Target Plaza

The Twins unveiled the plans for the space surrounding their new ballpark yesterday, and it sounds pretty spiffy:

Other plans for the space include nine 40-foot tall topiary frames, lit with LED lights and twisted with annual vines. (To the beer snobs among us: Plaza designer Tom Oslund said hops will be one of those vines.) Twins execs said a light demonstration will be part of the show when a Twins player — and only a Twins player — hits a home run.

Raised lawn panels with trees, shrubs and perennials will be built on each side of the plaza. An oversized cast bronze glove, plus a tribute wall to honor fans and players, are also planned.

There are some renderings if you click through.

One less-spiffy moment came when a reporter for the Star-Tribune asked Twins’ President Jerry Bell how Target and/or local government — both of which have been cagey about costs and allocations and everything, and both of which are experiencing tough times — could justify the expense:

When Furst asked a follow-up later, Bell rebuked him for continuing to ask about costs and added, “Not every company is bankrupt,” a shot at the Star Tribune’s well-publicized financial woes. Many people cringed.

Leave it baseball owners. They want to be treated like some sort of public trust when they’re asking for handouts, but they get profoundly pissy when you inquire as to what they’re doing with those handouts.