Mpls. South High's Weight Room Comes From Target Field Tax
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis South High School is one of many school benefiting from Target Field.
What's the connection? A Hennepin County tax that is helping build new facilities for schools and parks in the city.
"When we approved the sales tax for the Target Field for the Twins, we got authority from the legislature to spend $2 million a year on library hour expansion and $2 million [for] youth sports facilities, that's where this money is coming from," Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin said.
Now South High has what other metro schools have -- a state-of-the-art weight room.
"It feels great. I went to the Vikings practice one time during the summer, and the equipment they have, like the power rack that we have there, is just the same as what they have there," South High athlete Xzavier Severino said.
They opened it this week by making sure that money got earmarked to activities, because competing in the city requires numbers of participants to be sure.
But you also have to have an area where you can make strides.
"Weight room is critical for the overall health and wellness, but also it gives them a chance, you know, to become stronger, faster and quicker as to pursue the sports they love to play," Minneapolis Athletic Director Trent Tucker said.
A stadium like Target Field can do much for the city of Minneapolis, and a weight room like the one at South High is just part of a plan to provide opportunities -- so there are no excuses.
