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Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Funding of Target Field
The Twins will soon be making playing games in the new Target Field. Read the following articles on how the facility was funded or find additional articles.
Article 1 Article 2 Article 3
Put yourself “in the shoes” of a resident in one of the areas affected by taxation, do you agree with the sources of funding for Target Field? Why or why not? Explain your response and provide additional thoughts or solutions.
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I believe that the people in surrounding areas will be happy that the stadium was built, regardless of the taxes. I believe that while the article states the field will take business from surrounding businesses, in the end it will help those other places flourish due to a number of new found baseball viewers who want to see the new stadium and an outdoor baseball game. The majority of the money comes from the owner rather than the taxes anyways.
ReplyDeleteBeing a big sports fan and a big baseball fan I think if I lived in that area I would be happy with the new stadium being built and would not really be upset with the taxing personally because I will be benefiting from a top of line experience in a beautiful stadium that I just didnt get when watching a game in the Metrodome. I know alot of people are really going to dislike the taxation but I wouldn't mind it because of the positive experiences I would get in watching games at the new stadium.
ReplyDeleteI believe in forward progress. The dome is outdated and only provides few advantages for players and fans. I can honestly say that I've been to at least 40 professional baseball games in my life, none of which have been outdoors. I am very excited to get to experience this and 0.15 taxation in some areas is def. worth the experience. I can see where other residents who don't enjoy baseball are coming from. But maybe with this new stadium they will start to appreciate baseball and come and see the new stadium.
ReplyDeleteI think that the new stadium for the most part is a good thing. You are getting a new stadium that the team needs which will bring in some revenue such as possibly hosting the all star game which would really bring in money. I can see where some people would be upset having to pay money for a stadium that they don’t want but I think that the new stadium is going to be a positive thing.
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ReplyDeleteThe majority of the money does not come from the owner it does in fact come from the taxpayer. Yes the stadium may boost some business around it but, the taxpayers would spend that money at the metrodome too. I am sure there are some of the taxpayers in Hennepin County that are very happy with their purchase of Target Field. However there are some people who probably are not too happy about this purchase. Especially people who cannot afford to go to Twins games but will still have to pay for the stadium. If the owner of the team had contributed the majority of the money towards the stadium then that would be another issue. I do believe that this will be a great thing for the Twins and the Twins fans. However I do not see the full benefit of the stadium to everyone in Hennepin County who is paying for the stadium. I do not know how else they would fund the stadium perhaps they would have to increase the ticket and merchandise prices in order to pay for the new stadium or perhaps (although this would never happen) ask the players to chip in some of their salary in order to build the new stadium that they will play in. Perhaps naming rights on more items then just the stadium itself could be used to fund the new stadium.
ReplyDeleteAll around, the stadium itself will help the surrounding area. The funding for the new stadium has come in two forms. One is from the tax payers of the state. The other form is from the owner. The owner is actually paying the majority of the costs for the newly advanced stadium. This new land icon will bring in baseball enthusiest from all over. In the long run, the local businesses will also benefit from this because it will be bringing in more customers and more business.
ReplyDeleteI think that people in the surrounding area would eventually forget about the taxing of a new stadium, if they were sports fans that would enjoy going to games at the new stadium and having a positive experience. People who don't usually attend sporting events won't be happy about the taxing, but looking at the majority of the people who want a new stadium will benefit every business in the area.
ReplyDeleteI think overall the new twins stadium will be great for the community. As a twins fan I would have no problem paying a little extra taxes for the new stadium. I also understand why some people who are not twins fans would be upset by it. It is also nice that the whole thing is not being paid by tax dollars but by contribution from the owner as well. After the Twins start playing in the new stadium and the community sees all the positive impacts it is having more and more people will be less upset by the tax increase. The only other solution that I can think of to pay for the stadium would be more private donations, pay cuts, fundraisers, and sponsorships.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that .15 sales tax is a huge issue, I mean that seems very minimal compared to other taxes that happen to fund other stadiums or facilities. I feel that the area in which Target field is located will really benefit from the new field. Everyone will have the chance to go and enjoy the surrounding bars before and after the games as well as Target field. Tax payers complain anytime theres an increase in taxes no matter what the funding is for just sad to know that the Twins owner could offord to pay for the whole stadium on his own because he is the one of the wealthiest owners in baseball.
ReplyDeleteI used to live in San Diego and they have a new facility which i believe some of the ideas for target field came from. It is nice to have a appealing field that is pleasant to spectate in. I would be ok to paying a few more dollars for tax in helping the stadium. I would definately like to see the revenue from the stadium spill out of the park and back into the city.
ReplyDeleteA winning team sells. With all the success the Twins have had in the past decade, it is believable that the stadium will benefit a lot of the local business. Target Field was built at a cost of about $522 million dollars, which will be funded by a .15 percent Hennepin County sales tax increase and $130 million from owner Carl Pohlad. If the team continues to be sucessful, the .15 percent could pay the stadium off sooner then expected. Sellout crowds will help local businesses, the chance to host the All-Star game in the next couple years will promote the state along with a boost for local revenue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Voigt is saying, a winning team sells. If the twins continue to be as successful as they are, the stadium will be paid off faster with sell out crowds. It will also help the surrounding businesses in the downtown area.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with what Voigt is saying about the benefits of the stadium. I think the stadium is more important to the long-term future of the Twins. Target Field to me is more of an investment by the people of Minnesota into the Twins and ensures that they will stay in Minnesota. Who knows what would have happened if the state hadn't approved a new stadium? I realize it's highly unlikely but it wouldn't be the 1st time Minnesota has lost a sports team.
ReplyDeleteAs far as where the money comes from? That's a bigger issue that I think has gotten out of control. Is it realistic to ask people, Twins fan or not, for more money when teams and owners are doling out huge piles of cash for the players? These owners sit back and make piles of money then turn around and beg the state to build them a stadium? Something isn't right about that...
I think if you are a fan it is something you would not be opposed to but if you are not then I can see why it would bother you. But even if you aren't a fan this new stadium will stimulate the economy in the surrounding areas and will bring more money in the future and I believe these are things we need for our economy today
ReplyDeleteI agree with the funding that has been put into place for these to fields. Local taxpayers use these facilities more than people in greater Minnesota. Also what article two said about argument that it doesn’t help local business’s I believe is very false. People come shop around downtown, go out to eat, go to the bar, and then make their way to Target Field for the game.
ReplyDeleteEric Mareck
I live Hennepin County. I am one of the many individuals in the state of Minnesota who is assisting with the funding of Target Field. I am a huge Twins fan and love watching baseball. Although the Dome did not deter me from going to a game I think it did for some fans. Target Field will attract new fans who are in favor of outdoor baseball...there is nothing better than watching a game on a cool summer night. Personally, I am excited to have a new stadium and feel it is a good long-term investment, other residents not as interested in baseball may not share that opinion.
ReplyDeleteTo add to my previous comment...I would have liked to see some soft taxes applied to additionally assist the facility construction.
ReplyDeleteBeing a fan of most all sports, I dont have a problem with the taxes involved in creating a brand new stadium. However, if I lived in Hennepin County and wasn't an avid sports fan, I probably wouldnt think its too fair to tax a single county when its the entire states team. But that is just the way it works and I believe more people will be pleased rather than mad about Target Field.
ReplyDeleteI think the way they funded target field was pretty good. They didn't put a huge burden on the taxpayers so no one should really be too upset. However I agree with the comment in the 2nd article about how new staduims don't really help the local ecomomy. Everyone only has so much money. Its either going to be spent here or there but not both. Yes it may attract some new fans, but then they are probably cutting back somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteTarget field is a great idea and will only bring good to the community. It's not too much to ask from the taxpayers being as how much revenue it will bring in throughout its time. It also will be bringing in more fans creating a more united community. I am not a huge baseball fan, but I know I am pumped to be in an outdoor stadium for the first time.
ReplyDeletePeople will not be to upset with the cost that taxes will present to them. The fans will be presented with a experience that will benifit not only them but the economy in the sorrounding area. The fan that is pleased is willing to spend more is the general idea. I also think that not having a retractable roof helped with upset tax payers. That is a additional 100 million that will not need to be payed by the taxpayers. Minnesota did a good job in getting the best facility for what they had to work with and I hope taxpayers see this and understand the job that was done in finacing a new facility.
ReplyDeleteGreat comments! As you prepare for your funding presentations, did any of your thoughts change in how Target Field was funded? We will discuss in class.
ReplyDeleteTarget field is going to be so much better for the twins. Maybe I'm a little bias because I spend all summer watching outdoor baseball at the MAC, but I feel that baseball was ment to be played outside on real grass. There is nothing like going to a ballpark and smelling the freshly mowed grass. In alot of these articles they talk about weather issues, which in MN can cause a lot of problems, but Detroit, New York and all those other states in the north have the exact same chances of getting snow or it being cold as MN and people still go to the games. I would bundle up in layers of clothes to go watch the twins play on opening day anytime that I could, I dont care about the weather. Also, it rains everywhere, rain delays and rain outs are a part of the game, and the field has a state of the art drainage system to help this problem. As far as being a tax payer in Hennepin County, I dont think many people are going to even notice a .15% increase in sales tax. That isn't going to affect that many people I dont think. I personally think the benefits of the new stadium, out weigh the cost alot for this project.
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