Vikings Stadium Options

The 2012 Legislative session is set to begin on/around 1-24-12 (forgot actual date). As is now customary the Vikings Stadium is one of the lead items on the agenda and has been for over a decade. Many of us hoped that this issue would be resolved during the 2011 session. The problem was a lack of leadership on all fronts, too many excuses and confrontational rather than constructive approaches to problem solving.

The biggest reason given for passing the buck in the 2011 session was that the budget was a priority for the state. NOBODY disputes that fact, it should be! However the budget has now been resolved, or we have moved on anyway and there is a $800 mil surplus. The 2012 session is not a budget year as the budget is dealt with every 2 years, so it shouldn't be a problem. The legislature however is already talking about pushing it off due to this being an election year. It will always be one or the other, time to quit making excuses and do the job you were elected to do by the people. A decade is long enough for an issue to be tabled and it is time this is resolved one way or another. Take a stand on the issue and let the chips fall, be accountable to your constituents and the people of Minnesota.

After the Twins & Gophers situations were resolved, and the Vikings graciously stepped aside to allow for their completion, the 2006 MNLEG promised the Vikings were next and their situation would be addressed and heard by the legislature. MNLEG dictated that the Vikings make a significant contribution to the project (done - $425 mil), that they find a site (done - TCAAP in Arden Hills) , and that they find a local partner (done - Ramsey County). All requirements have been met, it is now time for MNLEG to HONOR the promises of their predecessors and hear the bill and vote up or down, but vote! If you are so adamantly opposed make it known through your vote. The Vikings will then leave Minnesota and it will soon be clear what impact they have on our community.

As this legislative session approaches there are now multiple plans submitted, not because of the indecisiveness of the Vikings but because of a lack of leadership. The whole process has become a circus with one proposal having a truck topper for a retractable roof, which would be moved back and forth by tow trucks. This is not W. Virginia and "Deliverance" is not our lifestyle. Assclown!

There are however 5 somewhat legitimate proposals on the table. The first is the proposal favored and submitted by the Vikings and their local partner Ramsey County. The 2nd is the Metrodome site submitted by MPLS Mayor RT Rybak which is around $125 mil less due to better existing infrastructure. However the Minneapolis City Council does not support this plan, the Vikings do not support this plan, and the majority of fans do not support this plan. The 3rd is the Linden Av. Plan which has a little more support but has opposition from the Basilica of St. Mary which is next to the site. The 4th site which is favored by the business community, the Minnesota Twins, the Minneapolis City Council and others is the Farmers Market site near Target Field. The final legitimate proposal is a late bloomer from the City of Shakopee on land between highways 101 & 169. Infrastructure is in place, the location meets many needs of the Vikings and fans and partnered with Racino.....MAKES SENSE!

Based on all available information it looks like out of all of this there are 3 STRONG sites and proposals. The TCAAP site favored by the Vikings, the Farmers Market site favored by many in Minneapolis and the business community, and the wild card entrant Shakopee (which I personally have been hoping would happen for years). The Shakopee proposal already has the backing of numerous legislators. The bottom line though is this needs to get done with a financially low impact solution that makes sense for all parties, keeps a state asset where they belong and puts this issue to bed once and for all.

It is time for all parties, even those in opposition to lay all cards on the table. Let's put a package together that makes sense. No general fund dollars at all but funding that makes sense like user fees, racino, electronic pull tabs, Vikings scratch offs, Vikings License Plates, Legacy funds, possibly a Block E Casino and other funding mechanisms that do NOT affect the majority of Minnesotans who oppose the issue.

The Vikings are a state asset, as well as part of our culture and state identity. They bring money into the state general fund and have never taken a dollar out. This project will create jobs in a down economy. The loss of the Vikings to another community would be a potential annual loss of $25-30 mil from the general fund as a direct result of the Vikings, additional job losses and resulting revenue loss, lost national exposure, loss of attracting national events, a loss of part of our culture and identity. We went through this recently with the former Minnesota North Stars which we could have kept for $20 mil, instead we lost that history and fought to replace the team eventually paying more than $300 mil to obtain the Wild. Replacing the Vikings would be in excess of $2 bil., if we were given that opportunity.

Look at other communities that lost NFL teams and how hard they fought to replace them with a new team. That is because they realized their loss and the benefit to the community of having a team. Communities like St. Louis, Houston, Baltimore, Cleveland, and LA. The latter doing everything in their power to take OUR VIKINGS! Contact your legislators and urge them to find a solution and keep OUR team where they belong....IN MINNY!!

SKOL VIKINGS!!!