Ryan to Build Saints Stadium

Ryan Cos. US Inc. will build the new St. Paul Saints ballpark after all.  The city of St. Paul said in a news release Thursday it had selected Minneapolis-based Ryan to provide design and building services for the $54 million project, beating out two other bidders. The city didn’t say who the other bidders were.

Ryan thought last year that it was going to lead the project, as it had worked with the city on pre-design work over the past four years. However, the city reopened the selection process following questions from the media and a lawsuit by the Taxpayers League of Minnesota about why the process didn’t include competitive bidding.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said he was happy that Ryan “will hit the ground running” on the project.

Construction is expected to begin next year and be completed in time for Saints opening day in May 2015. It will be built on the site of the vacant Diamond Products/Gillette building at Fifth and Broadway, near the St. Paul Farmer’s Market in Lowertown. Logan Gerken is the lead architect on the ballpark project for Ryan.

St. Paul landlords, business operators and city officials are predicting the Saints ballpark will have a big impact on the Capitol City’s downtown, creating direct and indirect benefits when it opens in two years or so. The city says the ballpark will bring 400,000 people to downtown annually.

Two of Ryan’s recent construction projects include the MoZaic office building in Uptown in Minneapolis and the new Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) employee center in Minneapolis.

Source: MSP Business Journal