December 01, 2010

Vikings exec: We've been "approached" by L.A.

When the Minnesota Vikings' stadium campaign fizzled in the state legislature in May, team execs promised that they'd be back for another round in 2011. In a live web chat yesterday, Vikes stadium czar Lester Bagley made good on that promise in spades, kicking off the stadium campaign season a month early by dropping a mention of everybody's favorite stadium bogeyman, Los Angeles:

"We have been approached by two different groups in Los Angeles - the Ed Roski group and more recently by former Timberwolves CEO Tim Leiweke and AEG," Bagley wrote in response to a question. "In 2009 when the NFL had an owners' meeting in southern California, Mr. Wilf and Vikings management toured LA Live to try to get ideas on building a similar sports/entertainment district in Minnesota.

"Clearly, the Vikings stadium issue is being followed nationally and it's no secret that we're down to the last year on our lease. We've told those groups that we are focused on resolving the issue in Minnesota. We feel solid momentum and feel we're well-positioned with the new legislature and governor. Instead of spending energy speculating on other markets, let's keep the focus on building a world-class facility for the community and the State of Minnesota."

(Note the bit about not "spending energy speculating on other markets" while simultaneously mentioning the interest from L.A. and the expiring lease. Nice paralipsis, Lester!)

As for how the team would pay for a new stadium, Bagley didn't provide any details. The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports that "lottery games, a surcharge on NFL merchandise and various hospitality-related taxes" are all options, but none of those are likely to generate enough revenue; a "racino" (slot machines at race tracks) would do it, but we've been down that road before. Bagley added that the team is "doing due diligence" on four sites, three of them in Minneapolis, and expects to present a site and funding plan to lawmakers by the end of January.

Bagley's statements seem designed to stir up anxiety among local fans and legislators, and they certainly have accomplished that already with the media: NBC Sports closed its article by asserting, "Either way, something needs to happen soon. The Vikings' lease at the Metrodome expires after the 2011 season." (Never mind that an L.A. stadium couldn't be ready by 2012 any more than a Minnesota one.) For Bagley and friends, no doubt the urgency is also over the looming NFL lockout — currently set to begin in March — which will make it all but impossible to go and ask for public stadium funding until the players are back on the field. A clock is ticking, but it's not the one the Vikings want you to think about.