Return to Index Mission Statement Stadium Situation Articles about the Twins' quest for a new park Why the Twins need a new park Concerns about a new Twins park Thoughts about the Twins and the stadium issue Save the Twins poll Twins links Contact Webmaster Save the Minnesota Twins is dedicated to keeping baseball 
in Minnesota by helping the Twins build a new stadium.
home > articles > article


Chief House stadium supporter says battle not over
Associated Press


The chief House sponsor of a bill for a new Twins stadium said Thursday that this year's ballpark fight is not over.

Rep. Harry Mares, R-White Bear Lake, is considering making a motion on the House floor to pull the proposal out of a committee that has dealt the bill a defeat. House Speaker Steve Sviggum, who earlier declared the bill dead, said he won't stand in Mares' way.

``I'm not saying when,'' Mares said. ``When the moment comes, which will be down the pike a bit, we will consider bringing it back.''

The bill calls for a $300 million ballpark, with the Twins footing almost all of the cost through private donations and repayment of a state loan. The proposal is alive in the Senate, but was effectively defeated in a House committee.

Sviggum, R-Kenyon, said it would take ``a pretty unusual intervention of power'' to revive the bill on the House floor, but he said he wouldn't prevent Mares from making such a motion.

``I would not be opposed to a vote on the House floor. ... Everybody should stand up and be counted,'' Sviggum said. He quickly followed those remarks with a word of caution, ``I don't know how you would do that without usurping the process.''

Dave St. Peter, a Twins vice president, said the team is holding out hope that the bill will see more action.

``We haven't officially given up,'' he said. ``As long as they're still in session something can happen.''