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MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Despite a forecast that's got Target Field flirting with record cold on opening day, the Twins' grounds crew says they were born ready for weeks like this--it is Minnesota, after all.
More than 30,000 fans are set to descend on downtown Minneapolis for Thursday's home opener at Target Field, just days after a snowstorm sweeps through the metro area. It's the beginning of a 12-game homestand that will surely have Vice President of Operations Matt Hoy and his team working overtime.
"We’ll be ready to go Thursday," he said. "[The Twins'] president says it’s a national holiday."
They'll have some high-tech help, too, with a heated infield area keeping the bases clear of snow and foam insulation in the outfield keeping frost from setting in.
Fans will also have some new amenities to keep their mind off the cold, including plush seats and a new dining area called "Bat & Barrel" that was previously only open to season ticket holders.
"I've been a Twins fan for a long time and I just love going to games outdoors," said Twins' fan John Edwards. "I’d take a 32 degree game over a Metrodome any day."
He might just get his wish, too, with the forecast calling for temperatures in the low 30s. The coldest game for a Minnesota home opener was 33 degrees on April 14, 1962, though Thursday is set to give that frigid afternoon a run for its money.