Leurquin, Ronald wrote:
Dean makes some good points about a referendum.
Referendums are bad government. They give the loudest voice (i.e. those
with money) a disproportionate say in important government decisions.
We elect representatives to make _informed_ decisions for us. When
they abdicate that responsibility, they lesson oour representative
democracy.
I have said NO and will continue to say NO to any form of taxpayer funded
stadium.
How, then, would you propose to fund a stadium. Either we put in some
public money or we lose the Twins. Maybe you don't care about that, and
that's fine, but don't presume to speak for those of us who see baseball
as a real asset.
Last week I asked the forum what we gain from building a new stadium that
we do not now have?
It's quite simple. The ballpark will anchor downtown. It will give
people outside the city a reason to visit. I really don't care all
that much if the Vikings move to the 'burbs. It's a total of eight
games over the whole year. Baseball is a whole other story. A
ballpark downtown will ensure its continued vitality.
Have you investigated the city's plans for the North Loop and Downtown
East neighborhoods in the presence of a new Twin stadium and a vacating
of the dome? Here's a link:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/master-plans/downtown-east-north-loop/
The land use plan is here:
http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/master-plans/downtown-east-north-loop/chapter_4.asp#TopOfPage
Pay particularly close attention to the sections on the Metrodome Site,
Freeway West and The Cut. This is a _fantastic_ plan that includes
decking over the I-394 trenchway and reconnecting the downtown grid.
This all becomes much less feasible without a ballpark to anchor the
whole project.
The ballpark will sit at the terminus of four major public
transportation corridors (five if you count Central Corridor).
One couldn't ask for a better site. In addition to providing
a respectable venue for baseball, it will be a strong motivator
to build out the public transportation plan that has been sitting
at the Met Council since 2000.
David Greene
The Wedge
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