The Washington Nationals’ stadium that opened earlier this year is the first major league ballpark to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating, according to Newsweek magazine. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating is something the Twins hope to earn with their new stadium, too, said team president Dave St. Peter.
There are many elements that can factor in, St. Peter said, from collecting rain water for the playing field to using stone quarry that is being transported to the new ballpark from less than one hour away, saving on fuel costs. Even the already in existence parking facilities near the stadium are environmentally friendly because new spaces don’t have to be constructed.
Recycled material can earn rating points from LEED, too. The Twins ballpark, for example, will use the old Minneapolis Lakers playing floor in a stadium sports bar.
St. Peter said the LEED standards are much easier to apply to office buildings than outdoor stadiums but the Twins are committed to making their new ballpark as energy and environmentally effective as possible. More will be known as to what all those elements are as the stadium nears completion next year.
St. Peter also said the Twins have asked major league baseball to host the 2014 All-Star game in the new stadium. In even numbered years an American League team hosts the game but the Twins would accept a break in tradition if they were chosen for 2015. That date would mean the Twins hosted All-Star games after 20 and 30 year breaks since the first game here was in 1965 and the second in 1985.
A reader e-mailed to ask my opinion on the recent news that a billionaire will build a Los Angeles area football stadium ready for business in 2011 and is looking for an NFL team to relocate. The Vikings’ Metrodome lease expires in 2011. Here was my reply: “No one knows yet what’s going to happen but we do know that Jacksonville and New Orleans are smaller markets than Minneapolis-St. Paul. Their teams also don’t have the tradition and legacy of the Vikings. The NFL might be particularly comfortable with moving a team from Florida since that state has three franchises. Those are positives for worried Vikings fans. So, too, is the fact Vikings’ owner Zygi Wilf has said he won’t move the team, although there’s opinion he might eventually sell the franchise if he can’t get a new stadium here. My guess is the Vikings won’t relocate to Los Angeles or anywhere else, but I wouldn’t bet either way.”
The Vikings don’t have enough ends to fill up a defensive two-deep depth chart. If they can’t arrange a deal to bring Kansas City’s star defensive end Jared Allen here, then the Sports Headliners’ guess is the team’s first round draft choice will be used on a college defensive end but it could be an offensive tackle or cornerback.
The draft pick by coach Brad Childress and others in the organization will be based on the best player available so the Vikings could draft someone on Saturday who doesn’t play any of those positions. Not just ability, bu