Added incentive

Stadium bill could help settle Twins contraction lawsuit

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Lawyers for the Minnesota Twins and major league baseball hinted Monday they will increase efforts to settle a contraction-related lawsuit now that a stadium bill is on the verge of approval.

The Legislature approved a financing plan for a $330 million ballpark over the weekend. Gov. Jesse Ventura has 14 days to consider it.

The bill gives the sides more incentive to clear up the lawsuit, filed by the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission in an attempt to keep the Twins in the Metrodome indefinitely.

Legislators inserted a provision into the bill preventing any bonds from being sold until the case is settled, dismissed or the Twins and the league turn over financial records and documents related to contraction.

Hennepin County District Judge Harry Seymour Crump agreed to delay decisions related to the case for two weeks.

"This is a very, very special development that everyone is trying to understand and trying to figure out the implications of," said Roger Magnuson, the Twins' lawyer. Joseph Anthony, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing major league baseball, urged the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission to drop its lawsuit.

"You can't have a stadium until this case is dismissed," Anthony said after the hearing. "The commission is interfering with the Twins staying here by not dismissing this case."

Besides Ventura's consent, other stadium hurdles remain. The current Twins owner or a new one must come up with $120 million, and a referendum to raise taxes in potential host cities must be approved.

 

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