Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announced Thursday that the 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Minneapolis' Target Field. It will be the third All-Star Game played in Minneapolis, and the first since the Twins moved to Target Field in 2010. Minnesota last hosted the Midsummer Classic in 1985.
Selig praised the club's ownership and management for their work in building the new stadium:
"Given everything and what's happened here with the ballpark and everything else, it was really pretty easy," Selig said of his decision. "I just don't like to do this too soon but I've known for a long time where the 2014 All-Star Game was going. And it's coming here because it's the right thing to do. This is the right place to be."
Twins president Dave St. Peter shifted Selig's praise to the club's fans:
"We're in a better place than we were 10 years ago. Not only would only would we not be hosting an All-Star Game, but by every measure this is one of the best baseball markets in the country. So that's what I'm really excited about -- to showcase in 2014 how great this ballpark is.
"Our fans deserve it. They've been as passionate and loyal as any in baseball. For what they've put up with on the field the last two years, they deserve an All-Star Game and a lot more."
The announcement is a crowning achievement for the club, which was targeted for contraction just over a decade ago. It's also a boon for local business, with an estimated $60-70 million in revenue set to come in for the festivities.
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