St. Paul's legislators want the state to borrow $8 million to renovate the decade-old CHS Field, where the St. Paul Saints play, part of a $16 million project that would also see a Ferris wheel built at the ballpark.

The request making its way through the Legislature would make the $8 million loan for the Lowertown stadium part of a state bonding bill, a large package of construction projects.

The Saints have played at the CHS Field in St. Paul since 2015, and became the minor-league affiliate of the Twins in 2021.

The money would pay for a new locker room for visiting teams, which the bill's authors describe as requirements set by Major League Baseball for affiliates' ballparks.

The funds would also clean up some contaminated soil, and fix a moisture barrier in the bullpens.

Those projects would cost about $7 million, according to Ryan Companies, the Minneapolis developer working on the project.

'Wheel of St. Paul'

The Ferris wheel addition, which Ryan has dubbed "the Wheel of St. Paul" could run another $9 million.

The wheel would be situated inside the ballpark, and Ryan's pitch promises it will rival sightseeing wheels in Chicago and St. Louis, running both during ballgames and on other days people might want to take in river gorge views.

The developer noted the wheel has received preliminary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, with the field's location across the river from St. Paul Downtown Airport.

The Saints are also seeking city money for the stadium projects.

Rep. María Isa Pérez Vega, DFL-St. Paul, is carrying the bill in the House, and Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, carries the Senate version.

Bonding requires a 60% majority from the Legislature — far from assured in the evenly divided state House and with the DFL holding a one-seat advantage in the Senate. The difficult budget forecast could also hurt the request's chances.

The request for bonding funds comes as city and business leaders are also agitating for subsidies to upgrade the Xcel Energy Center, home of the Wild, as downtown St. Paul struggles with a growing number of vacant buildings and a stalled revitalization.

The bill is scheduled for a hearing Thursday with the Capital Investment Committee.