January 17, 2007
StarTribune
Chip Scoggins

A new chapter in Gophers football began before dawn Tuesday when University of Minnesota Athletic Director Joel Maturi finalized a deal with Denver Broncos tight ends coach Tim Brewster to become the school's 26th head coach.

Maturi flew to Denver a day earlier and, around midnight, offered a contract to Brewster to succeed Glen Mason, who was fired Dec. 31 after 10 seasons. The agreement ended a coaching search that was both clandestine and rumor-filled and ultimately brought the school a hire who never has been a head coach or coordinator at the college or pro level.

However, Brewster is considered a first-rate recruiter who university officials say they believe will be able to sell the football program to fans, develop talent and bring new energy to a team that has struggled to move into the top tier of the Big Ten.

"Coach Brewster has a great reputation as a man of integrity, vision and energy," Maturi wrote in an e-mail. "He is known as a tireless recruiter and he wanted to be a Gopher. From the dozens of people we talked to around the nation, Coach Brewster stood out as a person that could take us to the next level."

Brewster, 46, signed a five-year deal worth $1 million annually and will be introduced at a 1 p.m. news conference today. Brewster will make $400,000 annually in base salary, $400,000 in supplemental salary and $200,000 in deferred compensation that will vest after his contract expires. He has the potential to earn additional money in performance bonuses.

Full Story

September 22, 2006
StarTribune
Jeff Shelman

The initial to-do list was a daunting one when Joel Maturi was hired as the University of Minnesota athletics director.

The Chisholm native arrived from Miami (Ohio) in the summer of 2002 just in time to oversee the merger of the previously separate and fiercely independent men's and women's departments; he inherited a department that was millions of dollars in debt and on the verge of eliminating three sports teams; and he was going to lead a department that was still negatively impacted by an academic fraud scandal in the men's basketball program.

A little more than four years later, most of those problems have been solved. The separate athletic departments -- groups that didn't always like, or trust, each other -- have become one; the athletic department is fiscally in the black; and there has been only one significant NCAA rules violation, in men's tennis.

In addition, ground will soon be broken on TCF Bank Stadium and the Gophers football team will return to campus in the fall of 2009.

For the full text of this article, go to http://www.startribune.com/512/story/693683.html

September 21, 2006
Pioneer Press
Kevin McCahill

Eighty-two years ago, in the crisp air of autumn, the University of Minnesota dedicated a new Memorial Stadium to the fallen soldiers of World War I. It was a tribute as well as a campus landmark.

Now, as the school prepares to build a new stadium, a group of veterans wants to make sure this football field also honors Minnesota's veterans. Still in the design process, ideas thrown around for a stadium memorial include rows of flags, plaques dedicated to each of the military branches, an eternal flame and a "walk of honor."

"They gave the ultimate sacrifice. I think we can't forget them," said Stan Kowalski, who served in the Navy in World War II. The state junior vice commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Kowalski was a fullback and linebacker on the 1948-49 Gopher teams before going on to a professional wrestling career.

For decades, the Gophers played in Memorial Stadium, which picked up the nickname the "Brick House" for its sturdy brick exterior. But in 1982, the team moved into the Metrodome. Memorial Stadium was demolished in 1992.

Gophers fans were delighted when state lawmakers agreed earlier this year to bring the color and traditions of fall Saturdays back to campus. A $35 million naming-rights deal means the new facility will be called TCF Bank Stadium. The deal was critical to getting the $248 million project approved.

"I've got nothing against TCF, but it's a memorial stadium, too," said the 80-year-old Kowalski.

Campus leaders have been sensitive to the issue, said Linda Thrane, vice president of university relations. A committee of veterans, alumni and school officials has been organized to recommend ways to honor those who served. Kowalski is a member, as is Thrane, who is a co-chair.

"We want (a memorial) to be visible," Thrane said. "We want to create a sense of place for Minnesotans who have served their country. We want to be part of the tradition."

To read the full text of this article, go to http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/local/15567949.htm

"An on-campus Gopher football stadium is now becoming a reality and we want our friends and fans to celebrate with us by bringing Gopher football back to campus - literally," said U of M athletics director Joel Maturi.

Hundreds of U of M supporters will bring football back to campus by relaying a football from the Metrodome, through the university campus and to the future site of TCF Bank Stadium at the corner of Oak Street S.E. and Fourth Street S.E., Minneapolis. Official "ball carriers" will be assigned a location along the route where they will receive a hand off from another ball carrier, walk it a short distance and give it to the next carrier. The relay will begin at 12:30 p.m. and be followed by a stadium groundbreaking celebration at 2 p.m. Afterward, shuttle buses to the Metrodome will be available for fans who plan to attend the Gopher game against Michigan.

The public is encouraged to wear maroon and gold and to bring their spirit and Gopher pride to cheer on the celebrity ball carriers as they make their way to the stadium site. The event will take place rain or shine.

TCF Bank Stadium will have an open-air horseshoe design with a capacity of 50,000, including general seats as well as an array of club and suite seats. The stadium will complement the campus environment, have a collegiate look and feel, create two landscaped plazas and accommodate other uses. The design allows for maximum flexibility, including potential expansion to 80,000 seats.

The stadium cost is estimated at $248 million, which includes site preparation, district improvements and the stadium itself, with funding coming from private and corporate contributions, as well from the state of Minnesota.

For more information on the new on-campus Gopher football stadium, see www.umn.edu/stadium.

The Regents unanimously voted to issue bonds for the 50,000-seat stadium, which is scheduled to open in 2009 at an estimated cost of $248.7 million. The debt service on the bonds will be funded by an annual $10.25 million state appropriation to the university, which was part of a financing package approved in May by the Legislature.

To view the entire story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/512/story/548778.html

June 19, 2006
StarTribune
Glen Mason

The University of Minnesota recently received some incredibly good news that we've been awaiting for years -- approval for an on-campus football stadium -- thanks to the Legislature and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. While this is great news for me, personally, and certainly for the athletics department at the U, it's even better news for our students, alumni and fans.

Yes, I am a football coach, but first and foremost, I am a resident of the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

I've been in Minnesota now for just short of a decade, and I've come to a number of conclusions. We live in a wonderful state filled with great people. Our lakes and rivers and North Shore are legendary, our fishing is fantastic and our summertime weather can't be beat. We even have some of the finest mosquitoes you'll find anywhere in the world. They're big and athletic, and they're hungrier than some of the linebackers I've coached.

We also have the University of Minnesota -- our state's flagship university, with its renowned medical school and top-ranked colleges, groundbreaking research and commitment to public service.

Last, but not least, we have talented, ambitious students, most of whom are destined to do greater things than win a few football games. That's one of the reasons we're so grateful to the executive leadership of the U, the Legislature and the governor for bringing a stadium back to campus. Students at one of the world's premier universities deserve to have a student experience that's second to none.

To read the full article, visit http://www.startribune.com/503/story/503067.html

The University of Minnesota today announced that it has selected HOK Sport of Kansas City to design the Gophers' new on-campus football stadium that was approved by the Legislature last month.

"We believe HOK is an ideal firm to help create a facility that renews our big 10 football traditions and meshes with the campus and our neighborhoods," University President Robert Bruininks said in a statement released this morning.

HOK Sport has designed several high profile sports facilities across the country, including Major League Baseball's Jacobs Field in Cleveland and Camden Yards in Baltimore and the new Arizona Cardinals pro football stadium in Phoenix.

The company has also worked with football programs at the collegiate level, including Penn State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, the University of Florida, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama.

To view the entire story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/512/story/480963.html

"There are very few new college football stadiums built in the country," Pawlenty said. "And so the university has a somewhat unique opportunity to put together a facility and a structure that will be a showcase, not just for the university but for our state, and hopefully will facilitate Coach Mason to do great things on the field."

The football stadium once known as the parking lot

The state will pay more than $10 million a year for 25 years to bring Golden Gopher football from the Metrodome back to the U of M campus. The new open-air stadium will seat 50,000.

"We want to start moving the roads," said University President Bob Bruininks. "We have to put in much of the core infrastructure to support a very complex stadium of this kind. So all of that starts this summer, goes into the winter and spring, with expected groundbreaking in the spring of 2007."

Earlier in the day university officials met with representatives of the three architectural firms they're considering for the stadium project. They'll make their pick in the next few days.

Athletic Director Joel Maturi says the final design might not look anything like the drawings university officials have used for the past two years. He says he wants the stadium to take in the best of everything in college football. Maturi also thinks a few unique features would be nice.

"Today one of the architectural firms talked about having little fire pits outside because maybe in the elements we could have bonfires and things of this nature. You know, kind of unique. Now whether we go down that path or not, who knows. But the detail is never too small, and we're looking at all those things to make it uniquely Minnesota, something we can celebrate in this great state," he said.

The university's share of the stadium cost is nearly $111 million. A naming rights deal with TCF Bank will bring in $35 million. The rest will come from student fees of $25 a year and private donations.

Gerald Fischer, president and CEO of the University of Minnesota Foundation, is leading the effort to raise $50 million in donations.

"We've had several oral commitments. Now it's time to go back, firm them up, get them in hand. And I think once we have the bulk of the financing secured through major gifts, then we're going to start a grassroots campaign so every Minnesotan can have a chance to contribute to this stadium," according to Fischer.

To view the entire story, go to: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/05/24/gophersstadium/

GOPHERS STADIUM

LOCATION: Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota, near Williams and Mariucci arenas.

SIZE: 50,000 seats — expandable to 80,000 in the future.

COST: $248 million, including infrastructure.

WHO PAYS: 55 percent would come from the state and the rest from university donors, a $25 a year student fee and a $35 million naming-rights deal with TCF Bank.

WHO GAINS: The university expects it will generate more money to help run all athletic programs at the school.

TIMELINE: Major construction would start this summer; the stadium would open for the 2009 season.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: The state would acquire rights to 2,840 acres of university-owned land in Dakota County. The undeveloped land was deeded to the university by the U.S. military in 1947.

To view the entire story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/587/story/444823.html

Governor Pawlenty says he expects to sign the Twins and Gopher stadium bills sometime this week.
Appearing on WCCO-AM, Pawlenty said he might sign the Twins stadium bill at a Twins game later this week.

The governor says he probably will sign the Gopher stadium bill on the University of Minnesota campus, also this week.

Pawlenty says having a successful college football program brings a lot of energy and excitement to a university - not just in sports, but also for a school's reputation and visibility.

Plus, he says, "it'll just be a heck of a lot of fun."

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/445830.html

Star Tribune
May 21, 2006
Mike Kaszuba and Mark Brunswick

The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Twins scored impressive victories for new stadiums late Saturday at the State Capitol, paving the way for open-air football to return to campus and putting the Twins on the verge of a new ballpark.
The Twins won a 71-61 vote on the House floor shortly before midnight and overcame a last-minute scare that threatened to unravel the project. Early today, the team needed only a final approval in the Senate to secure a $522 million new stadium in downtown Minneapolis' Warehouse District.

"If it was about rich owners, if it was about the ballplayers, I don't think we'd be here," said Rep. Laura Brod, R-New Prague, who urged legislators to end the two-hour debate and endorse the team's proposal.

"It's about the stories of parents taking their kids to the ballpark and remembering it 20 years later," Brod said.

Stadium opponents launched a last-minute challenge to the project and asked that the proposal be returned to a House-Senate conference committee, a move that would have represented a serious threat to the stadium. But the effort was beaten back on a 75-57 vote.

"It feels like we're halfway there," said Jerry Bell, the Twins lead stadium negotiator, who afterward headed to the Senate chamber to await the vote there.

Earlier in the evening University officials were doing the celebrating. As the final vote on the Gophers stadium was announced in the House, Gophers Athletic Director Joel Maturi clenched his fist and smiled.

University President Robert Bruininks, wearing a maroon blazer, watched from the gallery, telling reporters afterward: "I think this is the right thing to do, and this is the right time to do it."

For the university, the vote reverses a decision made more than 25 years ago to move games to the Metrodome, sharing the facility with the Twins and the Vikings and tearing down the university's aging Memorial Stadium.

Bruininks said the stadium, which would break ground in the fall and take three years to finish, does not mean that the university is placing athletics above academics -- a complaint heard from some legislators Saturday who voted against the proposal.

"I don't think this is a misplaced priority," said Bruininks, who acknowledged that some of the university's academic funding requests had not been passed by the Legislature.

"Our academic mission comes first," he said.

Bruininks shook hands with House Speaker Steve Sviggum, who came up to the House gallery to congratulate school officials. "The best president, and now we're going to have the best stadium," said Sviggum, R-Kenyon.

To read the entire story, go to: http://www.startribune.com/587/story/444932.html

House and Senate negotiators worked on a compromise funding plan for a Gophers football stadium Thursday, ironing out differences over a land swap that would help pay for the $248 million arena.
But the conference committee still had to tackle the more controversial provisions for the University of Minnesota project, including a $50 annual student fee, a $35 million naming rights agreement with TCF Bank and a 13 percent tax on sports memorabilia.

Richard Pfutzenreuter, the university's chief financial officer, said a final compromise was within reach, possibly later on Thursday.

"Nobody in this room wants to stand in the way of getting this done," said Sen. James Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, one of the Senate negotiators.

The bill being crafted would have the university transfer 2,840 acres of undeveloped land in Dakota County to the state Department of Natural Resources.

In exchange for annual payments of up to $9.4 million for 25 years, the state would get guarantees that the land wouldn't be developed. The parcel could be used for purposes including a regional park, wildlife management and for recreation, including horse trails and shooting. The university would retain the right to use the land for research.

The open-air stadium would be built on the edge of the university's Minneapolis campus.

To read the full article, go to: http://www.startribune.com/587/story/440781.html

May 11, 2006
Star Tribune
Patricia Lopez and Dane Smith

A bill that would tax sports memorabilia statewide, reduce the marriage penalty for 900,000 Minnesotans, send millions in aid to school districts and local governments and increase taxes on some corporations passed the Minnesota Senate Thursday on a 36-28 vote.

The bill carries the 13-percent statewide sports memorabilia tax that was removed from a Gophers stadium bill when it passed the Senate earlier this week.

The tax would be imposed on all licensed apparel, athletic gear and other sports-logo-bearing merchandise at the wholesale level and is expected to raise retail prices 6 percent.

The memorabilia tax originally had been part of the bill for the $248 million University of Minnesota football stadium but was stripped out before the bill squeaked through the Senate on a two-vote margin earlier this week.

Although the Senate legislation differs dramatically from that of the House, which hasn't even passed a tax bill, Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar, said that the bill's provisions are popular with the public and that Gov. Tim Pawlenty might be a factor in reaching agreement. He said the tightening of tax laws on corporations is favored by "average people" who think offshore corporations aren't paying their fair share.

The Gophers stadium itself has bipartisan support, but the memorabilia tax has engendered opposition from Republicans and a cool reception from Pawlenty, who has pledged not to impose new statewide taxes or tax increases during his term.

Earlier in the day, after a rally Thursday outside the Capitol attended by about 100 university boosters, including Gophers football players and Tony Dungy, a quarterback for the team in the 1970s and now head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks said he has been assured by Senate DFL leaders that compromises are available to strike a deal for a Gophers stadium.

But Bruininks added that House and Senate versions of how to pay for the stadium are "miles apart right now" and that the gap could be too wide to close.

"I don't believe it should be a political football at this point," he said of the plan.

To read more, go to http://www.startribune.com/587/story/427780.html

A critical, final phase in the big-bucks fight over three new sports stadiums took shape Thursday amid suggestions that the Minnesota Vikings are struggling to stay in contention.

The House and Senate selected their negotiators to work out a deal on professional sports stadiums. Meanwhile, University of Minnesota boosters brought in star players and a famous football alumnus to make the case for an on-campus stadium.

The differences are stark: The House approved a standalone Twins ballpark bill, paid for in large part with a higher Hennepin County sales tax. The Senate's version would build new stadiums for the Twins and Vikings, relying on a metrowide sales tax that would also fund transit projects.

Both chambers have independent Gopher stadium plans, although a technical glitch in how the bills were passed has left the plans in limbo while legislative leaders search for a way out.

To read more, go to http://www.startribune.com/587/story/426844.html

If the University of Minnesota needs to seal a deal for a new on-campus football stadium, that should get done today when Tony Dungy arrives in town to speak on behalf of his alma mater.

The university couldn't have a classier or better representative than Dungy, a former Gophers quarterback who is head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

"My message will be that I know it's difficult putting these stadium deals together," Dungy said Wednesday from Indianapolis. "We actually went through two of these deals; we got one done in Tampa when I was there (as Bucs head coach), and we're in the process of building one here.

"I know it's tricky getting it financed. But from the students' standpoint and the athletes' standpoint, it's really neat to have that type of facility to play in, and I think being on campus again would be a big, big plus. That's what I'm going to talk about.

"I don't know the ins and outs of how they're trying to finance it, and that's probably not my department. But I'll just try to let everybody know how much it does mean to the athletes."

Dungy played for the Gophers on campus in Memorial Stadium. His last season was 1976.

To read more, go to http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/14549694.htm