Would a financing structure similar to that of the Minnesota Wild work for the Twins?
Yes. The Xcel Energy Center was funded 50% by an interest-free loan from the state of Minnesota, to be fully repaid by the team in rent over a 25-year lease term. The other 50% was funded by revenue bonds issued by the city of St. Paul. The team received 100% of the revenues generated by the facility, but in addition to rent, they were required to pay for 100% of the operating costs of the facility. The Twins believe this precedent is an excellent and fair model. The state would fully recoup the amount of its loan from the team, and the host community would issue revenue bonds to support its portion of the project financing. Why doesn’t a local referendum make sense? The Twins do not believe it is appropriate for a local referendum to determine the fate of a statewide attraction. State legislators frequently make difficult economic and financial decisions on behalf of their constituents. The Twins believe the decision regarding the direction of Major League Baseball in Minnesota can be
