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April 04, 2011
New Vikings stadium plan earns multiple thumbs down
Last week's Minnesota Vikings stadium trial balloon turns out to be going over like a lead zeppelin, with elected officials lining up to say how much they hate the bill, even before it's been officially introduced. Taking a tour of the press coverage:
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin called the bill "badly timed, badly designed and I hope it comes to a bad end. I wouldn't even start talking to the Vikings until they bring half a billion dollars to the table." —Minneapolis Star Tribune
House speaker Kurt Zellers (R): "I hate to sound like a broken record, but until they have a site, until they have a plan, until they have a partner, it's awfully hard for us and the Vikings to get to that point.'" —ESPN.com
Meanwhile, Senate minority leader Tom Bakk (DFL), who was a sponsor of the Vikings' failed 2009 stadium bill, suggested political motives by the two Republicans who have authored the newest version: "If they were serious about a stadium bill, they would have introduced it back in January or February. To wait until the middle of all the budget cut bills is just a political gimmick." —ESPN.com
[Now that] the Vikings are coming off a 6-10 season, it seems that the Vikings stadium finance plan is maybe the only thing that will have bi-partisan agreement. Unfortunately for the Vikings, it seems to be borderline unanimous that they are crazy to be asking for money right now. —I Dislike Your Favorite Team
Plus, video from KSTP TV of Minnesota elected officials talking about how awful the stadium plan is! This has got to be the most pre-release hatred we've seen for anything since ... I dunno, "St. Anger"?
get er done
Posted by b on April 4, 2011 12:57 PM
If this is the attitude state legislators in Minnesota have, then the Vikings will move. They better damned well not start crying if the Vikings move to Los Angeles or another city. Get the new stadium done and KEEP THE VIKINGS IN MINNESOTA
Posted by Matt on April 4, 2011 05:14 PM
Completely disagree Matt.
This is exactly what should be happening. The Metrodome is perfectly fine for football, especially since now they don't have to share it with baseball. Not to mention, we are cutting our budget to tatters as it is. Maybe we should do these changes that were planned for the Vikes Stadium and apply it to education, health care, transportation, or anything else that would benefit ALL MINNESOTANS!!!
I agree Cele.
There is no reason in the world to bow to pressure for welfare for billionaires. If Mr. Wilf needs a new facility, he should do what most business owners have to do: raise the capital himself and build it. If the good people of Minnesota feel like helping out with a few million for infrastructure, and can afford it, he should be very appreciative.
He won't be, of course. If he wants to take his business elsewhere, only the NFL could stop him. They won't. And throwing a half billion dollars at him might not do it either.
Posted by John Bladen on April 5, 2011 12:45 AM
I keep banging this drum in the hope that the nice and practically-minded people of Minnesota might hear it. Instead of insisting on a brand-new boner-dome palace for a billionaire on the Jerry Jones template, consider the more interesting alternative of renovating the Metrodome. Look at what's been done with BC Place in Vancouver, a near-twin (pun intended) of the Metrodome: it's been transformed into a state-of-the-art facility, it's now architecturally significant (not just another clone), and it's cheaper and more environmentally sound. Seriously, Minnesota, renovate the old house before you blow your wad on a new mortgage you can't afford.
Posted by Anderson on April 5, 2011 01:03 PM
You fail to understand the problem if you think the Metrodome is salvageable as an NFL stadium. It has one concourse, it lacks a private area for club seats and its suites ring the stadium (when they need to all be along the sidelines. The fact that it is a non-retractable dome hurts, but it is the other three problems that are deal-breakers.
The choice for 'Sotans is simple: help fund a new NFL stadium, or lose your team (and Final Fours, and a Super Bowl, and WrestleMania, and any chance of a World Cup match, NBA all-star game, and so on). If you are New York or Los Angeles taxpayers, you can hold the line on public financing because the team and league needs your market. If you're MSP, you need to provide something if you want your city/metro area to hold its perception as an attractive major American city.
Posted by Ben Miller on April 5, 2011 02:10 PM
Sorry Ben, but that's a false duality. The NFL and Wilf can build the stadium themselves. They can buy the Dome for a dollar (HF2911) and renovate it to suit their needs. They can continue to use the dome as is. Lots of options exist.
The Twin Cities will continue to be a major American city even without the Vikings. The cities have FAR more to do than just 16 games a year in the fall and winter. Even during the NFC championship game a couple years back, over half the state didn't even bother to watch the biggest game the Vikings played in 10 years. They just aren't that big of a factor financially or otherwise to the state of Minnesota.
Posted by Geoff on April 5, 2011 03:16 PM
Geoff makes a good point there, but he's being too generous. The Vikings will only play 8 games in that new stadium that the Wilfs are asking over Half A Billion dollars in public financing to build. In the best case scenario, The Vikings would host a total maximum of 11 games, if my math is right--that would take being the #1 seed in the NFC AND hosting the Super Bowl (something that would probably happen exactly once, as the NFL isn't keen on the Super Bowl being played in non-tourist cities. Minneapolis may be beautiful, but not in February).
The Vikings are asking for more money in public financing then the entire cost of Target Field (81 home games!) or FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland (home of a team that has actually won Super Bowls).