Roof cannot be added to new Twins stadium

By KAREN YOUSO, Star Tribune

Last update: September 7, 2008 - 9:29 AM

Q If the Twins had been in the new outdoor stadium this year, how many of the games so far would have been delayed or canceled? Would the home opener have been "snowed out"? Also, is the new stadium being built so that a roof could be added later if need be?

A That data isn't handy, said Kevin Smith, spokesman for the Minnesota Twins. "We'd have to go back and look at the weather for every home game," he said.

Smith was able to tap into collected data from the years the club played at Metropolitan Stadium, an open-air stadium predating the Metrodome. Between 1961 and 1983, only four opening days were affected by weather. That includes play delays as well as games canceled.

This year, the opening game on March 31 would have been canceled, Smith said, but it would have been made up the next day. Opening days are always followed by an off day, called a weather protection day, he said. Northern and midclimate venues frequently use those days for makeup games, he added.

A roof cannot be added to the new ballpark, according to Dan Kenney with the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, but it has been designed with several features to protect fans from the elements. It will have a large canopy over the upper terrace level, the sheltered concourses will provide an open view of the field and the ballpark's orientation will shield fans from the prevailing winds. In addition, there will be climate-controlled viewing areas around the ballpark where fans can go to warm up in cold weather and still see the game.

Send your questions to Fixit in care of the Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av. S., Minneapolis, MN 55488, or call 612-673-7032, or e-mail fixit@startribune.com. Past columns are available at www.startribune.com/fixit. Sorry, Fixit cannot supply individual replies.

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