Stadium thread

[PurpleMustReign]

Vikings: Team will play in Minnesota in 2012

The Minnesota Vikings are staying put in Minneapolis for at least another year.

Team Vice President Lester Bagley said Tuesday the team will not give notice to the National Football League of a desire to relocate the team to another city. The league deadline for providing written notice is Wednesday.

More at the link, but this is good news for next season. I just hope that the Legislature gets a proactive hair in their #### and does something this session.

[dead_poet]

More at the link, but this is good news for next season. I just hope that the Legislature gets a proactive hair in their #### and does something this session.

Why would they? It's an election year. Meaning, yet another group can once again put the entire thing off. The same thing has happened so many times in the past I can't imagine anything will change this year. Especially now that the Vikings have lost any leverage they had.

[purple guy]

More at the link, but this is good news for next season. I just hope that the Legislature gets a proactive hair in their #### and does something this session.

Weather they actually would consider moving or not, they should have asked the NFL for permission to talk to other cities, now they have absolutely zero leverage and the already Loadholtishly slow state have zero incentives to anything until next year, at the soonest, all this does is ensure there will be no stadium movement for 10.5 months.

[dead_poet]

Vikings stadium: Why not threaten move?
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... en-to-move

[purple guy]

Vikings stadium: Why not threaten move?
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... en-to-move

I think they should have asked permission to re locate, a threat or real, its the only way the state will do anything. There is a 0% chance anything happens this year. Whats the difference, an election year or a budget year??? Neither are good ones to try get this done. IMO, it was foolish for Wilf to waste the absolute only leverage he had. Prolong the bs another 365 days, AT LEAST.

[Raptorman]

Now we find out how serious the politicians really are.

Officials with the White Earth Tribe will announce Thursday morning a plan to build a metro-area tribal casino with the state that would help pay for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium.

According to the tribe's "Minnesota Wins" website, backers say the casino would generate enough revenue to pay the public's share of a new stadium without new taxes. White Earth officials say they've already secured financing for development and construction.

A news conference will be held Thursday morning at the State Capitol to provide more details

http://www.startribune.com/politics/sta ... 78093.html

[dead_poet]

Now we find out how serious the politicians really are.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/sta ... 78093.html

Wait, so where would it be built then? I'm sure there will be some stupid reason(s) to turn it down.

[DavidKarki]

Wait, so where would it be built then? I'm sure there will be some stupid reason(s) to turn it down.

The article says the tribe would like to locate it adjacent to the Arden Hills site....take THAT, Mpls and Gov. Dayton!

This is as close to a no-brainer as there can be; put the casino next to the Vikings stadium in Arden Hills, the casino construction is already fully paid for by the tribe, and the proceeds pay off the stadium bonds. And you have a year-round attraction to bring people to the stadium and the revenue generators therein (Vikings Hall of Fame, official merchandise store, sports bar/restaurant, etc. etc. etc.) which answers the "used only 10 days a year" criticism. And makes Zygi happy where developing the rest of that property is concerned, I'm sure...

If the MN political powers-that-be don't take this and run, they're the biggest jerks in history....and, as stated above, we'll know they're the paid servants of the casino lobby (which, like most lobbies, favors their top dogs over their own rank-and-file).

[bigskyeric]

This sounds absolutely too good to be true.

[Raptorman]

This sounds absolutely too good to be true.

Which is why the politicians will find some way to shoot it down. Just watch.

[Demi]

Which is why the politicians will find some way to shoot it down. Just watch.

Tell that to the republicans.

http://www.mngop.com/pdfs/platform.pdf

Limit the Influence of Gambling in our State
We seek to eliminate all state-sponsored gambling and oppose any expansion of gambling in Minnesota.

So yeah, good luck.

[bigskyeric]

Tell that to the republicans.

http://www.mngop.com/pdfs/platform.pdf
So yeah, good luck.

Slippery slope. I've lost friends to gambling. But in the end......"you can't fix stupid". Personally, I'd rather spend an extra few bucks a year in taxes and pay for it as a taxpaying citizen. On the other hand, I have no problem with helping out the White Earth tribe and in return, get to keep my favorite team. Life is a game of take and give. If people want to give to both causes..... I'm ok with it.

[Raptorman]

Tell that to the republicans.

http://www.mngop.com/pdfs/platform.pdf
So yeah, good luck.

They have a chance here to help build the stadium and get some more money for the state in the future for future projects. I am just waiting to hear the reasons they will oppose it.

[dead_poet]

I wouldn't get your hopes up on the casino deal. Apparently it doesn't have the political support to be a viable solution.

[VikingLord]

Why not expand the scope of the discussion beyond stadiums? Whatever funding source they come up woth can include improvements to the civic center, museums, and yes, sporting venues depending on the need.

People also need to be reminded of the monetary returns generated by these projects. There are jobs directly and indirectly created by these types of projects and taxes paid back into the state and city coffers by them (not just stadiums, but all civic projects like this). People get sticker shock when they look at upfront costs, but the overall cost is much less if the project costs are spread over the life of the result. The Metrodome has been around for 30+ years now and, last I read, it was making money for the Met Sports Commission.