Twins' new ballpark will feature rooftop seats

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- It's not quite Wrigley Field, but the Minnesota Twins will have rooftop seating at their new ballpark next year. On the other side of the stadium, a statue of Kirby Puckett will greet fans in a plaza area as they approach the gates.

Twins ownership has earmarked an extra $55 million toward Target Field, which now has a total price tag of $545 million.

The Twins initially committed $130 million and will still pay roughly one-third of the overall cost for their new outdoor facility, which opens in April on the opposite side of downtown from the Metrodome.

The project's adjusted budget was formally approved by the Minnesota Ballpark Authority on Friday. The majority of the money is coming from a special Hennepin County sales tax.

Many of the improvements covered by the additional funds have already been made. With the rise in cost of the project since the ballpark bill was passed three years ago, the Twins were adamant that there be no skimping.

The extra money fronted by the Pohlad family includes $7 million for various enhancements, highlighted by the roof deck that will be designed to emulate the iconic apartment buildings across the street from Wrigley Field in Chicago that host Cubs-watching parties for every game.

One difference here is that the rooftop revelry will be done inside the stadium, similar in concept to the seats at Fenway Park atop the famed Green Monster -- the towering wall above left field in Boston.

There will be space for 150 to 300 people, and fans in the area must have tickets to enter. Bleacher seating will be built on top of the administrative offices and a sports bar behind the left-field foul pole. The final design will be unveiled in the coming weeks, but President Dave St. Peter said the team is even contemplating a fire pit to add to the experience.

Another $22.5 million portion of the extra funds is for architectural improvements, like the lighted glass canopy that forms a crown around the upper deck, and the liberal use of native limestone around the park. Then there is $6 million for furnishing public and premium areas.

The Pohlads already committed $15 million to the project's infrastructure budget, which was capped at $90 million by the state Legislature. That money helped settled a dispute over the purchase price of the property with a group of landowners.

The final $4.5 million of the $55 million overrun is for Target Plaza, the cost of which is being split with the retailing giant. The gathering area behind right field will include a park-like space with seating and various artistic contributions, including bat-shaped, vine-covered lights that extend vertically from the ground.

The area will also feature statues of players from the past.

"It's safe to say Mr. Puckett will be one of those," St. Peter said.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.