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109-453: The Minnesota State Capitol is located on the northern fringe of the downtown neighborhood. Work began on the current capitol in 1896, and construction was completed in 1905. The early 1950s saw the development of the expansive mall that currently surrounds the capitol. This development required the demolition of many homes, apartments, churches, and businesses, and paved the way for the construction of four government agency buildings surrounding

218-540: A 1903 letter to the Board. Responding to popular demand, the Board of State Capitol Commissioners authorized six paintings by four nationally known artists. Gilbert prepared plans for a more ornate room to accommodate paintings of historical subject matter, which were originally considered for the lunettes over the grand stair halls. In 1968 the red drapes and leather furnishings were replaced with gold velvet curtains and modern armchairs covered in mustard yellow upholstery. With

327-506: A 66-game regular season following the lockout. Many news outlets began covering the league more frequently. NBA TV , the television home of the NBA scheduled over 70 regular-season games to be televised (along with a dozen more on ESPN2 and ABC ). The new influx of young talent into the league gave many teams something to be excited about. Players like Candace Parker of the Sparks , Maya Moore of

436-508: A comprehensive restoration project from 2013 to 2017, the first major renovation since the building first opened. Work began in 2013, with the project estimated at that time to cost $ 241 million, funded via a series of appropriations made by the Minnesota legislature. The project repaired and modernized deteriorating building systems, restored the building to Cass Gilbert 's original architectural vision, increased public meeting space (including

545-633: A faster pace. As a league, the 2010 average of 80.35 points per game was the best, far surpassing the 69.2 average in the league's inaugural season . On October 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Detroit Shock would relocate to Tulsa, Oklahoma , to become the Tulsa Shock . On November 20, 2009, the WNBA announced that the Sacramento Monarchs had folded due to lack of support from its current owners,

654-508: A homage to Minnesota's nickname, the "Gopher State", life-sized cast iron gophers rear up on balustrades in the rotunda. The Lady Slipper was adopted as the state flower in 1902, during the Capitol's construction. Gilbert had many of the Corinthian capitals adjusted to feature larger-than-life renditions of the wild orchid found in Minnesota's northern forests. The dome electrolier (chandelier)

763-557: A large presence downtown, employing 2,000 people. In 2009 supercomputer manufacturer Cray Inc. relocated to become the anchor tenant of the Cray Plaza in downtown. The Lowertown Historic District is a historic district on the east-side of Downtown Saint Paul. This 16-block warehouse and wholesaling district comprises 37 contributing properties built 1870s–1920. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 for

872-462: A milestone as the first team-oriented women's professional sports league to exist for ten consecutive seasons. On the occasion of the tenth anniversary, the WNBA released its All-Decade Team , comprising the ten WNBA players who had contributed, through on-court play and off-court activities, the most to women's basketball during the league's existence. After not making it to the Finals in 2004 and 2005,

981-609: A modern term not in use when the Capitol was built, but a style made popular in part by the architecture at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. In addition to being influenced by his time at the World's Columbian Exposition, the State Capitol's architect Cass Gilbert was inspired by McKim, Mead & White's Rhode Island State House . Gilbert wrote a note in the margins on a 1912 article on his work stating that his plan of

1090-604: A new CBA to take effect with the 2020 season and running through 2027. Among the features of the new agreement were: Also in January 2020, the WNBA announced a new in-season tournament, the Commissioner's Cup , which would begin with the 2020 season. Each team was scheduled to play 10 Cup games during the season: specifically, the first home and road games against each team in its conference. The final Cup games were to be played in July, with

1199-513: A new classroom for the Minnesota Historical Society to host school groups and provide information about the building), updated life safety systems, and improved accessibility for people with disabilities. 3-D modeling was used to incorporate details about materials and other characteristics of particular parts of the structure. It was used to help with aspects of planning which included the positioning of new HVAC units that required

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1308-478: A space shortage in the Capitol, Governor LeVander decided the room should be converted to office use and closed off to the public. There was strong public objection to this temporary solution. Legislators and civic leaders worked to dissuade LeVander, and kept the Reception Room open to visitors. This controversy helped facilitate the recognition for the historic preservation and restoration of many Capitol spaces in

1417-606: A temporary headquarters in the Central House Hotel. In 1851, work began to oversee finances and the hiring of contractors to build the Capitol. Its architect, N. C. Prentiss drew up specifications for the new Capitol. Exterior details included brick work, cut stone floors and steps for the porches, a wood pediment, wood Ionic-style columns, and a well-framed roof covered with fireproof material. Interior work called for Norway pine flooring and staircases of oak and ash with oak handrails and turned balusters. The legislature moved into

1526-541: A track which includes steep turns and high vertical drops. The event coincides with the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and draws crowds of more than 100,000. The neighborhood is served by five stops along the METRO Green Line light rail system. Similar to its twin city, Minneapolis , Downtown Saint Paul has a skyway system consisting of 40 bridges that link most of the buildings along Kellogg Boulevard with

1635-634: A worst-to-first turnaround with the Shock finishing the season 25–9 and in first place in the Eastern Conference. After winning the first two rounds of the Playoffs, the Shock faced two-time champion, Los Angeles Sparks , and Lisa Leslie in the 2003 Finals . The Shock defeated the Sparks , winning Game Three on a three-pointer by Deanna Nolan . After the 2003 season , the Cleveland Rockers , one of

1744-624: Is a women's professional basketball league based in the United States and will include 13 teams as of the 2025 season. It is considered as the premier professional women's basketball league in the world. The league was founded on April 24, 1996, as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association (NBA). League play began in 1997. The regular season runs from May to September, with each team playing 44 games. The top eight teams (regardless of conference) qualify for

1853-418: Is lit every Statehood Day on May 11, commemorating when Minnesota became the 32nd state in the union on May 11, 1858. Gilbert had originally planned that art decorating the capitol interior would be mainly allegorical in nature. However, the Board of State Capitol Commissioners was approached by American Civil War veterans and Minnesota legislators who felt the artwork in the Capitol should depict real events in

1962-839: Is located within the Central Library. The Landmark Center is located on the north side of Rice Park. In September 2000 the Xcel Energy Center opened in downtown to serve as the home for the Minnesota Wild . Apart from hosting the Wild, the Xcel Energy Center has hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships , the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship , the Minnesota State High School League Boys' Hockey Tournament ,

2071-562: Is still in use as a transportation hub for Amtrak , Greyhound Lines and the Metro Green Line . Downtown has three city parks, two of which predate Minnesota statehood . The land for both Mears Park and Rice Park was donated to the city of Saint Paul in 1849. Both parks have gone through numerous renovations and host several festivals throughout the year. Rice Park most notably hosts the Saint Paul Winter Carnival which

2180-517: Is the oldest winter carnival in the country, having operated since 1886. Since 1999, Mears Park has hosted the Twin Cities Jazz Festival . The third park in the downtown area is Kellogg Mall Park which features fountains, an arbor, and a paved bike trail along the river. The Saint Paul Public Library system operates the Central Library, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. James J. Hill Reference Library

2289-710: Is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Minnesota , in its capital city of Saint Paul . It houses the Minnesota Senate , Minnesota House of Representatives , the office of the Attorney General and the office of the Governor . The building also includes a chamber for the Minnesota Supreme Court , although court activities usually take place in the neighboring Minnesota Judicial Center . There have been three State Capitol buildings. The present building

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2398-450: Is the second largest self-supported marble dome in the world, behind Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican , on which Gilbert based his design. The dome itself is actually made up of three domes or layers. The outer layer is a self-supporting dome made of Georgia marble blocks resting upon their own weight. Hidden inside is a brick and steel cone that supports the lantern and golden sphere at

2507-464: Is then topped by a finial globe covered in gold leaf. Because it was just over 30 years after the American Civil War when the building was designed, Gilbert drew ire for choosing marble from Georgia rather than native Minnesota granite for the exterior. Gilbert insisted on using Georgia white marble, saying that the use of a darker color would make it look "glooming and forbidding." A compromise

2616-635: The 2001 WNBA season was the Los Angeles Sparks . Led by Lisa Leslie , the Sparks posted a regular-season record of 28–4 . They advanced to their first WNBA Finals and swept the Charlotte Sting . Looking to repeat in 2002, the Sparks again made a strong run toward the postseason, going 25–7 in the regular season under head coach Michael Cooper , who formerly for the Los Angeles Lakers . Again, Leslie dominated her opponents throughout

2725-512: The Charlotte Bobcats organization announced it would no longer operate the Charlotte Sting . Soon after, the WNBA announced that the Sting would not operate for 2007. A dispersal draft was held on January 8, 2007. Teams selected in inverse order of their 2006 records with Chicago receiving the first pick. Former Los Angeles Lakers championship coach, Paul Westhead , was named head coach of

2834-729: The Connecticut Sun 67–100. Paul Westhead resigned from the Mercury after capturing the 2007 title and Penny Taylor opted to stay home to prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics , causing the Mercury to falter in 2008. The team posted a 16–18 record and became the first team in WNBA history to miss the Playoffs after winning the championship in the previous season. In their place, the Detroit Shock won their third championship under coach Bill Laimbeer , solidifying their place in WNBA history before Laimbeer resigned early in 2009, effectively ending

2943-519: The Finals , the Mercury beat Detroit on their home floor in front of 22,076 fans in game five to claim their first-ever WNBA title. In October 2007, the WNBA awarded another expansion franchise to Atlanta . Atlanta businessman Ron Terwilliger was the original owner of the new team. Citizens of Atlanta were voted for their choice of the new team's nickname and colors. The Dream , as they were named, played their first regular-season game on May 17, losing to

3052-675: The Lynx , DeWanna Bonner of the Mercury , Angel McCoughtry of the Dream , Sylvia Fowles of the Sky , Tina Charles of the Sun , and Liz Cambage of the Shock brought a new level of excitement to the game, adding talent to the teams of young veterans such as Diana Taurasi , Seimone Augustus and Cappie Pondexter . The level of play seemed to be evidenced by higher scoring, better defense, and higher shooting percentages. By

3161-625: The Maloof family , who were also the owners of the Sacramento Kings at the time. The league announced it would seek new owners to relocate the team to the San Francisco Bay area ; however, no ownership was found and a dispersal draft was held on December 14, 2009. The 2010 season saw a tight race in the East , with three teams being tied for first place on the final day of the regular season. Five of

3270-686: The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System moved its headquartered in the Wells Fargo Place . Minnesota Public Radio purchased its current downtown headquarters in 2001 from the Public Housing Agency of St. Paul. In 2005 Gander Mountain relocated to downtown. Securian Financial Group is located in the Securian Center and is the largest private employer in downtown with 2,600 employees. Travelers Insurance maintains

3379-912: The New York Liberty facing the Los Angeles Sparks in Los Angeles . The Liberty defeated the Sparks 67-57. A crowd of 14,284 attended the game at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California . The game was televised nationally in the United States on the NBC television network. At the start of the 1997 season, the WNBA had television deals in with NBC ( NBA rights holder), the Walt Disney Company and Hearst Corporation joint venture channels, ESPN , and Lifetime Television Network. Penny Toler scored

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3488-520: The Phoenix Mercury on October 11, 2005, bringing his up-tempo style of play to the WNBA. This fast-paced offense was perfect for his team, especially after the league shortened the shot clock from 30 seconds to 24 seconds in 2006. Much like the early Houston Comets championship teams, the Phoenix Mercury had risen to prominence led by their own "Big Three" of Cappie Pondexter , Diana Taurasi , and Penny Taylor . The Mercury were well-suited for

3597-523: The Shock bounced back in 2006 behind newly acquired Katie Smith , along with six remaining members from their 2003 Finals run ( Cash , Ford , Holland-Corn , Nolan , Powell , and Riley ). The Shock finished second in the Eastern Conference and knocked out first-seeded Connecticut in the second round of the Playoffs. The Shock faced reigning champion Sacramento Monarchs in a five-game series, winning in Game Five on their home floor. In December 2006,

3706-619: The Shock dynasty. During the 2008 regular season, the first-ever outdoor professional basketball game in North America was played at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City. The Indiana Fever defeated the New York Liberty 71–55 in front of over 19,000 fans. Late in 2008, the WNBA took over ownership of one of the league's original franchises, the Houston Comets . The Comets ceased operations on December 1, 2008, after no owners for

3815-718: The Tulsa Shock moved in 2016 to the Dallas–Fort Worth region in Texas and were renamed the Dallas Wings , and in 2018 the San Antonio Stars went to Nevada , becoming the Las Vegas Aces . During the 2018 season, the WNBA players' union opted out of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the league, which ended after the 2019 season. In January 2020, the league and union announced that they had reached an agreement on

3924-735: The WNBA 's Minnesota Lynx , and the now defunct National Lacrosse League team Minnesota Swarm . Located in the Lowertown District of downtown, CHS Field opened in May 2015 at a cost of $ 63 million. CHS field serves as home field for the Saint Paul Saints of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball and despite not having an affiliation with a Major League Baseball team, an average of 8,438 fans visited CHS Field to watch

4033-640: The national governing body for basketball in the United States. The league's headquarters are located in New York, NY . The creation of the WNBA was officially approved by the NBA Board of Governors on April 24, 1996, and announced at a press conference with Rebecca Lobo , Lisa Leslie , and Sheryl Swoopes in attendance. The new WNBA had to compete with the recently formed American Basketball League , another professional women's basketball league that began play in

4142-475: The $ 4.5-million project budget. Over the years, more art has been added to the Capitol, totaling nearly 150 pieces in 2017. Gilbert sought out many of the finest artists of the period, such as Kenyon Cox , Elmer Garnsey, Edwin Howland Blashfield , Henry Oliver Walker , Edward Emerson Simmons , John La Farge , Douglas Volk , Francis D. Millet , Howard Pyle , and Rufus Fairchild Zogbaum . Much of

4251-440: The 1970s. In 1978, when farmers converged on the Capitol to protest powerline construction on their farms , the message "we want a moratorium on powerlines" was carved into one of the antique tables after several hundred protesters crowded into the Reception Room. One of several signature features of the Capitol is the brass and translucent glass eight-pointed star symbolizing Minnesota's motto, " L'Étoile du Nord " (The Star of

4360-521: The 2003 preseason and the 2003 WNBA draft . As a result of the strike, the league received negative publicity. Former Detroit Pistons forward, Bill Laimbeer , took over the Detroit Shock in 2002 as head coach and general manager. He had high hopes for the Detroit Shock , despite the team having gone just 9–23 its previous season. Three Shock members made it the 2003 All-Star Game ( Swin Cash , Cheryl Ford , and Deanna Nolan ) and Laimbeer orchestrated

4469-499: The Bradenton complex, and all games and practices took place there. Players had until June 25 to let their teams know whether they planned to participate. On March 15, 2021, an announcement was made that the WNBA would introduce a ceremonial logo, basketball, and uniforms as part of its 25th anniversary celebratory campaign called "Count It". As part of the campaign, the league unveiled The W25 , consisting of 25 players determined to be

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4578-506: The Capitol housed all the executive offices and the three branches of state government, state agencies and commissions, and the Minnesota Historical Society. Expansion of offices and meeting rooms, reconstruction of chambers, and subdivision of corridors occurred as early as the 1930s. As needs expanded, the state agencies and commissions, and over half of the executive offices, moved out of the Capitol to other buildings. One of

4687-551: The Civil War were added between the 1920s and 1930s as the result of lobbying done by veterans groups and legislators. While there is no official designation, quality and volume of American Civil War art and historic artifacts in the capitol building gives the semblance the Capitol being a memorial to Civil War veterans. On the Capitol's south front is the State Capitol Mall, which includes eighteen acres of green space. Over

4796-479: The Governor's Reception Room included Civil war themes, as did the two paintings in the Governor's Anteroom. Gilbert originally seemed to want any statues in the second floor rotunda niches to be Minnesota Senators or U.S. Presidents; however, the statues finally installed between 1909 and 1914 were of Civil War veterans. Years after the construction was done, more plaques and benches memorializing Minnesotans who served in

4905-416: The Governors Reception Room was partly a response to Minnesotans' suggestions for pictures from their own history which gave Gilbert the opportunity to upscale his plans for the room and to include six large paintings that span 200 years of the area's history. In 1944, the custom of displaying governors' portraits in the public corridors was initiated. In 1971, the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board and

5014-413: The Minnesota Historical Society were entrusted to approve design, structural composition and location of all works of art. The Governors Reception Room, arguably the most elaborately decorated in the building, is a ceremonial room, designed for state receptions, proclamations, and press conferences. Gilbert designed the elaborately decorated room, which was inspired by his earlier vacation in Europe, on

5123-467: The Minnesota capitol had been greatly influenced by the one in Rhode Island. The building's structure consists of a steel and cast iron frame on rough limestone foundation walls resting on concrete footings. Guastavino tile vaulting forms the ceilings on both the ground and first floor. The structural elements of a building primarily consist of load-bearing brick and stone masonry walls and piers supporting steel-framed floor and roof systems. Care given in

5232-467: The North), which is set in a circle on the floor of the rotunda below the central dome. The star motif is then repeated in the marble floor of the rotunda with the points of the star using red Numidian marble from the Nile River . The star's glass floor provides natural light to a State Capitol hearing room below. The motto can be seen in other areas of the Capitol stenciled on the walls. Additional state symbols appear as details in unexpected settings. In

5341-436: The Playoffs, leading the Sparks to a perfect 6–0 record, beating the New York Liberty in the 2002 Finals . Teams and the league were collectively owned by the NBA until the end of 2002 , when the NBA sold WNBA teams either to their NBA counterparts in the same city or to a third party as a result of the dot-com bubble . This led to two teams moving: Utah moved to San Antonio , and Orlando moved to Connecticut and became

5450-478: The Saints, which was the seventh-highest average attendance across minor league baseball. The Saints' move from Midway Stadium to CHS Field marks the return of baseball to downtown since the St. Paul Saints of the American Association played their games at The Pillbox from 1903–1909. The Pillbox, or Downtown Stadium, was located on the current site of the Metro Green Line Robert Street station between 12th and 13th Streets. In January 2018 TRIA Rink opened on

5559-401: The Senior Vice President of the PGA Tour and who had played for several teams in the now-defunct Women's Pro Basketball League , would be Ackerman 's successor as of April 2005 . The WNBA awarded an expansion team to Chicago (later named the Sky ) in February 2006 . In the off-season, a set of rule changes was approved that made the WNBA more like the NBA. In 2006, the league reached

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5668-444: The United States (a distinction held by the defunct WBL ), the WNBA is the only league to receive full backing of the NBA . The WNBA logo, "Logo Woman", paralleled the NBA logo and was selected out of 50 different designs. On the heels of a much-publicized gold medal run by the 1996 USA Basketball Women's National Team at the 1996 Summer Olympic Games , the WNBA began its first season on June 21, 1997. The first WNBA game featured

5777-422: The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. Gilbert saw this quadriga group at the Exposition and made plans to have artists adapt it for Minnesota. As work continued on the interior, multiple groups, notably American Civil War veterans, the Minnesota Historical Society, and some politicians, demanded that the artwork in the Capitol illustrate historic events of Minnesota's past. The current ornate look of

5886-451: The aging neighborhood surrounding the Capitol increasingly deteriorated. Work to transform the area and to develop at least partially Gilbert's vision of landscaped grand boulevards providing key approaches to the capitol began after World War II. The work was largely complete by 1955, leaving the State Capitol Mall with the overall form that still provides the setting for the Minnesota State Capitol. The Minnesota State Capitol underwent

5995-420: The bench in June and fellow rookie Danielle Robinson had a 36-point game in September. Atlanta Dream forward, Angel McCoughtry , was the first player in league history to average over 20 points per game (21.6ppg) while playing under 30 minutes per game (27.9mpg). McCoughtry led her team to the Finals for the second straight year, but despite breaking her own Finals scoring record, the Dream were swept for

6104-404: The building was doubled to nearly 40,000 square feet, with a number of new public spaces opened to the public for reservation and use year round. Mechanical systems in the Capitol's basement were buried under the floor to help create new public spaces including the ’Etoile du Nord Vault event space directly under the rotunda. WNBA The Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA )

6213-540: The construction of the original structure was so great that even far removed mechanical spaces not intended to be seen by the public were designed and built with a high standard of finish and design. East to west, the Capitol is more than 430 ft (130 m) long. From ground level to the top of the dome's lantern measures 220 ft (67 m). Inside, the building has more than 300,000 square feet (28,000 m ) of floor space, or about 5,000,000 cubic feet (140,000 m ) of space. The Minnesota State Capitol dome

6322-473: The discovery of dry rot made the building increasing unacceptable. Additionally, poor ventilation led in the push for a new Capitol building in 1893. It had served as the seat of Minnesota state government for just 10 years before state officials began planning a grander, more efficient Capitol. After the completion of the third State Capitol in 1905, the state used the old Capitol for meeting space, storage, and parking until its demolition in 1937. The site for

6431-506: The doubling of ductwork in order to meet modern code requirements but not be noticed or mar the historic character of the building. The laser scanning done to confirm the accuracy of the digital model also showed that Gilbert's original architectural drawings proved to be very accurate to what was built. The original Georgia marble stone on the exterior had badly deteriorated from weathering, and underwent comprehensive restoration that included 20,000 repairs with 6,000 pieces replaced. The stone

6540-414: The end of an era for the WNBA and the ushering of another. On the court, the Minnesota Lynx won their second title in three years, defeating the Atlanta Dream in the Finals and becoming the first team to sweep the playoff series since the Seattle Storm . The promotion of Griner , Delle Donne , and Diggins helped boost television ratings for the league by 28 percent, and half of the teams ended

6649-416: The end of it. We expect to keep growing the league." In 1999, the league's chief competition, the American Basketball League (ABL), declared bankruptcy. Many of the ABL's star players, including several Olympic gold medalists (such as Nikki McCray and Dawn Staley ) and a number of standout college performers (including Kate Starbird and Jennifer Rizzotti ), joined the rosters of WNBA teams, enhancing

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6758-546: The end of the 2011 regular season , nine of the twelve teams in the league had increased attendance over their 2010 averages . Connecticut Sun center, Tina Charles , set a league record for double-doubles in a season with 23. Also, Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky became only the second player in WNBA history to finish a season averaging at least 20 points (20.0ppg) and 10 rebounds (10.2rpg) per game. The San Antonio Silver Stars experienced boosts from their young players as well; rookie Danielle Adams scored 32 points off

6867-406: The evening, fire broke out in the dome of the Capitol and quickly spread. There were no deaths, but efforts to save the building failed. It was replaced on the same site in 1883 by the second Capitol building. After fire destroyed Minnesota's first Capitol building, the second Capitol, a three-story, Romanesque, masonry building designed by Leroy Buffington , was completed in 1883 on the site of

6976-403: The expenditures, acquiring property, setting building specifications, selecting the architect and general contractor, and giving final approval for the type of stone to use on the exterior, as well as the art and artists. The site selected by the commission was "Wabasha Hill", bounded by Park Avenue, University Avenue, Cedar and Wabasha Streets, and Central Avenue. While this was the costliest of

7085-457: The exterior; cleaning historic paintings, murals, and sculptures; and adding safety and accessibility features. The building is set in a landscaped campus with the Capitol Mall on its south front, Leif Erikson Park on its west, and Judicial Plaza to its east. Various monuments and memorials are located in these green spaces. The current State Capitol building is the third building to serve this purpose. The territorial legislature first met in

7194-405: The fall of 1996, but would cease operation during its 1998–99 season. The WNBA began with eight teams: the Charlotte Sting , Cleveland Rockers , Houston Comets , and New York Liberty in the Eastern Conference; and the Los Angeles Sparks , Phoenix Mercury , Sacramento Monarchs , and Utah Starzz in the Western Conference. While not the first major women's professional basketball league in

7303-445: The fast offense driven by their three stars. Phoenix averaged a league-record 88.97 points per game in 2007. Other teams could not keep up with their new style of play, and the Mercury were propelled into first place in the Western Conference. Facing the reigning champions, the Detroit Shock , the Mercury imposed their high-scoring offense with hopes of capturing their first title in franchise history. Averaging 93.2 points per game in

7412-445: The first Capitol. Buffington designed the new building in the shape of a Greek cross. It featured a foundation of cut stone and walls of red brick with Dresbach sandstone trim. Each wing measured 150 feet in length. The main entrance on the southwest from Wabasha Street opened onto the first floor, where the governor, attorney general, auditor, treasurer, and secretary of state had offices. The Assembly (House of Representatives) chamber in

7521-403: The first WNBA championship game. The initial "We Got Next" advertisement ran before each season until it was replaced with a "We Got Game" campaign. Two teams were added in 1998 ( Detroit and Washington ), and two more in 1999 ( Orlando and Minnesota ), bringing the total number of teams in the league up to 12. The 1999 season began with a collective bargaining agreement between players and

7630-403: The first WNBA team to be owned by a third party instead of an NBA franchise. This sale of teams also led to two teams folding, the Miami Sol and Portland Fire , because new owners could not be found . The Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) threatened to strike in 2003 if a new deal was not worked out between players and the league. The result was a delay in the start of

7739-438: The first and second Capitol buildings eventually became home to the former Arts and Science Building and McNally Smith Music Academy. The present state Capitol was designed by Cass Gilbert , whose design was selected by the Board of State Capitol Commissioners over 41 other submissions. Butler-Ryan Construction was selected as the contractor. Work began on the capitol in 1896, its corner-stone laid July 27, 1898, and construction

7848-538: The first to leave was the Minnesota Historical Society, which relocated to its own building (now the Minnesota Judicial Center ) next to the Capitol in 1915. Most recently, the offices of the Senate moved to the newly constructed Minnesota Senate Building in January 2016. The structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The Minnesota Capitol is usually described as " Beaux-Arts ",

7957-554: The first two rounds to advance to the Finals in only the third year of the team's existence. After the 2010 season, President Orender announced she would be resigning from her position as of December 31. On April 21, 2011, NBA commissioner David Stern announced that former Girl Scouts of the USA Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Laurel J. Richie , would assume duties as president on May 16, 2011. The 2011 season began with strong publicity brought on by

8066-611: The four sites considered for the Capitol, it was the largest, and the Commission concluded that it was the best location for the building. Dozens of companies and hundreds of workers worked to complete the statehouse. Six workers were killed in accidents between 1898 and 1903 as a result of unsafe working conditions. Upon completion, the building drew praise from the architecture community, leading to requests for Gilbert to design Capitol buildings for other states, such as West Virginia and Arkansas, and other notable structures. Originally,

8175-471: The franchise could be found. A dispersal draft took place on December 8, 2008, with the first pick, Sancho Lyttle , taken by the Atlanta Dream . After an unsatisfying conclusion in 2008, the Mercury looked to bounce back to championship caliber. New head coach Corey Gaines implemented Paul Westhead 's style of play, and the Mercury averaged 92.82 points per game throughout the 2009 season. Helped by

8284-454: The grand staircases are made from Breche Violette marble from Italy. In the rotunda, the giant columns in the four open spaces are made from Minnesota granite. The deep bronze columns on the north and south were quarried near Ortonville, Minnesota and the purplish gray columns on the east and west were quarried near Rockville, Minnesota. Dividing the statuary niches and the Kasota stone walls in

8393-446: The league's first point. The WNBA centered its marketing campaign, dubbed "We Got Next", around stars Rebecca Lobo , Lisa Leslie , and Sheryl Swoopes . In the league's first season, Leslie's Los Angeles Sparks underperformed and Swoopes sat out much of the season due to her pregnancy. Perhaps the WNBA's first star was MVP Cynthia Cooper , Swoopes' teammate on the Houston Comets . The Comets defeated Lobo's New York Liberty in

8502-406: The league's greatest and most influential, as chosen by a panel of media and pioneering women's players. The delayed launch of the Commissioner's Cup was officially announced on May 12, 2021, two days before the start of the regular season. The originally planned schedule, with the first home game and first road game of each team against each of its fellow conference members doubling as Cup games,

8611-590: The league's inception. Led by the "Big Three" of Sheryl Swoopes , Tina Thompson , and Cynthia Cooper (who won the Finals MVP for all four championships), the Comets dominated every team in the league. Under head coach Van Chancellor , the team posted a 98–24 record their first four seasons (16–3 in the Playoffs ). After 2000, Cooper retired from the league, and the Comets ' dynasty came to an end. The top contender in

8720-414: The league's original eight teams, folded because its owners were unwilling to continue operating the franchise . Val Ackerman , the first WNBA president, resigned effective February 1, 2005, citing the desire to spend more time with her family. Ackerman later became president of USA Basketball . On February 15, 2005, NBA Commissioner David Stern announced that Donna Orender , who had been serving as

8829-630: The league, marking the first collective bargaining agreement to be signed in the history of women's professional sports . That year, the WNBA also announced that it would add four more teams for the 2000 season (the Indiana Fever , the Seattle Storm , the Miami Sol , and the Portland Fire ), bringing the league up to 16 teams. WNBA President Val Ackerman discussed expansion by saying, "This won't be

8938-447: The lines of a Venetian Council Chamber, with stained white oak woodwork and heavy molding gilded with gold leaf framing historical paintings. The room's ornate look was partly a response to Minnesotans' suggestions for pictures from their own history. Originally Gilbert had planned for the room to be much more modest. "The executive rooms should be finished in perfectly plain color without elaborate decoration of any kind," Gilbert wrote in

9047-684: The mall: Veteran Services Building, the Transportation Building, the Centennial Office Building, and the National Guard Armory. Saint Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse is also located downtown. A number of corporations and institutions are located in downtown Saint Paul. Since 1933, Ecolab has maintained its headquarters in downtown. In 1989 Twin Cities PBS relocated to its current location in downtown In 1997

9156-406: The midcentury office core. The skyway is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., however businesses in the skyway are generally closed at 6 p.m. and on the weekends. Prominent buildings connected to the skyway include: 44°56′50″N 93°5′30″W  /  44.94722°N 93.09167°W  / 44.94722; -93.09167 Minnesota State Capitol The Minnesota State Capitol

9265-464: The most thrilling games in WNBA history in game one of the series (Phoenix winning in overtime, 120–116). The Mercury beat the Fever in game five, this time on their home court, capturing their second WNBA championship. Not only did Paul Westhead 's system influence his Mercury team, but it created a domino effect throughout the league. Young athletic players were capable of scoring more and playing at

9374-496: The new Capitol in time for the 5th territorial legislative session on January 4, 1854. The population boomed after Minnesota became a state on May 11, 1858, and the Capitol building was expanded with a new wing on the Exchange Street side of the building in 1873 and a second wing facing Wabasha Street in 1878. Despite efforts to make the Capitol fire-resistant, it was destroyed by fire on March 1, 1881. While legislators met in

9483-666: The original art is allegorical . Gilbert's trips to Europe encouraged his ideas, but he was more directly influenced by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In particular, the inspiration for the Minnesota quadriga, a group of figures entitled Progress of the State , was the Columbus Quadriga , a statue depicting Christopher Columbus standing in a four horse chariot guided by two maidens carrying staffs of victory, that Daniel Chester French and Edward Clark Potter had modeled for

9592-566: The overall quality of play in the league . When a lockout resulted in an abbreviated NBA season, the WNBA saw faltering TV viewership . On May 23, 2000, the Houston Comets became the first WNBA team to be invited to the White House Rose Garden . Before this invitation, only men's sports teams had traveled to the White House . At the end of the 2000 season, the Houston Comets won their fourth championship, capturing every title since

9701-620: The playoffs, culminating in the WNBA Finals , which is played in October. The All-Star Game occurs midway through the season in July (except in Olympic years). The league hosts an annual mid-season competition, the Commissioner's Cup , the dates of which vary from year to year. The WNBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by the FIBA (International Basketball Federation) as

9810-463: The return of Penny Taylor , the Mercury once again locked up first place in the Western Conference and advanced to the 2009 Finals . The championship series was a battle of contrasting styles as the Mercury (number one league offense, 92.82 points per game) had to face the Indiana Fever (number three league defense, 73.55 points per game). The series went five games, including arguably one of

9919-489: The rising young stars of the league and the NBA lockout. The 2011 NBA lockout began on July 1, 2011. Unlike the previous lockout, which affected the WNBA, president Laurel J. Richie confirmed that this lockout would not affect the WNBA. If the NBA season was shortened or canceled, the 2012 WNBA season (including the WNBA teams still owned by NBA owners) would run as planned. The lockout ended on November 26, and NBA teams would play

10028-633: The rotunda from the "Civilization of the Northwest" murals above them is a line of Sioux Quartzite from a quarry in Jasper, Minnesota. Previously it was thought to be Catlinite/Pipestone, which is prized by Native Americans, primarily those of the Plains nations for use in making ceremonial pipes. During the 2013-2017 renovation, the stone was tested and found not to be Catlinite. The State Capitol opened in 1905 with roughly 60 artworks that totaled $ 300,000, or 7% of

10137-462: The season profitable. The improved health of the league was on display after the season, when the Los Angeles Sparks ' ownership group folded; it took the league only a few weeks to line up Guggenheim Partners to purchase the team, and the franchise also garnered interest from the ownership of the Golden State Warriors . Two more franchise relocations happened in the following years, as

10246-471: The second straight year, this time by the Minnesota Lynx , which won its first title behind a fully healthy Seimone Augustus . 2012 featured a long Olympic break. The Indiana Fever won that year's WNBA championship. The much-publicized 2013 WNBA draft produced Baylor University star Brittney Griner , Delaware's Elena Delle Donne , and Notre Dame All American Skylar Diggins (now Diggins-Smith) as

10355-463: The significance of its river and rail connections, economic impact, architecture, and urban planning. In recent years Lowertown has been undergoing changes from a bohemian , artist-community into a gentrified neighborhood filled with coffee shops, restaurants, bars, breweries, and market-rate apartments. Lowertown is the home of the Saint Paul Union Depot , a historic railroad station that

10464-521: The six teams in the East were in first place at some point during the season. The East held a .681 winning percentage over the West , its highest ever. In the 2010 Finals , two new teams represented each conference: the Seattle Storm and the Atlanta Dream . Seattle made their first finals appearance since winning it all in 2004 , and Atlanta, coming into the playoffs as a four seed, impressively swept its opponents in

10573-432: The southeast wing featured a twenty-five-foot ceiling with a large stained glass skylight. The Senate chamber in the southwest wing was finished in yellow birch and birdseye maple. The Supreme Court chamber in the southeast wing featured woodwork of cherry and Hungarian ash. Shortly after it opened, deficiencies of the new building were becoming clear. Overcrowding due to a lack of space, a lack of adequate fireproofing, and

10682-406: The states past rather than allegorical imagery. In particular they wanted recognition of Minnesota's military units. Additional funds were lacking to build a desired immense obelisk outside the Capitol that was to be the memorial to veterans. These issues convinced Gilbert to amend his vision and include Civil War homages inside the Capitol building. Four of the six paintings originally installed in

10791-758: The top floor of the former Macy's building since renamed Treasure Island Center . TRIA Rink is the practice facility for the Minnesota Wild and the home arena for the Minnesota Whitecaps of the National Women's Hockey League and Hamline University 's hockey program. Since 2011, downtown has played host for the Red Bull Crashed Ice event. Crashed Ice is a winter extreme sporting event featuring ice cross downhill (or downhill ice cross) which involves downhill skating in an urban environment, on

10900-420: The top of the dome and provides an internal water drainage system, which helps avoid the heaving problem created by the freezing and thawing of Minnesota winters. Below that is the decorative masonry dome that can be seen from the inside, looking up from the rotunda. At the dome's base are 12 marble eagles paired with the columns surrounding the drum of the dome. At the dome's top is a columned stone lantern which

11009-677: The top team in the Cup standings from each conference advancing to a one-off Cup final in August. The 2020 WNBA schedule originally included a month-long break in July and August to allow players to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics . The 2020 games were postponed until 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic , rendering the break unnecessary. On April 3, 2020, the WNBA announced that the beginning of its own schedule would be postponed. The 2020 entry draft took place as originally scheduled on April 17, although it

11118-443: The top three picks. The draft was the first to be televised in primetime on ESPN . Griner, Delle Donne, and Diggins were thus labeled "The Three To See." With the draft came other standouts such as Tayler Hill , Layshia Clarendon and Alex Bentley . The retirement of legends Katie Smith , Tina Thompson , Ticha Penicheiro , and Sheryl Swoopes coupled with the arrival of highly touted rookies and new rule changes effectively marked

11227-511: The years, monuments and memorials have been added to the mall. The mall and the Capitol building itself are overseen by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board (CAAPB), a small state agency consisting of twelve members. Cass Gilbert envisioned his State Capitol building in a setting of plazas and axial and radial avenues, but his commission was initially limited to the building only due to lack of funds. As time went on,

11336-402: Was completed in 1905. The construction cost US$ 4.5 million. It opened its doors to the public for the first time on January 2, 1905. In 1893 Governor Knute Nelson appointed the seven-member Board of State Capitol Commissioners to oversee the construction of a new Capitol following the recommendation of the state legislature. The board oversaw every aspect of the work. This included supervising

11445-505: Was designed by architect Cass Gilbert and completed in 1905. Its Beaux-Arts / American Renaissance design was influenced by the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago , and by McKim, Mead & White's Rhode Island State House . From 2013 to 2017 the building underwent an extensive restoration. This included replacing existing infrastructure; adding new mechanical systems; replacing or repairing tens of thousands of pieces of marble on

11554-455: Was done remotely. No details of the revised schedule were announced as of the time of the draft, and the Commissioner's Cup was ultimately not held in 2020. In June 2020, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced plans for the league to have a 22-game regular season, and a traditional playoff format, to be held exclusively at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida . The players were housed at

11663-489: Was made with native granite for the steps and the base and interior walls of Kasota limestone , while using the Georgia white marble for the vast majority of the buildings’ exterior. The steps of the two grand staircases in the east and west wings of the Capitol are made of Hauteville limestone, which resembles the Kasota limestone used through the walls of the Capitol but can take more wear. The 36 variegated columns surrounding

11772-415: Was maintained. All Cup games within each conference were played before the league took its Olympic break after July 11. The Cup final, officially termed the Commissioner's Cup Championship Game, involves the conference leaders in the Cup standings; its first edition was held on August 12 as the league's first game after the Olympic break, and was streamed via Amazon Prime Video . A prize pool of $ 500,000

11881-407: Was obtained from the same quarry as the original marble. Some historic details removed during previous renovations, were restored or recreated such as the Capitol's public elevators on the south side of the building which were outfitted with leaded-glass fronts reminiscent of the originals which had been discarded and replaced by stainless steel doors in the late 1960s. The amount of public space in

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