Minnesota limestone will be the face of new Twins ballpark

On the face of it, the face of it will be Minnesota-made.

Star Tribune

Last update: November 27, 2007 - 7:31 AM

On the face of it, the face of it will be Minnesota-made.

That's the announcement expected today, when the Minnesota Twins and a Mankato area stone design company speak about the facade for the Twins ballpark currently under construction in downtown Minneapolis.

Vetter Stone will have the responsibility of the stadium's exterior walls. The limestone will come from the company's Mankato area quarry.

"A ballpark is an emotional place for people," company president Ron Vetter told the Mankato Free Press. "And this is a Minnesota-owned ballpark. There's so much Minnesota in it."

Among the quaint features: The limestone sections will be separated by "knothole" openings that allow passersby to peak into the park.

Vetter also counts among its credits the limestone on the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis and National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Also, Vetter did work on new ballparks for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks, the newspaper reported.

The 40,000-seat stadium will cost $390 million to build on its 8-acre site, with infrastructure expected to cost another $105 million. It is scheduled to open in 2010.

PAUL WALSH