Stadiums get one-man cheering section
http://www.startribune.com/stories/509/4354361.html

On the first day of the legislative session, there had
to be stadium theater. Larry Spooner obliged, playing
the role of lonely booster.

On the south steps of the Capitol, Spooner, 43, a
warehouse supervisor from Plymouth, set up a faux
tailgating environment, replete with two 20-foot,
purple-and-gold banners, his purple 1988 Mercury
Tracer station wagon and his purple outfit to protect
him from the falling snow.

His goal: "Set a positive tone. Everything is anti-,
anti-. I say, 'All work and no play turns Minnesota
into North Dakota.' "

Spooner's vision: two new stadiums, one each for the
Twins and Vikings, funded in "creative ways."

One banner took off on the credit card commercials
about "priceless" things. It referenced the long lines
at the Metrodome during Vikings games:

"2 Vikings tickets, $130; Food and beverages, $60; NOT
MISSING HALF THE GAME WAITING AT THE RESTROOMS . . .
PRICELESS."

Shovel in hand, Spooner acted out his stadium dream.

"Let's get this going, guys," he hollered to no one
but himself. "Pour the cement!"

Meanwhile, the final report of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's
Stadium Screening Committee was presented to the
governor Monday afternoon. The report and all
supporting documents that the committee reviewed and
produced are posted at
http://www.stadium.state.mn.us.Jay Weiner



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