Hey Look! Positive Vikings Stadium News!

The new Vikings stadium is still approved and still "on track" according to Vikings brass, but nearly every story coming out about the $975 million project lately has been in the form of a roadblock or controversy surrounding it. So it was nice to finally hear some positive news about the stadium on Thursday, even if it was only about the plaza surrounding it.

According to the Star Tribune, litigation was avoided when the owners of the Downtown East plaza near the new stadium site reached a purchase agreement with the Minnesota Sports Authority. The plaza hosts current Vikings gameday activities near the Metrodome, but that might have changed after October 31 if it wasn't for the agreement.

If an extension of the agreement had not been reached by the end of the month, the team wouldn't have been able to use the plaza for the Vikings' final four home games of the season as well as any [stifles laughter] possible playoff games. The debate over the land was less about team's use of the plaza now and more about future plans for the property. The value of the land has skyrocketed due to the new stadium plans and the light-rail stop on the property that will become even more popular when the Metro Transit Green Line finally connects to St. Paul next year.

Star Tribune states that details of the deal weren't available but Hennepin County has assessed the value of the land at $4.5 million. So if you're heading out to the area enclosed by Park Avenue and Kirby Puckett Place between 4th and 5th streets before Sunday night's game, you can rest easy knowing that the property is no longer in turmoil.

As for resting easy about the game itself? That's an entirely different story.