Gov. Tim Pawlenty tried to jump-start talks for a Twins ballpark Wednesday, meeting over lunch with Twins president Jerry Bell and Hennepin County Commissioners Mike Opat and Randy Johnson. It didn't work. (01/11/2006)

Gov. Pawlenty and top lawmakers emerged from a meeting Thursday with a single item of consensus -- they'd like to help the University of Minnesota Gophers football team build a new stadium. The leaders will see if their caucuses support a second special session to deal with the issue, and the governor will rule by the middle of next week on whether to call the Legislature back to St. Paul. ( 10/07/2005)

Lawmakers adjourned Wednesday evening after passing a two-year state budget, but without addressing several proposals for new sports stadiums. Gov. Tim Pawlenty held open the option of calling a second special session to consider stadium plans later in the year. ( 07/15/2005)

Stadium supporters are encouraging the governor and legislative leaders to act on stadium bills soon, or call another special session. (07/12/2005)

The latest plan for a new Twins stadium is stalled at the Capitol, and it's unclear whether it will be revived. Lawmakers are in special session but have put aside legislation that doesn't have to do with the state's budget. Hennepin County commissioner Mike Opat sheparded the plan through the county board and spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer about the likelihood of a new Twins stadium being built. (06/08/2005)

Minnesota Twins stadium supporters narrowly turned back an attempt to force a citizen referendum on the sales tax increase that would pay for the downtown Minneapolis ballpark. (05/17/2005)

A plan to increase the Hennepin County sales tax to pay for the bulk of a new downtown Minneapolis ballpark cleared its first legislative hurdle on a lopsided 17-to-5 bipartisan vote. (05/11/2005)

The NFL is expected to announce this week that Reggie Fowler is no longer the lead partner in a group that wants to buy the Minnesota Vikings, and real estate developer Zygmunt Wilf has taken his place. Star Tribune sportswriter Jay Weiner talks with MPR's Cathy Wurzer about the change. (05/10/2005)

As the Legislature prepares to review the latest Twins stadium plan, a group of lawmakers from greater Minnesota are dangling a large bloc of votes for the project. But they want something in return. (05/04/2005)

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted 4-to-3 to send a Twins stadium proposal to the state Legislature. (05/04/2005)

A Star Tribune poll released Sunday indicated that 71 percent of Hennepin County residents think they should get to vote on a proposed 0.15 percent sales tax to fund a new Twins ballpark. The Hennepin County Board votes Tuesday on whether to send the proposal to the Legislature, which could approve it, deny it or put it up for referendum. Which decisions should be made by the people and which ones should be left to their elected representatives? ( 05/03/2005)

The public got its first chance to comment on the Twins stadium funding deal on Tuesday. The Hennepin County Board had been scheduled to vote to ask the Legislature for permission to raise property taxes to finance its part of the stadium. But commissioners put off a vote, to give more citizens time to respond. MPR's Brandt Williams reports. (04/26/2005)

In what's just about become an annual tradition, the Twins ballpark debate is poised to return to the state Capitol. The deal announced on Monday between the team and Hennepin County doesn't require any state dollars. But it does require legislative permission for the county to levy a proposed new sales tax to help finance the package. The proposal won praise from many key lawmakers, but significant hurdles remain. (04/26/2005)

Tuesday marks the first committee deadline of the 2005 legislative session. Bills had to clear all the necessary policy committees in either the House or the Senate by the end of the day. Those that don't face much tougher odds of survival, and that includes two stadium proposals that haven't even had a hearing. (04/05/2005)

The University of Minnesota has signed a $35 million, 25-year deal with TCF Financial Corp., giving the company naming rights for an on-campus football stadium. The proposed $235 million facility would be called "TCF Bank Stadium." (03/24/2005)