Coleman challenger wants brakes on ballpark

The lone candidate challenging St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's re-election bid wants to put the brakes on the mayor's signature project -- a new ballpark for the St. Paul Saints.

Tim Holden says the stadium will cause congestion, because it will bring up to 7,000 fans downtown for games at the same time it eliminates more than 300 parking spaces.

"There's going to be chaos. People are just going to have nowhere to park. And it's going to really negatively effect the people that are living there now. It's a tragedy. It's just not planned well," he said.

The city public works department says there will be ample parking for the fans, because most games happen during the evenings, when demand for spaces is low.

City Council Member Dave Thune, who represents the Lowertown neighborhood, says he's working on a plan to make sure residents who live near the ballpark site still have places to put their cars.

Holden is a small business owner who's never run for office before.