Stadium thread

[thatguy]

Agh just get it done. This is just killing me...

[DavidKarki]

The Arden Hills stadium proposal is 146 pages; Minneapolis' is 3. THREE! Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

The Strib has both documents in their entirety, in PDF form, here. I've read through both of them.

The Mpls proposal for the Metrodump site is, in short, a joke. There is no detail whatsoever beyond the funding mechanism of re-directing the Convention Center tax a few years from now. My personal favorite line: "A wide variety of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues are within walking distance." Yeah, as in Huberts, and Huberts, and...? This is 3 pages of pure B.S., IMNSHO, and not a serious proposal. At least they did us the favor of keeping it really, if laughably, short.

The Arden Hills proposal, OTOH, is 146 pages with all the attachments and appendices, and addresses every last detail. Every I is dotted, every T is crossed. It answers every potential criticism and most importantly, revises the contribution of Ramsey County up to $375 M (via a 3% county food/beverage tax) and the Vikings to $425 M, meaning the state only need contribute $350 M, the lowest figure of any proposal. My personal favorite line: "This may be the only NFL team that has participated in funding interstate highway improvements." It's also the only site that can be ready by fall 2015, a full year earlier than the rest, since it's empty land with nothing to work around.


The powers-that-be can try to force the Vikings to Mpls all they want, but Mpls hasn't given the Vikings anything to agree to. I can't see how Zygi can possibly accept, well, whatever those 3 pages are supposed to be. Which means if the PTB stupidly reject Arden Hills, we're done. Zygi will sell to L.A. interests and the scumbag PTB will dishonestly foist all the blame on him to cover their butts on election day.

Heck, that last-minute Shakopee proposal (which I haven't seen posted online yet) is more legit than Mpls, not that the local media will ever portray it that way, so Mpls-biased are they...

[dead_poet]

There's your key point. RT @PatKessler: #Vikings say team will support stadium wherever legislature decides to build it.

Tom Pelissero on Twitter

[Demi]

Retractable in Arden Hills! Make it happen legislature.

(We'll get fixed roof jammed in some #### little part of downtown. )

[smoothoperator]

3 pages really? how can minneapolis even be taken seriously. just put it in arden hills, no need to jam everything downtown. plenty of other nfl teams put their stadium 10-20 minutes outside their downtown area.

[DavidKarki]

3 pages really? how can minneapolis even be taken seriously. just put it in arden hills, no need to jam everything downtown. plenty of other nfl teams put their stadium 10-20 minutes outside their downtown area.

Minneapolis didn't have to fill out a real proposal because the fix was in (or so it appears). Nothing else ever had a chance. But the stupid, dishonest politicians had to make everyone dance to their tune just so it looked like they put in a real effort....same with waiting this long only to yet again do the least possible stadium at the last possible second in the worst possible location: Lets them disingenuously suck up to both sides in order to get their worthless butts re-elected yet again.

Hello, Dump Deux with NO tailgating and horrific traffic....

[wavesport303]

What about Wilf's statement of reducing the amount of money he would contribute if the site isn't Adren Hills?

[purple guy]

The Arden Hills stadium proposal is 146 pages; Minneapolis' is 3. THREE! Kind of says it all, doesn't it?

The Strib has both documents in their entirety, in PDF form, here. I've read through both of them.

The Mpls proposal for the Metrodump site is, in short, a joke. There is no detail whatsoever beyond the funding mechanism of re-directing the Convention Center tax a few years from now. My personal favorite line: "A wide variety of restaurants, bars and entertainment venues are within walking distance." Yeah, as in Huberts, and Huberts, and...? This is 3 pages of pure B.S., IMNSHO, and not a serious proposal. At least they did us the favor of keeping it really, if laughably, short.

The Arden Hills proposal, OTOH, is 146 pages with all the attachments and appendices, and addresses every last detail. Every I is dotted, every T is crossed. It answers every potential criticism and most importantly, revises the contribution of Ramsey County up to $375 M (via a 3% county food/beverage tax) and the Vikings to $425 M, meaning the state only need contribute $350 M, the lowest figure of any proposal. My personal favorite line: "This may be the only NFL team that has participated in funding interstate highway improvements." It's also the only site that can be ready by fall 2015, a full year earlier than the rest, since it's empty land with nothing to work around.


The powers-that-be can try to force the Vikings to Mpls all they want, but Mpls hasn't given the Vikings anything to agree to. I can't see how Zygi can possibly accept, well, whatever those 3 pages are supposed to be. Which means if the PTB stupidly reject Arden Hills, we're done. Zygi will sell to L.A. interests and the scumbag PTB will dishonestly foist all the blame on him to cover their butts on election day.

Heck, that last-minute Shakopee proposal (which I haven't seen posted online yet) is more legit than Mpls, not that the local media will ever portray it that way, so Mpls-biased are they...

Great info, thanks for the post! Great post, best in the thread.

[Demi]

What about Wilf's statement of reducing the amount of money he would contribute if the site isn't Adren Hills?

I did hear earlier the Arden Hills site ended up asking for more than initially asked for. And the road costs have to be figured in as well so no clue how it ends up working out.

[thatguy]

I did hear earlier the Arden Hills site ended up asking for more than initially asked for. And the road costs have to be figured in as well so no clue how it ends up working out.

Well Arden Hills just pledged $75 million on top of their original contribution to cover those costs plus sweeten the deal a little bit. I would LOVE for it to be in Arden Hills...but the Minneapolis Mafia will probably get its way.

[CalVike]

Arden Hills lowered their up front contribution from $350M to $300M. Vikings pledged $425M. State must provide $1.1B minus $725M = $375M to make it go. Make no mistake, the issues in play are not local, it's all about the legislature. Both House and Senate leaders have said this week they don't share the feeling of urgency, with Senjem even saying it may go to 2013 (past the election). Both plans require legislature approval of stadium funding (Mpls to kill voter enacted $10M contribution to stadiums without a referendum, AH to approve booze and lodging taxes to pay for stadium).

IMHO, all push should go to making the legislature act. They are the weakest link. The sad thing the whole push may end with no legislature action till 2013. Another AH barrier is citizens pushing for a 2012 referendum to kill it, swift legislative action could make AH go. With Mpls, unclear even swift legislative action could make it go because unclear Mpls City Council will support any stadium plan.

[thatguy]

Arden Hills lowered their up front contribution from $350M to $300M. Vikings pledged $425M. State must provide $1.1B minus $725M = $375M to make it go. Make no mistake, the issues in play are not local, it's all about the legislature. Both House and Senate leaders have said this week they don't share the feeling of urgency, with Senjem even saying it may go to 2013 (past the election). Both plans require legislature approval of stadium funding (Mpls to kill voter enacted $10M contribution to stadiums without a referendum, AH to approve booze and lodging taxes to pay for stadium).

IMHO, all push should go to making the legislature act. They are the weakest link. The sad thing the whole push may end with no legislature action till 2013. Another AH barrier is citizens pushing for a 2012 referendum to kill it, swift legislative action could make AH go. With Mpls, unclear even swift legislative action could make it go because unclear Mpls City Council will support any stadium plan.

Not sure you have your facts straight on the lowering their contribution. They JUST pledged $75 million more in the past couple days.

[CalVike]

Not sure you have your facts straight on the lowering their contribution. They JUST pledged $75 million more in the past couple days.

My post focused on capital cost to build the stadium. Originally, AH had $350M to this purpose. In the plan presented Thu, AH did pledge $375M total but $75M is for operations after stadium is built. It just means some other entity (Vikings or legislature) has to pony up an additional $50M up front to build it.

[CalVike]

http://m.twincities.com/twincities/db_3 ... d=9zRchCQJ

Here is a look at some of the key players on the legislative football field - or those working from the sidelines - who could make or break the proposals.

Dayton, Mondale, Goodell, Zellers, other state legislators, local politicians, even the fans, are discussed in this article.

[purple guy]

I dont twitter or whatever, but if anyone does, check out Jeff Goldberg of Fox 9 news. Supposedly an announcement coming on stadium??????????