Minneapolis, Minn. – Action is underway in securing the Minnesota Twins’ future at Target Field for another 20 years. The Minnesota Ballpark Authority, which oversees the ballpark’s lease between the Twins and the state, met on Thursday and approved their proposition to extend the Twins’ lease at Target Field another 20 years.
“That legislation was proposed in 2024, and that was our 2024 Principles of Agreement,” said Dan Kenney, Executive Director of the Minnesota Ballpark Authority. “Part of the agreement said that if the bill doesn’t pass, the 2024 agreement goes away. This is essentially an update, same terms and we’re going to take another run at it in the legislature.”
The proposed resolution to extend the Twins lease at Target Field from 2039 to 2059 is part of a proposition by Hennepin County officials to extend a County Sales tax that provided the original funding to build the ballpark back in 2006. The proposition is not only asking for an extension of the sales tax to fund Target Field upkeep but would also provide funding for Hennepin County Healthcare Facilities as well as youth sports and public libraries in the county.
If passed in the legislature, the extension of the Hennepin County Sales tax would provide approximately $9 million annually from public funds for the Twins and MBA to use toward upkeep and renovations at Target Field.
If the extension does not get passed by lawmakers, the sales tax will end before 2026 and the team, MBA, and Hennepin County will have to look for funding elsewhere, according to Kenney.
Sending the bill to the legislature has another layer in it this time around for the Twins. With the team up for sale, the passing of this resolution will have ramifications for a future ownership group.
“We think having the lease extended gives a new owner or ownership group certainty,” said Kenney. “Cost certainty both on the rent side and on having resources available to continue updating this building.”
The Twins provided a statement from Dave St. Peter, who will continue to act as the club’s liaison on this resolution, which reads in part.
“Now entering its sixteenth season, Target Field remains a source of pride for Twins fans of all ages and serves as a catalyst for development, sustainability, and vibrancy in downtown Minneapolis. Looking to the future, this proposed lease extension demonstrates the Twins’ long-term commitment to maintain the quality of this ballpark in keeping with Major League Baseball standards and to evolve the Target Field experience. We welcome continued dialogue with our public partners and legislators.”
In the hypothetical scenario where this proposal from the Twins, MBA, and Hennepin County, does get passed by state lawmakers, this will guarantee the Twins a home at Target Field for 50 years once the lease ends in 2059. That would tie Target Field with Griffith Field as the most amount of years the franchise has spent in one ballpark.
That would be a remarkable achievement for the Twins in the long run. Only five teams, the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Anaheim Angels, and Kansas City Royals, have spent 50 or more seasons at their current ballpark. On top of potentially 50 years at Target Field in 2059, the Twins would also be a year away from celebrating their 100th season in Minnesota.
The promise of a secured lease and public funding from sales tax will be enticing to a new ownership group as Kenney said, but there are extra cherries on top of historical milestones for the franchise to also take into consideration when extending the lease into 2025.
The proposition will face hurdles in the Minnesota Legislature this year as House Democrats have already threatened a strike until the special election in House District 40B in Roseville is completed. In November, the winning candidate was later found to live outside the district and disqualified to represent the seat.
With the resolution approved by the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, the next steps are for the Twins and Hennepin County officials to sign off on it. Then Hennepin County officials will lobby with State lawmakers to get the resolution on the House floor.
Whether all legislators meet at the state capitol on Jan. 14 or at a later date remains to be seen, and lawmakers have not provided a clear indicator of where this proposition will land on the State House’s agenda once they convene.