Mpls. reconsiders MLB All-Star Game 'clean zones'

Minneapolis has scaled back restrictions on commercial activity around the time of this summer's Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

The action follows a lawsuit filed Thursday challenging the "clean zones" the city established around the time of the game.

Minneapolis originally agreed to give Major League Baseball veto power over any temporary business licenses or signs within the zones, including all of downtown.

The American Civil Liberties Union argued that gave too much power to a private company and trampled free speech. Council Member John Quincy says that wasn't the city's intention.

"Nothing the city could do could ever pre-empt the First Amendment to the United States Constiution. So free speech was never an issue," Quincy said. "But we did want to make sure that it was clarified that, for commercial purposes, our intent was to confer with Major League Baseball, not give them final authority."

The revised resolution also shortens the duration of the clean zones from 16 days to six, meaning they won't affect the street festival the plaintiffs in the ACLU lawsuit are planning.

The ACLU said it was conferring with its clients and had no immediate comment.