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February 13, 2012
Minnesotans tell Vikings to take new stadium and shove it
A new poll of Minnesota registered voters finds that nearly two-thirds think the Vikings should stay put in either the Metrodome as-is or a renovated building, with just 28% saying the team needs a new stadium.
The story on KSTP-TV, which commissioned the poll, naturally reports this as "Minnesotans remain split on the Metrodome." For good measure, the ABC affiliate ran a second story proclaiming, "Minnesotans appear ready to accept an expansion of gambling to help pay for a new Vikings stadium" — which is marginally true in that 50% said yes to "Should legalized gambling be expanded in Minnesota to raise revenue to help finance a new stadium for the Vikings?" (vs. 39% no), but not so true in that 68% said any stadium should be built entirely with private money, which would preclude the use of gambling taxes. Though given that the station's main story reports a total of 110% of respondents for the main question, we probably shouldn't expect too much from them on analyzing the rest of the numbers.
In any event, the Vikings stadium campaign looks to be running out of what little steam it still had:
- Ramsey County finally came up with its revised plan to fund a stadium to Arden Hills, and it involves using parking revenue, naming rights, and an admissions tax to fund the county's share. The Vikings ownership, predictably, hates this idea, since that's money it was planning on either using to pay its own share of the stadium costs, or to pad the profits that have heretofore gone so tragically unpadded, leading to the whole stadium-demand thing in the first place.
- Gov. Mark Dayton, meanwhile, likes the Ramsey County plan — or at least likes the fact that Ramsey County officials actually like it, unlike those layabouts on the Minneapolis city council, who insist on not wanting to spend money on the Vikings without a public vote. "They'll sit on the sidelines and carp about everything and trash the thing," said Dayton on Friday. "Mayor Rybak and Council President Johnson made a tremendous effort to pull it [together]. There's so many people here in this building and over in Minneapolis who just want to sit on the sidelines and take potshots at it. Well, OK, if they destroy the proposal and continue to do that, well, then they can explain to the people of Minnesota why they're having to root for the Los Angeles Vikings."
- Dayton's attempt at saber-rattling aside, the state legislature is showing no sign of urgency about throwing money at the Vikings. "The Vikings have tried to create the impression, through somewhat subtle threats, that they could move," Rep. Ryan Winkler told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "But ... I think there's a growing realization that the Vikings have nowhere to go." Any lingering momentum for a stadium bill is expected to entirely deflate after Wednesday, when the Vikings are locked into Minnesota for another year unless they announce a move — pretty much a foregone conclusion, since they aren't anywhere near negotiating a place to actually move to.
So, populace on the warpath against public stadium funds, elected officials showing no eagerness to buck the public will — that's pretty much about where the Twins were eight years ago, and they had a stadium approved within two years after that, so anything can happen. Or at least, anything can happen when you can find four amenable legislators on a seven-member body.
Gov Dayton "Well, OK, if they destroy the proposal and continue to do that, well, then they can explain to the people of Minnesota why they're having to root for the Los Angeles Vikings."
Yeah, because explaining to the people of Minnesota why the Vikings ownership is making money hand over fist while government is cutting funding to [insert your favorite agency here] in order to pay for the stadium is a much better political choice!
Posted by MTeegarden on February 13, 2012 05:30 PM
These politicians have to get with the program. Vote for the thing and become paid consultants for the ViQueens like the rest of the country's politicians do when they approve hundreds of millions of your money for a privately held company.
I've just visited this site for news of this particular effort but I haven't seen any mention of someone wanting the team to open their books. I guess that tactic isn't used much anymore.
I'd tell them that they can move to LA.
When the Cowflops wanted 425 million from Dallas, I felt they could move to San Antonio and I wouldn't miss them. The mayor of Irving said they made up less than 1% of their local economy anyway and that's a smaller city than Minneapolis-St. Paul to start with.
Posted by Cujo on February 13, 2012 09:26 PM
These politicians have to get with the program. Vote for the thing and become paid consultants for the ViQueens like the rest of the country's politicians do when they approve hundreds of millions of your money for a privately held company.
I've just visited this site for news of this particular effort but I haven't seen any mention of someone wanting the team to open their books. I guess that tactic isn't used much anymore.
I'd tell them that they can move to LA.
When the Cowflops wanted 425 million from Dallas, I felt they could move to San Antonio and I wouldn't miss them. The mayor of Irving said they made up less than 1% of their local economy anyway and that's a smaller city than Minneapolis-St. Paul to start with.
Posted by Cujo on February 13, 2012 09:27 PM
"Yes on Jobs!"
"Yes for Schools!"
"Yes for Minnesota!"
I apologize for the above, I think I'm experiencing flashbacks...
Posted by santa clara jay on February 13, 2012 10:10 PM
The difference between the Vikings and the Twins is that the Twins were owned by Carl Polhad, one of Minnesota's richest men. If the four members of the Hennepin County board weren't reelected because of their vote on Target Field, Carl would get them seats on the boards of some of Minnesota's biggest companies. What can Ziggy do? Free cheesecake for life at the soon to be Arden Hills Cheesecake Factory?
Posted by wisher on February 13, 2012 10:41 PM
Wisher--
Honestly, I've talked about this same theory regarding Rybak and the two Minneapolis city council members. Especially with Rybak, the disregard for city regulations and voters is just shocking to the point where you have to wonder if the fix is in. It sounds so conspiratorial to say it, but as a nearly lifelong DFL backer, I'm just blown away at how little these people are listening.
Granted, polls like the one above do not translate into votes come election time. But still, I'd say the tally is 10 to 1 against spending public money amongst my Minneapolis friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
Posted by Minneapolis Mike on February 13, 2012 11:03 PM
Wisher--
Honestly, I've talked about this same theory regarding Rybak and the two Minneapolis city council members. Especially with Rybak, the disregard for city regulations and voters is just shocking to the point where you have to wonder if the fix is in. It sounds so conspiratorial to say it, but as a nearly lifelong DFL backer, I'm just blown away at how little these people are listening.
Granted, polls like the one above do not translate into votes come election time. But still, I'd say the tally is 10 to 1 against spending public money amongst my Minneapolis friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.
Posted by Minneapolis Mike on February 13, 2012 11:03 PM
You think the fix MIGHT be in? Maybe? And an eight pound robin MIGHT be fat?
Look, when the members of the Hennepin county commission got away without punishment for foisting DA Twins off on us, we gave them a green light to treat us like crack whores. They can and will abuse us any way they want and we'll put up with it. You haven't noticed their latest kink? A new choo-choo down hwy 81! Another chance at graft! It would be cheaper if they just went ahead and stole 10 or 12 million apiece and retired.
Posted by Authentically Right on February 14, 2012 10:31 AM