Yesterday was a huge day for the state of Minnesota and the Vikings. There was a meeting led by Save The Vikes, Minnesota Momentum & Vikings Officials. The purpose to begin a grassroots effort to keep the Vikings in Minnesota and find a solution to the stadium situation. There is definitely a sense of urgency right now as the Vikings lease at the Metrodome expires at the end of the 2011 season, meaning that potentially there are only 10 games left for the Vikings as we know them. The Vikings have not threatened to leave Minnesota although there is a lot of speculation and they will not renew there Metrodome lease without the stadium situation being addressed. In fact I got the sense nobody wants the Vikings to remain in Minnesota more than the Vikings.
First of all I just wanted to thank Save The Vikes, Minnesota Momentum & the Minnesota Vikings for inviting me and allowing me to be a part of this effort. It is an honor and a privilege. Growing up in the 1970's watching the Vikings go to 4 Super Bowls was one of the most exciting experiences ever and brought so much recognition to this community. I can still see Sir Francis running around in the pocket trying to evade defenders like Jim or Jack Youngblood, Jack Ham and others. Watching the Purple People Eaters wreaking havoc on opposing offenses like few defenses on any team have done sense. Growing up as a child and having those role models to look up to and the dream of maybe one day being able to play for my favorite team is one I will always cherish. OK so I had no football skills to speak of and lived vicariously through them but I was a kid, give me a break, it was fun.
Having memories and dreams like that is something every Minnesota child should have if they are interested in football. It is one of many things the Vikings provide to the people of Minnesota while adding to our quality of life and options of things to do, espescially during those lean winter months.
There is currently only 68 days remaining in the 2011 legislative session so there must be a sense of urgency to find common ground and a resolution. The Vikings have been trying for over a decade to resolve this issue and have been rebuffed every year due to the existence of other issues. They even graciously stepped aside in 2006 so that a resolution of the Twins & Gophers situations could be obtained, otherwise we might still be looking at 3 unresolved stadium issues. The Vikings have definitely been a team player and recognize the value of other assets to Minnesota and our quality of life. They are a great partner and asset to our community. While there are indeed priorities that need to be addressed espescially in these difficult times, the time really is now. The lease is up, the dome is down, the economy and jobs are down and a Vikings Stadium Solution can help address all these issues.
In the last decade Minnesota has recognized the value, after losing the North Stars in 1993, of its sports teams as important pieces of our quality of life. The Minnesota Wild an expansion team awarded to Minnesota in 1997 after a long fight and a lot of money spent began play in 2000 at the newly constructed Xcel Energy Center. There was over $300 million spent to get this facility built and a team back in Minnesota after the Met Center was demolished which could have been renovated for $20 million in 1993. The Wild and the Xcel Energy Center has helped to rejuvenate Saint Paul and have helped draw many other events due to the quality of the venue bringing in additional revenue to the community. There were numerous jobs created during the construction and many permanent jobs as a result of the Wild and the Xcel Energy Center with all the events it draws.
While we were never in danger of losing the Gophers as they are part of the U of M, a public institution, the addition of TCF Bank Stadium, in addition to all the jobs and the rejuvenation of that area, has helped create huge revenue streams for Minnesota and the U of M. This is important because it helps sustain other sports which are non revenue producing and allows students to pursue their dreams which otherwise could be cut due to difficult economic choices.
Then of course there is the Twins & Target Field which took a decade to resolve and is built on the former site of a parking lot. This was a contentious debate that took a decade to resolve and looking back nobody can dispute the benefit it has provided to the community and will continue to provide for decades to come. It is one of the best facilities in the nation, has been warmly embraced by fans and the community, rejuvenated that area of Minneapolis and is creating larger than expected revenue streams for the state and local community directly and indirectly.
All of this leads us back to the Vikings and their dire situation. The team is currently subsidized to the tune of $15-20 million dollars per year by other NFL owners just to be able to compete. This is one issue NFL owners want addressed in the current state of the NFL as they do not want to be sending their money to other communities unwilling to help themselves. There has been 28 of the 32 NFL teams and communities that have in recent times resolved their stadium situations through new construction or renovation. The Vikings are currently in the smallest, the oldest unrenovated stadium and the lowest revenue producing stadium in the country putting them at the bottom in terms of competitiveness. A new stadium would put them in the middle of the pack, able to compete with the HATED Packers, Bears and Lions.
This issue can be resolved without using state general fund money or statewide taxes. There are numerous funding options on the table, we just have to get there, sit down and find a solution that works for everyone. The Vikings are not looking to be a burden to the community, & recognize the importance of all the other issues. They are looking to be part of the solution to the problems facing us today by helping create new jobs and new stronger revenue streams.
To help accomplish this we need every Viking fan to get on board, recognize the importance of the Vikings to our state quality of life and our identity. Information is available for you to contact your legislator to urge them to support this issue and help find a resolution. We need them to sit down and work something out that benefits Minnesota and keeps our team here where they belong. Two of our teams have already won championships and brought in huge amounts of money into other local economies on the backs of our efforts and money we spent, lets not make it a third. Please help us find a reasonable solution to fund a peoples stadium that works for all and keeps the Vikings in Minnesota. To do this please visit the websites below and sign up to stay up to date on the issues, you can find legislators contact information as well as a letter you can fill in and send to legislators and the governor. You can also follow and contact these sources on twitter and facebook for up to date information and answers to your questions.
Please sign up as a supporter, to contact your legislator, and/or to stay informed and up to date on the issues:
Save The Vikes Org.: www.savethevikes.org or on twitter @savethevikesorg
Minnesota Momentum: www.minnesotamomentum or on twitter @mnmomentum
Minnesota Vikings: www.vikings.com or on twitter @vikingsfootball
THANK YOU in advance for any and all your support to keep the Vikings here in Minnesota in a home deserving of Minnesotas most popular team.
SKOL VIKES!
VOYAGEUR COUNTRY-RED ZONE: Fans perspective and analysis of the Minnesota Vikings, other favorite NFL teams on occassion including Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders. Additional opinions on traditional rivals the Green Bay Packers, and Chicago Bears as well as other hated teams the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.
