The Minnesota Department of Employment of Economic Development has recommended the state spend $27 million on a new St. Paul Saints (independent; American Association) ballpark.
The department was charged by the Minnesota Legislature earlier this year to spend $47.5 million of the biannual bonding request on important statewide projects. Out of 90 proposed projects, the Saints ballpark, a rural water-treatment plant and a Duluth office tower were recommended to receive funding. The next step: Gov. Mark Dayton, who originally included the Saints funding in his original bonding budget, will sign off on the recommendations.
If funding is approved, the $54-million ballpark, to be located in the Lowertown area of downtown St. Paul on a former Gillette industrial site, could open for the 2014 season. Midway Stadium, the team’s current home, would be torn down and replaced with a business park.
Left unfunded: $4 million for renovations to historic Wade Stadium, home of the Duluth Huskies. Sen. Roger Reinert (DFL-Duluth) says he’ll continue to seek state funding for repairs to the WPA-era classic.
Image courtesy of the St. Paul Saints.
RELATED STORIES: Saints, Huskies ballparks pitched for Minnesota state funds; St. Paul: We’ll request economic-development funds for new Saints ballpark; Affiliated ball in St. Paul? Don’t hold your breath; Duluth: We’ll continue seeking state fund for Wade Stadium renovations; Duluth Huskies unveil renovation plan for Wade Stadium; St. Paul officials confident in scoring state aid for Saints ballpark; Saints ballpark funding alive — but just barely; State aid for Saints ballpark coming down to the wire; Saints ballpark bill suffers setback in state Senate; St. Paul close to acquiring land for new Saints ballpark; Saints ballpark funding passes hurdle; Saints ballpark funding part of state bonding bill
—-
Share your news with the baseball community. Send it to us at editors@augustpublications.com.
Are you a subscriber to the weekly Ballpark Digest newsletter? You can sign up for a free subscription at the Newsletter Signup Page.
Join Ballpark Digest on Facebook and on Twitter!
Follow Ballpark Digest on Google + and add us to your circles!