MINNEAPOLIS -- Gov. Tim Pawlenty, in a ceremony Friday before the Minnesota Twins played the Seattle Mariners, signed into law the bill that will fund the public's portion of a new Twins ballpark.
The Twins, and fans throughout the state, have been aching for a new stadium to replace the drab, stuffy Metrodome for years.
They got their wish this year when state lawmakers approved a financing plan for a $522 million, open-air stadium for the Twins, who share the Metrodome with the NFL's Vikings and the University of Minnesota football team.
Pawlenty signed off on the plan, which calls for taxpayers to foot most of the bill. The 42,000-seat ballpark is slated to open in 2010.
Twins owner Carl Pohlad, who received a smattering of boos along with the cheers, attended the ceremony, as did some state legislators, members of the Hennepin County Commission and former Twins including Kent Hrbek, Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, Paul Molitor and Jack Morris.
With the 5th Dimension's "Let the Sunshine In" as a soundtrack, a short video recounted the days when the Twins played outdoors in Metropolitan Stadium and some of the famous moments in Metrodome history, including the Twins' World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.
The franchise fought for 10 years for public money toward an outdoor stadium.
"Ten years is a very long time," said Jerry Bell, president of Twins Sports Inc., "but worth every minute because of what it has brought to us today, an historic day. We are preserving baseball for generations to come. ... Now I would really, really like to see the governor sign the ballpark legislation."
Wearing a Twins home jersey with the No. 1 on it, Pawlenty sat at a table set up just in front of the pitcher's mound and signed the bill on the home plate that will be installed at the new park.
"Everybody's listened to enough speeches over the last 10 years," Pawlenty said. "Let's sign this thing."
The stadium, which will be funded by a 0.15 percent Hennepin County sales tax increase and $130 million from Pohlad, is earmarked for the west edge of downtown Minneapolis -- to be built with a striking skyline view a few blocks from Target Center, where the Timberwolves play.
Plans don't call for a retractable roof, so April and May games will often be played in less-than-desirable conditions -- and some of them will surely be postponed by rain or even snow.
But ballpark backers were thinking more about days like Friday, in which fans were forced to come inside from a gorgeous, sunny evening to watch the game.
"It's hard to put it all together until you see the bill signed and all those things," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "Like [Twins president] Dave St. Peter says, I won't feel comfortable until they dig the first hole. It's been a long time coming. ... I'd like to be over there when they have that first shovel, digging in the ground with a hard hat on, too."