Minnesota Twins Ballpark

Perhaps the biggest news of this year's legislative session is that the House and Senate completed their agenda without needing a special session. They covered issues such as road construction, stadiums, and some other more important stuff--but no one knows what that was because they only heard about the stadium debates.

In the final hours, both legislative bodies passed a bill approving the financing deal for a new Twins ballpark. The debate started a decade ago when many other cities were building new stadiums for their own professional teams. Now we know that in 2010 and $522 million later, the Twins will have their own shiny structure.

I still wonder about one missing feature: the roof. Don't get me wrong. I want outdoor baseball as much as the next person--I've been to Miller Park and Wrigley Field. However, I think the retractable roof is important in Minnesota. Supposedly, studies show that historically very few games would have been canceled due to inclement weather. But if the team wants to cater to their fans, that should include guarantees that the games will be played. If I lived in Northern Minnesota and planned a trip to the Cities for a baseball game, I would want to be sure those plans stay intact.

Let me look at the roof in terms of total attendance. (Results will be skewed in the first years due to the freshness factor.) Assume that many people who already attend games will continue to attend. How many new fans will come for outdoor baseball? How many fans will be lost under a threat of rain? Add the person who hates the Dome, but subtract an out-stater who checked the weather. Personally, I probably won't go to more or fewer games simply because they're outdoors, but I won't be inclined to sit outdoors in ugly weather.

We have four years until the stadium is a reality. When that time comes, we'll see what happens. Funding is the only thing determined by the bill. This was the biggest hurdle, but the officials have to cut through the final red tape and finalize the blueprints before the shovel hits the ground.