On Monday, the three-tiered beer deck (pictured) at the National Sports Center in Blaine started to be disassembled. It's always bad news something beautiful and beer-based goes away. It's even more unfortunate when it potentially impacts a soccer playoff game. Per a press release from the NSC Minnesota Stars, who will play host to a playoff game Oct. 8 if they win their first-round game Saturday in Tampa. The Stars acknowledged the unfortunate timing of the new project, which eliminates one of the most energetic sections of the stadium at a critical time, but the club is optimistic that a replacement solution will be reached before the start of the 2012 North American Soccer League season. Citing a pending zoning meeting, the National Sports Center was unable to elaborate on its plans.

"We want to be clear with our fans that we had no say in the timing of this project or the decision to remove the beer garden altogether," Stars CEO Djorn Buchholz said. "We're disappointed and surprised that the beer garden had to come down now as opposed to at the end of the season, and we're working with the National Sports Center on a temporary way to emulate that atmosphere should the Stars qualify for the league semifinals and host a playoff game."

To accommodate fans who usually watch from the beer garden, as well as those who purchase beer during the game, the team would set up bleacher sections, tents and picnic tables next to where the beer garden stood. The club, Buchholz said, is hopeful that potential expansion at the NSC can be the catalyst for an improved beer garden.

"We are working closely with the National Sports Center to make sure that what's built in place of the original beer garden is as good or better and is a permanent structure that can add to the atmosphere at NSC Stadium in the years to come."