Comments on: Parking at the new Twins stadium

By: bjhess

bjhess — Mon, 29 May 2006 20:12:48 +0000

Hmm…the Farmers Market area sounds like an option. I still wouldn’t mind drinking the occaisional reduced-priced beers and grilling meat before a baseball game. God forbid I do that before a baseball game in the summer. I should know these things were meant for the cold weather!

By: Craig in MN

Craig in MN — Mon, 29 May 2006 02:35:49 +0000

There is some surface parking over by the Farmers Market, and I’ve heard people speculating that there might be some vendors there before game time if it becomes a popular enough option. It’s a good 3 or 4 blocks away, and there isn’t exactly a pleasant/easy way to get to the new stadium, but it’s not much worse than the Washington lots now. Plus if you’re coming from 94, that is a pretty convenient place to stop.

By: bjhess

bjhess — Sun, 28 May 2006 17:35:45 +0000

Hmmm…I’d prefer tailgating to nothing, I guess. But I can handle a bar/bazaar scene if it takes shape.

Once the Twins got into their third year of winning the division, tailgating was starting to catch on in the Washington lot.

By: frightwig

frightwig — Sun, 28 May 2006 16:11:22 +0000

Shane said:

“I must also say I havenâ€™t heard of that many people tailgating at a baseball game. Iâ€™m not surprised it happens in Milwaukee, but I really donâ€™t think it happens much in other ballparks around the country.”

In my baseball travels, Milwaukee is the *only* place where I’ve seen tailgating outside of a major league baseball game. (I’ve heard it happens in Kansas City, but I haven’t witnessed it there.) Everywhere else, there’s either a pedestrian bazaar scene, or nothing really happening.

By: bjhess

bjhess — Thu, 25 May 2006 19:37:10 +0000

Yeah, I’m surprised they didn’t just plop it down on the crosstown. Maybe one of my friends could buy/rent an apartment/condo near the stadium. Please….

By: nm

nm — Thu, 25 May 2006 19:10:36 +0000

I just hope they take a good look at the current 94/394 bottleneck and consider how much worse it will be with a stadium plopped in there, too.

By: bjhess

bjhess — Tue, 23 May 2006 21:11:48 +0000

You guys are convincing me.

Yeah, I heard last night, as I was drinking beers after a softball game, that the entrance will give a wide-eyed view of the outfield and it’s gonna look great.

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 23 May 2006 20:28:17 +0000

That will be perfect, and will make a nice tie to the downtown business district, Target Center/Block E area, etc. Just imagine downing a few “big boys” at Gluek’s, then walking over to the game on a warm summer evening.

2010 can not come quickly enough.

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 23 May 2006 20:01:38 +0000

Yeah, I agree with Luke. Going to a ballpark is more about community and the surrounding neighborhood. I must also say I haven’t heard of that many people tailgating at a baseball game. I’m not surprised it happens in Milwaukee, but I really don’t think it happens much in other ballparks around the country.

I’ve been reading that one of the signature aspects of the new ballpark will be a pedestrian bridge:

A signature piece will be a new pedestrian bridge across I-394 from Target Center to the ballpark. St. Peter said the key passageway will be a much more than a walkway and will usher fans in with a dazzling view of the entire field. “The front door to the ballpark will be from the outfield,” he said.

Sounds cool. You know, this thing is going to be just beautiful. I’m upset we have to wait until 2010!

By: Luke

Luke — Tue, 23 May 2006 16:52:50 +0000

Having seen both Wrigley and Fenway, I’m very pro bars and restaurants around the park. At both of the classics, they close the streets off around the parks as well, so they are basically big pedestrian plazas with food vendors, beer tents, and so on.

I like thinking of it as a new “ballpark” rather than “stadium”, too. Ballparks seem more intimate and connected to the neighborhood and city. We have a stadium now, and in 2010 we’ll be going to a ballpark.