Location, Location, Location: Where Can the Vikings Find a Home?
by Skol Girl on Apr 21, 2011 5:00 AM CDT
in Minnesota Vikings Stadium
Email
PrintUnlike my sister and half the women in the country, right now I'm supremely unconcerned about what princess-to-be Kate Middleton's wedding dress will look like. There's going to be a new royal princess in England and the kind of lavish wedding that will be talked about and emulated for years to come. But I don't really care. That kind of declaration is the sort of thing that, under normal circumstances, would make my estrogen rise up and bitch-slap me silly.
However, these are not normal circumstances. My girliness and interest in a royal wedding will have to bow to my devotion to the Minnesota Vikings.
With the clock ticking ominously, the Vikings are watching their most recent stadium bill chug uninspiringly through the Minnesota legislature. I don't know if this has them concerned, but it certainly has me concerned. I read just about everything I can find regarding the Vikings' quest for a new stadium and it's becoming apparent that the Minnesota legislature is uncomfortable with the vagueness in the current stadium bill. There's no location for the proposed stadium, there's no firm plan for how to fund the stadium construction, and there's no clue what the stadium will look like when it is done. Not only does that kind of vagueness not inspire confidence, it doesn't inspire cash.
Legislators are not big fans of voting on vague bills that could come back to bite them. And yet, that's what the current Vikings stadium bill amounts to. It has more blanks to fill in than a jumbo book of Wacky Mad Libs.
In pondering the problem it occurred to me that you can't decide one item in the bill independently from the others. And that's a big problem. The way the team would fund a stadium in Minneapolis is not the way they would fund it if they had an equity partner that had something to offer other than ambiance. And the design of a stadium in the middle of an urban area might vary from what could be designed for a 430-acre site.
While it could probably be argued a variety of ways, I lean toward thinking location is the most important element to nail down. The Vikings don't seem to agree, but I won't let that skew my opinion.
More on the location debate after the jump.
As Ted succinctly put it, the Vikings organization has been commitment phobic when it comes to deciding on a site for a new stadium. The Vikings organization keeps flirting with Minneapolis to the detriment of getting a deal done with any other location. I can see the allure. Minneapolis has a vibrant downtown area, infrastructure and mass transit, and two potential sites (the Metrodome site and west of Target Field in the Minneapolis Farmers Market) for a new stadium. What doesn't Minneapolis have? Cash.
Minneapolis is broke, broke, broke. While Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak wants the Vikings to stay in Minneapolis, he has made it clear that Minneapolis has nothing financially to offer the Vikings. Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis are tapped out. What Mayor Rybak favors is a regional tax on all of Minnesota so the Vikings can stay in Minneapolis.
But the Minneapolis sites are complicated with more issues than a simple lack of cash.
If the Vikings were to build a new stadium on the current Metrodome site (currently touted as the most likely location for a new stadium), they would need to find another place to play while the new stadium was under construction. The likeliest location for the Vikings to play in while they are temporarily displaced during stadium construction is TCF Stadium, but, as we found when the Vikings played the Chicago Bears there last season, TCF Stadium isn't ideal for late season games because there are no heating elements under the field to keep the turf from turning into granite during cold weather. Despite those concerns, the Dome site is ideal in that the Metropolitan Sports Commission already owns the property so there would be no additional costs incurred in procuring the property. Funds for a new stadium at the Metrodome site could be applied straight to demolition and construction.
While building a stadium just west of Target Field in the Minneapolis Farmers Market area would make for an interesting stadium village kind of entertainment center with Target Field and Target Center, that site is much more complicated than the Metrodome site. Any stadium built in the Farmers Market neighborhood would involve negotiating with multiple property owners-most notably, Mary Jo Copeland.
For you out-of-towners, Mary Jo Copeland is something of a local charity celeb. For years she has been running Mary's Place and Sharing and Caring Hands. Together, those charities have provided food, meals, medical care, and housing to tens of thousands of people. Hennepin County Board Chairman Mike Opat's suggestion that he and Copeland could meet to discuss the future of the area was met with no success. Copeland said she has no interest in moving or selling so there was nothing to discuss. So, if the Vikings were to build a new stadium on that proposed Minneapolis Farmers Market site they would have to oust a charity and negotiate with multiple other property owners simply to secure the location. That could lead to delays, bad press, and additional costs-estimated from $95-$168 million, thus making the total cost of a new stadium closer to $900 million.
However, even if the Vikings did manage to successfully secure the Minneapolis Farmers Market property from all the owners of this proposed site via either charm or eminent domain strong-arm tactics, the site is still in Minneapolis so there is still no money to fund a third of the stadium building project as laid out in the bill now in the legislature.
Ramsey County, on the other hand, wants the Vikings in a big, bad, financially beneficial way.
Ramsey County is offering the Vikings the former munitions site in St. Paul suburb Arden Hills, a roomy location with 430 acres just itching for development. The U.S. Army's real estate agency had planned to auction off the property, but that auction was delayed until the current stadium debate is settled. Any stadium deal will require state funds, but Ramsey County is prepared to be the full equity partner that Minneapolis and Hennepin County can't be-that's right, Ramsey county has huge tracts of undeveloped land (from a single owner already interested in selling) and is also willing to foot a third of the cost for the project. Now, if only there was support from local government officials like say a Ramsey County Commissioner... Oh wait, there is.
Ramsey County Commissioner Tony Bennett (District 1) has been vocal in his support for building a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills, according to a report on MinnPost.com. Bennett has gone on the record in the local press saying he thinks a Vikings stadium in Arden Hills would be a good way to develop the area. The county is simply waiting on the Vikings to make a decision.
But, despite everything the Arden Hills site can offer, the Vikings are still making goo-goo eyes at Minneapolis behind Ramsey County's back. Let me frame this in dating terms. Guys, Minneapolis is like the hot chick who tosses her hair, smiles, and lets you buy her a drink only when she thinks another chick is into you. When she has gotten rid of her competition and has you all to herself, she says she's washing her hair or doing laundry every time you call.
With the continuing financial struggles in Minneapolis and all Ramsey County has to offer, I can't fathom the Vikings' reticence to commit to Arden Hills and get on with it already. An urban stadium in Minneapolis is nice in theory, but a shiny new NFL stadium will be like a license to print money and local businesses would converge on Arden Hills like tweenage girls at a Justin Bieber convention. It will truly be a case of "If you build it, they will come" for both local business and infrastructure. But if the Minnesota Vikings delay deciding on a stadium location any longer, the chances that it will be built anywhere in Minnesota grow slimmer.
More coming on the Vikings stadium proposal and its economic implications.
*Facts and figures for this article were taken primarily from the St. Paul Pioneer Press article "Coming Soon: A Stadium Plan. But..." by Dave Orrick and MinnPost.com "Ramsey County 'Salesman' Tony Bennett Makes Update Pitch on Vikings Stadium Effort" by Jay Weiner.
60 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
NNNOOOOO!!
not another bad stadium story….
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 6:54 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
I feel the pain too.
After all the stuff I have been reading about the Vikings and their endeavor to get a new stadium, it makes me want to line them all up and smack them upside the head. I keep hoping that there will be something good and encouraging to post about the stadium situation. Those rat bastards aren’t cooperating.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
The bill is a lame last ditch attempt to get something done it lacks specifics and is a major disappointment . If I was a voter deciding on this piece of legislation I would ask who, where, and what , as in who’s paying, where’s it going to be built and what will it look like when it’s done. I don’t think the Vikings org, have done a very good job in explaining any of these details. The only thing they have done is say “we can’t play at the metrodome and be competitive” well that is the same thing we heard from Red McCombs and the gang of ten before him. Same old Song and dance to quote a favorite Aerosmith song title.
Pretty much.
Except the Vikings’ lease on the Metrodome is up in early 2012. I think it is interesting that Roger Goodell has been in Minnesota lending his support to stadium efforts. For as much as I indulge in the belief that the NFL looks for ways to screw the Vikings over, I don’t think they want the Vikings to leave Minnesota either. But, whether that means anything or not remains to be seen.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
starting to get that sinking feeling..
..that vikes/wilfs dont really dont care to stay..which means move or sell..sure hope they prove me wrong!
i think also lost in this debacle is the likelihood that w/o true homefield advantage post-lease, they play would likely suffer as well..
"the following statement is true:
the preceding statement was false" - george carlin
Very much yes.
The Wilfs, despite the head-bobbing like chickens (seriously, watch them at a news conference), are clever guys. They have to know that it looks half-assed to present a bill to the legislature with so few specifics.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Let's look at those options Favrenton brought up: move or sell.
If the Wilfs truly don’t care to get a stadium deal done and all of this is just done to make it “look” like they are trying to remedy the situation then I agree: Move or Sell. Now, since this whole CBA situation has started to unravel we’ve learned quite a bit about the NFL revenue and that it’s basically still on it’s way up and there’s no “high” in sight. Why on earth would such a smart family sell while revenues are projected to increase? Maybe they just dont’ want to have to front any $$ for a new stadium? Nah, the revenues are expected to be well worth it. It’s not the $$. Maybe after the whole Childress/Favre/Moss/Bad Pub we’ve gotten this past year, maybe he wants to just “get out”. Maybe he doesn’t enjoy owning an NFL team. Maybe it’s a combination of all of those things. The one thing I can’t wrap my finger around: why was he so hell-bent on signing everyone that he did and seriously trying as hard as possible to bring us a championship? That makes it seem like he does care and he takes pride in this franchise. The more I look at it, it seems like he doesn’t want to sell, he still wants to win, but maybe just somewhere else. Maybe he’s rather put a stadium in The Hills as opposed to Arden Hills? I don’t have any answers, just questions and there’s too many of those to still feel good about this situation.
Skol!
So true.
You’re right, the Wilfs have been willing to pull out their wallets for expensive free-agent acquisitions in their quest to get a championship so it doesn’t seem as if they are afraid of spending money to make money. It really is a situation that prompts more questions than we can answer with the information that is public at this time. And that is frustrating because there are a lot of fans out there, like us, who want to know what is going on with the future of this team.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I haven't been even so much as a little nervous throughout the past few years
I haven’t seen any reason to be nervous because i’ve always assumed we’ll get a stadium deal done, no problem and I bought in to all the legislature “timing” issues in the past. Not nervous UNTIL I saw the actual bill they’re trying to pass. This is something that they’ve supposedly been working on for a long time(crunch time anyone?) BUT what they’re presenting is the equvalent of a high school student who didn’t do anything for his oral presentation(giggle, giggle, oral) and he gets up in front of the class and says(in some stoner, surfer accent): “I had some awesome ideas. This is what I wanted to do.” Then he goes on to throw out all of his random, incoherant, stoner ideas and the “presentation” turns into what I could only imagine like a brainstorming meeting for the writers of Family Guy. You prepare, write, and present like a joke, we’re going to take you as a comedian.
Skol!
Yup.
It isn’t really the sort of stadium bill that will wow and impress all present with how prepared the Vikings were. In fact, your suggestion of the stoner dude kind of winging it seems frighteningly plausible. The timing sucks, but the Vikings knew that their stadium bill would get absolutely no attention until the budget was done. So, the bill is introduced late in the session and may not make it through all the committees. I keep looking for hope but I’m not feeling encouraged.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I think Wilf thought
a SB championship, or at least a deep playoff run that we got in ’09, would be the springboard to get a new stadium done, and everything would magically fall in to place.
When that didn’t happen, maybe he shrugged his shoulders and thought ’it’s never gonna happen, no matter what’, and is just going through the motions until he can sell and make a hefy profit.
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
Well, it might have...
If the 2010 season wasn’t such a fascinating implosion.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Unless there are some movers and shakers in the state
(read: money makers) that have told the Vikings in no uncertain terms they won’t support them financially unless the stadium is downtown, then leaving Ramsey County at the altar, like they did Anoka County, is retarded. I get trying to get the best deal, but I don’t understand still playing the game when first Anoka County and then Ramsey County have said ’we’re not playing’.
For a guy that built his empire as a savvy land and building negotiator, Wilf and his guys have looked incompetent at best.
And if there ARE money guys telling the Vikes Minneapolis or else, then those same guys need to be putting pressure on Rybak and Opat to get on board and get it done. If it’s not possible, then they should support the Vikes wherever they can get a stadium…in Minnesota.
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
What's the downside then?
Being an out of towner….errr…out of countryer(?) What is wrong with Ramsey County?
From what you say, they’re offering a 430 Acre site (that sounds massive), 1/3rd finance, and support from the legislative. If they re-develop the site, as you say, businesses will come from miles around to be near a captive market and a shiny new building…..businesses luuuurve shiny new buildings.
So, what is the downside to Ramsey Coutny then? is it 3 billion miles away or something? To use your hot chick analogy, is she some real fugly that smells, has greasy hair, makes you puke just to look at and is as thick as a plank, or is she more of a homely girl next door being outshone by the slim girl with the big boobs and short shorts?
she's just the one that you are compatible with, not the one you lust for.
in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.
The Arden Hills site is not without risk...
The site was a munitions plant and, before the Vikings could break ground, the Army would have to clean up the pollution there. That situation could have a host of surprises for any construction project. But, the Army’s responsibility to clean up the pollution could be written into any contract to purchase the area for development.
I live in Ramsey County and go past the Arden Hills site every week and I can concur that the infrastructure around the site needs to be upgraded. However, those crappy roads are probably (in MN you never can tell) due for upgrade anyway so I don’t think that should be a deciding factor in whether or not the Vikings choose that site. And, it would seem there would be more economic clout for upgrading the area’s infrastructure if the stadium was built there because developers and local businesses are not going to suffer in silence. If a property developer has spent millions on restaurants and bars in the area (thus increasing the tax base for the city) they will pressure the City Council and County Commissioners to get the infrastructure upgraded.
Going to Arden HIlls on a game day, depending on where you live, is not necessarily any farther out than downtown Minneapolis. The Twin Cities is not a huge mega-opolis—even from my side of the river (St. Paul) you can get to the far flung parts of the western suburbs in under an hour. We’re not talking about being in southern California where it sometimes took an hour to go a couple miles on the 91 (yeah, lived there too). Arden Hills, being a suburb of St. Paul, is farther from Eden Prairie than downtown Minneapolis is, but it isn’t in the boonies.
Overall, I think that the amount of property available to the Vikings at Arden Hills and the local interest in making a deal happen should be more compelling than the risks. But that’s just me.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
It just seems there is more potential in Arden Hills
to do what you want. You can build a lot of parking for tailgating, and then let businesses come to the stadium, kind of like what has happened in AZ with the Cardinals stadium. A roof ensures year round usage, which will allow for the development of the area. If they stick with Mpls., they are footprint-restricted already, and Wilf can’t develop in the way he could with a location like Arden Hills.
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
Makes sense to me,
Makes sense to you. Don’t know what the team’s hang-up is.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I think the issue is that it doesn't seen really close to anything else right now
If it’s downtown, then of course there’s TONs of stuff in the area. If it’s in Arden Hills(never been there, just going off what I’ve heard from others), the entire area may not get the attention(or at least Wilf’s vision) that people are expecting. There’s only 10 weekends a year that the football team is out there. That’s not a whole lot when you think about it.
Skol!
True, but you're assuming
that the stadium wouldn’t be used for anything else. If you have a roof, it will be used on a regular basis, and it sounds like there’s enough land to develop a lot of things, like shops, restaurants, bars, etc.
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
Still thinking "if you build it, they will come."
Back before the guy in Texas broke my heart, I was down there visiting him. As part of the area’s grand tour he took me past the new Cowboys stadium. Arlington, Texas makes Arden Hills look like a happening place. True, Arden Hills is not in a major downtown area, but it really isn’t in the boonies either. We’re talking about a location that is maybe 20 minutes from St. Paul and not far from Minneapolis either.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I was kind of curious about this...
does Minn have any other teams looking for new stadiums as well? The Glendale, AZ site built the Cards stadium and Jobing.com arena for the Coyotes to make a giant sports area with restaurants and hotels and stuff. Its nice to coordinate all those things into one consolidated development project that will make lots of money and create jobs for the area.
Of course, now Glendale is on the verge of losing the Coyotes to Winnipeg….but thats beside the point.
by PhoenicianPakFan on Apr 23, 2011 3:50 AM CDT up reply actions
That's an interesting idea...
To have the Vikings team with another team that is looking for a new facility as well. Actually, that is kind of how we ended up with the Metrodome back in the early 1980s—it was home to not only the Vikings, but also the Twins and the Gophers. But right now, the Vikings are the only big professional team looking for a new stadium. While the Target Center isn’t great, the Timberwolves and the Vikings probably aren’t looking for the same things in a facility.
At the moment, the other big-name teams in the area are fixed fairly well for facilities. The Wild, are still skating in the fairly shiny Excel Energy Center. The Twins just started their second season at Target Field. The University of Minnesota’s Gophers football team is also playing in the new TCF Stadium.
Now, the minor league baseball team, the St. Paul Saints want a newer facility with more amenities (like plumbing) too, but football teams and baseball teams sharing playing fields can run into problems (the Vikings kickers complained about the pitching mound in the Metrodome getting in their way during kick offs when they still shared the Dome with the Twins).
As far as big, national sports teams with a large following in the area, the Vikings are alone in their quest for a new facility. None of the other sports (La Crosse, women’s football, soccer) are going to be able to generate as much fan support or projected revenues as NFL football will so they are unlikely to be able to offer the Vikings much if they teamed together to get a new stadium.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
sad vikes fan
My best guess is the legislators know this isn’t going to pass, but they can use this to get re-elected like the ‘hey at least we tried’ motto. It’s irritating at best, and very sad. Youd would think with 10+ years of trying to get a stadium and a proven method (see twins) they come up with that.
It is a very sad state of affairs on all accounts, the Vikings think that they should get it passed because they are the Vikings, but with no plan in place, the legislators are doing a song and dance so they can use it, but no one is really wanting to step up.
I just recently got back into football because of the Vikings, but think that if they leave, i may lose it again.
There could be something to that.
The only bright spots I can see is that Rep. Lanning and Sen. Rosen are known for being able to garner bi-partisan support, and that Governor Dayton wants to see the Vikings get a new stadium.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
…she says she’s washing her hair or doing laundry every time you call.
every time you call her what?
.
in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.
She doesn't want you...
She just can’t stand not being the center of attention. That’s Minneapolis for you. St. Paul (and her suburbs) is treated like a redheaded step-child. Sure, St. Paul doesn’t have nearly the active downtown that Minneapolis has, but the main priority should be keeping the Vikings in Minnesota. After all, the team is called the Minnesota Vikings, not the Minneapolis Vikings.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
you missed the joke, and...
She just can’t stand not being the center of attention.
and we guys aaaaallllll know that one about the other species gender.
in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.
Sorry, there could have been a lack of coffee affecting me :)
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
St. Paul doesn’t have nearly the active downtown that Minneapolis has…
personally, i would love to see a stadium in or near downtown st. paul. why not give it another shot in the arm, that place could be great.
in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.
I love St. Paul.
I’m all for the idea of a St. Paul stadium location. Where do you think they should put it in St. Paul?
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
oh, i don't have any specific site in mind or anything, but i like the big idea...
i just think that st. paul still has the heart and soul of the old twin cities. i think that they would love it and that the city would most certainly go through a revitalization with a stadium that had more amenities as well.
in the future there will be no war...there will only be rollerball.
What a tease!
Here I was expecting to hear about a great potential site in St. Paul. I think you’re right that it would be cool to have another sports facility in downtown St. Paul but we’d probably run into the same difficulty that is present with the potential stadium site west of Target Field—multiple owners. That could complicate and delay any building project in a dense downtown area. Great, now I’m going to keep pondering where to put at downtown St. Paul stadium.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I'm not up on my St. Paul geograpgy
but what about something near XCel Energy Center? Is it possible?
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
Not really--well, it might be tough.
Building around there would likely involve displacing the Dorothy Day Center and the Catholic Charities. The Energy Center is kind of smack up against West Seventh and the River Center so any large new project would have to move over toward Main Street. St. Paul is a difficult city because it seems to have been laid out by drunken Irishmen. The streets are slapped down at weird angles for, apparently, no good reason—okay, Kellogg follows the river for awhile so it makes sense why that street is goofy, but the rest of them…
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Did anyone see the history channel special on the Metrodome collapse?
The show itself was quite informative, but the host was the kind of prick that talks loud and acts sassy, like he knows everything. Much like Nancy Grace. BANK ON IT BUDDY!!!
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 1:26 PM CDT reply actions
Didn't see it, but it sounds really interesting.
Would the host have made me want to throw things and yell at the television?
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
It would have made you want to throw the television and yell at things.
Picture a Nancy Grace talkin, goatee havin, duchebag looking soab saying things like “the Vikings organization is stupid for fixing the roof last time, they could have killed people”.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 2:02 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Is that the "Crumbling America" show or whatever its called?
Where that guy goes around and finds all those infrastructure problems around the country?
by PhoenicianPakFan on Apr 23, 2011 3:52 AM CDT up reply actions
Just to throw it out there your neighbor to west has billions and billions just laying around so much so we don’t know what to do with it all. We could write a billion dollar check and still have enough left over for few rainy days. And I am sure that after you got over the anger of us poaching your beloved vikings you would grudgingly load the kids in the car for the four hour drive like we have to right. All that would have to be done is to design a stadium that floats (we have a slight water issue for those not familar with red river) and presto ND has a professional team. So Ziggy if your reading this just ask you may just find a billion dollar check in the mail box. = )
Lets look at some stats.
Minnesota’s population and population ranking : 5,400,000, 21. North Dakota’s population and population ranking : 700,000 , and (drum roll please) 49!!!! If we were to move to ND, do you think we could fill the stadium when it’s capasity would be around 1/7 the population? Nope. Like it matters anyway, because we are not leaving Minnesota.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 3:21 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I wouldn't completely write that off.
I went to school in Nebraska and during a UNL Huskers game the stadium was the third most populated place in the state. If there is a good football team, people will want to see it. Even in Nebraska.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Nebraska?
I was talkin about North Dakota, which has much, much less population. Good example though, but I just don’t see us moving to another state and possibly losing our name and definately losing alot of our fanbase.
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 9:30 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
I know you were.
But Nebraska, like North Dakota, isn’t exactly known for its vibrant urban areas. You’re probably right, if the Vikings were to move to another state there probably would be a lot of fans that would feel betrayed and not follow them. I would definitely be pissed off and find it difficult to cheer for them.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
I would stick with my team, but it just wouldn't be the same.
And as i’ve mentioned in similar posts, a name and culture change would piss me off, seeming as how I have all this purple shit on my walls and in my drawers (and underneath my pants).
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 10:00 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, can't have your wardrobe thrown off ;-)
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Anything but the Metrodome. I was happy when one of the Wilfs indicated they want an outdoor stadium in Minnesota, and the Arden Hills location sounds like it’s obvious. However, I can also see the attraction of consolidating stadiums in the city. Maybe there’s some kind of backdoor politics/payola keeping the focus in/on Minneapolis.
If you have a nice stadium and a good team, it can be anywhere… like Green Bay, Wisconsin…
"When among evil companions, try to fit in." - Wild Bill Donovan
I think you mean
Titletown, Wisconsin. : )
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on - Winston Churchill
by Alittlemore_cowbell on Apr 21, 2011 7:40 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
No, I'm sure he didn't mean that
:)
"Lord I pray for the eyes of an eagle, the heart of a lion and the balls of a combat helicopter pilot."
As an out-of-town fan.......
what is the public mood regarding the Vikings? Are you making enough noise so that the legislature starts counting votes based on the percentages in favor of a new stadium. Having lived in Seattle, where, up until 10-12 years ago, there was the King Dome for BOTH the Seahawks and the Mariners, you have to create a groundswell. Ultimately, it is the only way to get the attention of those who are paid to, ahem, listen to their constituents.
An increase in the state sales tax was put forward, shot down, and then repackaged. Eastern Washington residents put up a stink because their position was, basically, “We don’t care what goes on west of the Cascade Mountains! Why should we pay more in sales tax?” It looked bleak for a while, but, finally, a combination of increased sales, hotel, and sundry other tourism related taxes were put together to make it happen.
What wasn’t in play that you folks are facing is a very REAL alternative out there for the team to take advantage of, that being L.A. Obviously, the wrecked economy is a factor as well.
As I said the other day, I am suspicious that the Wilfs are playing you folks a bit. With their background in real estate development, I would expect more from them than I have seen so far. A logical extension of this is that they either want to move the team, without incurring the wrath of Norseland, or, they will sell, but, that would probably be for a nominal profit, if at all, considering the times and what he has spent to this point.
The public mood...
Good question. I think right now Minnesotans are just kind of distracted. With the continuing economic struggles in the country, the NFL lockout, NBA play-offs, and the start of baseball season, I think people are distracted. I’d guess that most of the Vikings fans in Minnesota don’t want the team to leave, and that there is a sense that as the clock ticks down the legislature will work something out so the team can stay. Whether we’re correct in thinking that way remains to be seen.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Good article!
Been trying to follow this ongoing story when I can but this is a nice explanation of a bunch of the issues involved. You definitely put some research into this.
Where is the Metrodome right now in relation to the new Twins stadium? I know you mentioned that a new site could be right next to it at the Farmers Market.
by PhoenicianPakFan on Apr 23, 2011 4:02 AM CDT reply actions
Thanks :)
Target Field (MN Twins) and Target Center (MN Timberwolves) are north/north-west of the Metrodome where the Vikings play. It is a nice idea to have three stadiums grouped together, but the logistics are…challenging. That’s why I’m not particularly on board with the Farmers Market site—no local equity partner and lots of current owners to deal with before the Vikings could even break ground on that site. Just seems like that site, though a cool idea, is not a great set-up for success.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
And here I've been thinking that...
… Wisconsin had cornered the market on idiot politicians.
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Apr 23, 2011 9:29 AM CDT reply actions
Apparently...
There are more idiot politicians out roaming around than there are ants at picnics.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Mary Jo Copeland is not moving. End of story.
I went up there a few months ago to help serve lunch and then dinner to the homeless there. My group actually met with her and she said “There are snakes in the grass with the stadium. I do not intend on moving though.” And they shouldn’t make her move. The work that she does is wonderful.
Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to the aftermath of the chaos of the 2010 season. I now look forward to the draft. Help the O-Line! SKOL VIKINGS!!
And why did Cris Carter not get into HOF??
You're right about Mary Jo Copeland.
Mary Jo Copeland has been promoting her charities for years in the face of Minneapolis’ desire to make the area a more trendy entertainment center for the city. If she won’t be removed for the sake of “urban renewal”, then she isn’t going to leave for a stadium. Besides, this woman has God on her side—I wouldn’t want to mess with her and, if the Vikings are smart, they won’t want to either. Taking on Copeland can only lead to a prolonged legal battle (if the city tries to oust her via right of eminent domain) and a lot of negative press. That is some seriously bad ju-ju.
Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
- Paul Gauguin
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Daily Norseman
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
