"Please tell me how Hennepin County's actions differ from any 2 bit ganster?"

Um, they care about The Children?
Kermit | 01.22.07 - 12:17 pm | #

I was working on a posting about this as well...

I did some research, and there are 2 different plots of land that are the majority of the land needed for this ballpark (PID 2202924420094 and 2202924310045). The first one is valued at $5,418,300 and the other is $2,957,900...at least that is what the Hennepin County tax system says the market value is. There are two other sizable plots that are valued at 575,000 and 554,400 each…bringing a rough total, at market value, to about 9.5 million dollars…give or take.

If you look at what the County budgeted for land acquisition, they only allowed 13.5 million. AND...as any good capitalist knows, with demand goes up, so does the price…so it comes to me as no surprise that there is a standoff…and unlike what others might say…I don’t think it has anything to do with greed!

OH...and did I mention that this court case is about trying to condemn an effing PARKING LOTS?!?!?!?

Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat, the lead stadium negotiator on the County Board, has been quoted as saying that negotiations with the OTHER owners (the City of Minneapolis, Burlington Northern Railroad and the state Department of Transportation) have all been going well and that he is surprised that the Land Partners II is being stubborn. Um...does he not realize that Land Partners II owns about 90% of the land needed for this stupid ballpark and that they are in business to own/profit from land ownership?

But…like most liberals, the county is going to throw a temper tantrum and go to court over this…which, in the end, will probably cost the country about just as much as if they were to settle for the asking price from Land Partners II (if there is one yet).

SB | Homepage | 01.22.07 - 12:44 pm | #

Hey At least you can reason with 2 bit gangsters.

More abuse of eminant domain by our government.

If there's one thing that has united many libs and conservatives the last few years is that most of them didn't want to fund a private business AKA the Twins stadium. Yet enough did come together to ram it down all of our throats. Now as Tracy correctly points out, we will all pay due to the idiocy of these maroons.
Alex | 01.22.07 - 12:46 pm | #

"We don't like that option -- the option of leaving to chance the land price," said County Commissioner Mike Opat.

That's the downside, Mr. Opat, of living in a capitalistic society. Honestly, does he realize how arrogant he sounds?

Very Lex-Luthor of the Hennepin County Commission.
Ian | 01.22.07 - 3:47 pm | #

Let me start by saying that I'm against public funding of stadiums.

That said, I do empathize with the County & Twins on this. The land owners lobbied the government to have the Twins build there and now that they have committed to build they are holding the project hostage and asking for a huge profit. My concern is not at all for enriching these opportunists.
Fishing MN | 01.23.07 - 8:01 am | #

But Fishing, that's just sensible marketing. The ugly fact here is that the city/county did not take advantage of a good offer three years ago, and land prices have skyrocketed in that time. If the county won't bother to consult competent appraisers to generate a fair offer, I'll have no pity on them when the judge says that they have not offered just compensation and scuttles the stadium.

Or rather, I'll be pretty happy if that happens.
Robert Perry | Homepage | 01.23.07 - 12:11 pm | #