Minneapolis – Target Field will undergo upgrades to some mundane operating systems in the coming years. On Thursday, the Minnesota Ballpark Authority authorized $275,000 from its Ballpark Capital Reserve Fund to help the Minnesota Twins replace and upgrade Target Field’s lighting control system and building automation system.
Both operating systems have been on the same platform since Target Field opened in 2010 and are now being replaced in modern-day operations. The parts used in the building automation systems, including heating, ventilation, and A/C equipment, are no longer being manufactured, which is why the Twins requested additional funds from the MBA for upgrades. With the lighting system, the Twins hope to upgrade to keep up with their long-established sustainability efforts at Target Field.
Twins Senior Vice President of Ballpark Operations Dave Horsman wrote in an email to MBA chair Dan Kenney that they anticipated total costs for upgrading the building automation system to be between $2 and $2.3 million and for lighting control to be between $400,000 and $1.5 million.
“Since these systems will involve a large amount of engineering, installation, and commissioning to be successful, we’ve also solicited bids from engineering firms to guide us through all phases of these projects,” Horsman wrote. “The main services we are seeking from these firms and taking this step will help ensure that we will get the best long-term solutions at the best possible value.”
The $275,000 from the MBA Ballpark Capital Reserve Fund will allocate $160,000 for the building automation system and $115,000 for the lighting control system. The next steps for the Twins upgrade projects are to finalize a budget and timeline, then open bids to contractors, which they hope to have selected by the fall of 2026.
The Twins are finishing up their renovations of the Championship Club, which began at the end of the 2025 season and is expected to be completed by March at the latest. Once this project is completed, the building automation system and lighting control system will be the next major renovation projects for Target Field.
