Target Field Named Sports Facility of the Year

Target Field has been named The Sports Facility of the Year by Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily. The award was announced at the 2011 Sports Business Awards Ceremony, last night in New York City. The Sports Facility of the Year Award is given to new, renovated or established sports facilities in North America whose primary function is hosting and staging sporting events.

“The Twins are honored to have won such a prestigious award,” said Dave St. Peter, Twins President. “We are immensely grateful to our many partners like Populous, Mortenson Construction, Hennepin County and the Minnesota Ballpark Authority, whose collaboration, ingenuity and support helped make Target Field such a landmark facility.”

To win the award, the Twins and Target Field bested other great facilities – including three other Populous projects: Amway Center (home of the Orlando Magic), Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Kansas City Chiefs), Consol Energy Center (home of the Pittsburgh Penguins). New Meadowlands Stadium (home of the New York Giants/Jets) and Red Bull Arena (home of the New York Red Bulls) were also up for the honor.

“Target Field is a ballpark beloved by its fans, offering a wonderful benefit to its community and now honored by industry leaders,” said Earl Santee, Populous Senior Principal. “We knew from the outset it would be a great project. It’s nice to receive validation as the best sports facility in the country; one that is a model to be revered and studied for future stadia development.”

The Sports Facility of the Year honor adds to a significant list of accolades for Target Field; it was also named the #1 stadium experience in all of professional sport by ESPN the Magazine in 2010 and it was named 2010 Ballpark of the Year by Ballpark Digest. The ballpark is also a finalist for Venue of the Year for the Stadium Business Awards.

Launched in 2008, the Sports Business Awards were established by Sports Business Journal and Sports Business Daily to celebrate and recognize the leaders, visionaries and day-to-day practitioners who personify excellence in the business of sports.

For further information please contact: 
Gina Stingley at Populous
Telephone: 816 221 1500
Email media@populous.com