The proposed public ownership of 49 percent of the team is unprecedented in Major League Baseball, and it cannot go into effect unless a three-fourths majority of baseball owners approves it. The deal also is contingent on the Legislature approving substantial annual expenditures to pay for the retractable-roof stadium. Savelkoul said legislators will not be asked to authorize using any income, sales or property taxes for a stadium. Instead, he proposed a combination of ticket taxes paid by baseball fans and so-called discretionary taxes that people can avoid if they change their lifestyles or spending habits. An increase in the state cigarette tax is one of those taxes being considered to help pay for a new stadium.
Many legislators are likely to continue to oppose any spending for a new ballpark.
But compared with the stadium-subsidy deals approved by governmental bodies in other parts of the country, the deal negotiated between the Twins and representatives of Carlson appears to be one of the best such finance plans yet completed. But Zimbalist, who based his opinion on the relatively sketchy outline of the deal released Wednesday by the Twins, said he wanted to see more details before rendering a final judgment. One of the details not spelled out is to what extent construction overruns might boost the public cost of building the stadium. Many of the stadiums built across the United States have ended up costing significantly more than their original estimates. However, Moe said his rural constituents in far northwestern Minnesota aren't happy about any public subsidy for the team.