a great return on their investment as people wanting better tickets bought more stock. I am willing to buy a few shares. I know I will make a profit and I will never again feel blackmailed by some millionaire who threatens to take "my" team somewhere else.
If Carl Pohlad was smart he would turn the team into such a public offered stock corporation at say $25.00 to $30.00 per share for 10 million shares. Carl would make a killing and the whole state would love him. The new stadium, if built, could be named the Carl Dome. His family could keep enough stock to guarantee their influence on the "Corporation" board and the best Box in the house. I attended a party with a party for a person running for office yesterday. The other attendees were the heart of the liberal Democratic party. The very people you would expect to oppose a stadium. When I suggested that the team be publicly offered, everyone supported the idea, but one person pointed out that Phyllis Kahn, of all people, was working on the same idea. Most of these people opposed my idea of leaving the team in the Dome, they wanted a new state of the art stadium with a retractable roof. Some where I have gotten the idea that liberal Democrats thought the money would be better spent on social and housing programs. I guess I was wrong, so next I will probably hear that Republicans are pushing affordable housing are concerned for the poor. I agree with James Jacobson about a handicapped section with subsidized seats, (either by the team or by some social service agency). I can think of no therapeutic measure that would be as generally positive than a handicapped person being part of the community supporting "their" team. The greatest handicap for most disabled people is the breakdown of communication with the abled population. Such shared interest in sports allows for a breakdown of the barrier abled people seem to raise between themselves and the disabled. The house bound and handicapped have as great an "ownership" of the team as anyone. It is a greater part of their lives than most people. The disabled portion of our population is one reason we need to have the team play spring and fall games, at the least, in a covered stadium. Can anyone imagine having to play yesterdays playoff game in Minneapolis in an open stadium. I was miserable changing a tire at the end of the game, and it only took ten minutes. Can the reader imagine sitting in a wheelchair for 31/2 hours in that weather. The hardy, young, and the game is meant to be played outside group, should be a little more understanding of such needs in other people. Of course it is hard for those same people to understand that everyone is not like them. Remember folks, just as in housing, things designed for disabled people are easily adapted to by abled persons. Things designed only for abled persons are usually impossible for those with handicaps and special needs. Let's keep this in mind when we agree to spend public dollars on anything. James Jacobson can be assured that I have no delusions about what would happen if the City Council and RT was running the Twins or if a MCDA type of management ran the team. MCDA would simply board the dome and wait until the building fell in and the team was worthless, then sell it off to some crony for pennies on the dollar. NO, a publicly held for-profit corporation is a better idea. The for-profit part guarantees the team would be better run, and much less expensive. Jim Graham, Ventura Village ----- Original Message ----- From: James E Jacobsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 8:07 AM Subject: [Mpls] Twins > Ref. Jim Graham's letter in regard to the Twins, he makes a good > observation about handicapped and house bound types. I have thought the > city or the Sports commission > -or whoever- should make cheaper tickets available and free transport on bus > or lite rail for those to attend the games. such would boost the gate and > generally add to the community. > As to having the city or any government entity buy the Twins, I > think that would be a collosal mistake. I doubt the Twins have been a > profitable business for the Pohlad's, except as a tax write off. Carl > Pohlad, though, must have had something to do with the Twins winning the two > previous World Series, first ever since early 1960s. I just don't think the > city government would be anything to run a pro baseball team. Who would do > it?, the Council or certain council members? or RT? Would there be another > big agency like MCDA to administer the team? If they aren't being harassed > to death someone will buy the team. > James Jacobsen // Whittier > > > _______________________________________ > 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 > _______________________________________ 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
