I read today that the Minnesota Senate nixed a proposal for a $2 million study on how to replace the Metrodome with a new publicly-subsidized stadium for the Minnesota Vikings. Here is the background from startribune.com:
"The study was stripped from the tax bill on a vote of 41 to 22. It had been approved just last week by the Senate Taxes Committee at the behest of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, which owns the Metrodome.
The study would have directed the commission and the Vikings to arrive at a recommendation by next January for a new retractable-roof stadium on the Metrodome site. Funding for the study would have come from Metrodome reserves and the team."
The fact that this "study" was nixed is no big deal. The stadium issue needs to be studied again like I need more cholesterol. But as you may know, the Vikings Metrodome lease expires after the 2011 season. That means they have 32 more regular season games to play in the Dome before they are free to leave Minnesota. I want to make everyone clear on how I feel about this. Here is (and has been) my official position:
I do not want the Vikings to leave Minnesota. However, I truly believe that if the Vikings did leave Minnesota, the quality of my life would actually improve. Sunday afternoons would be quiet and mellow. I would not pick another NFL team to follow - not a chance.
In addition, the Twins campaign for a new stadium took a minimum of ten years off of my life. I am ecstatic that the Twins finally got their outdoor stadium. However, I will not go through that process for another team. No more e-mails, letters to the editor or speaking in front of politicians.
The Vikings are on their own in their stadium quest. I wish them luck.
That is officially What Jeff Thinks on the Vikings stadium issue. I truly hope that they get a stadium, but there are a few things that make me uneasy compared the the Twins stadium deal. Here they are:
1. It is hard to justify a BILLION dollars for a new stadium that is used for 10 NFL games a year. At least baseball is 81 games a year.
2. I do not like the idea of a retractable roof for football - it's way too costly. You either have to cover the stadium, or make it open-air. By the way, I believe the Vikings lost their aura when they moved in the dome. The only way to get that aura back is to play outside.
3. Can the Twin Cities support 4 professional sports teams and a major college? Think about the stadiums that will exist in the Twin Cities in 2010: Xcel Energy Center, Target Center, New Twins stadium, TCF (Gophers Football) stadium, Mariucci Arena, & Williams Arena. Can we support another NFL stadium and it's gazillion luxury boxes? I don't know.
4. The Vikings have pledged to fund about 25% of the cost of the stadium. That means that the public must come up with 75% of the BILLION cost. But, the Vikings have no financial partner to raise the money with a tax. Now, they had a willing partner with Anoka County until they decided to blow them off and concentrate on the Metrodome site. A little sticking point is that Hennepin County is in no position to partner with the Vikings because they picked up the tax for the Twins stadium. The city of Minneapolis is not in a position to partner with the Vikings because of a law the Euphorians passed that does not allow the city to spend more than $10 million on a stadium. How about the State? Good luck getting that passed with the bridges and economy falling apart.
Overall, it's kind of a conundrum for the Vikings.
There is the Trump Card, however. The Vikings are Minnesota's most popular team, hands down. More people care about them ("care" being a love/hate thing) than the Twins, Gophers, Wild or Wolves. Not me personally (I am a Twins and Wild guy) but this is the truth. You think there was crying and gnashing of teeth when the North Stars left for Dallas? Just wait. If the Vikings move to LA, Toronto, San Antonio or Elk Mound, people will freak. Just read the posts from the rubes on the on-line message boards on the subject. A lot of these guys are football freaks and have guns for hunting and stuff. A few of them seem a little "on edge" these day about the possibility of the Vikes moving. You add up this stuff and it gets a little scary.
The next couple of years will be interesting. The Vikings are saying all of the right things about "never moving" and "willingness to work with politicians." In Minnesota, however, it takes threats to get stadiums built. I have no doubt that the Twins went to Governor Pawlenty in 2006 and said either the stadium gets done now or "the jig is up." It will take Zygi Wilf threatening in 2009 or 2010 to move after the lease is up for the Vikes to have a chance to get their stadium. That, unfortunately, is how this State works.
Then we'll see if I get my quiet and mellow Sunday afternoons or they remain nerve racking and harrowing. The Vikings are on their own - I wish them luck.
Peace,
Jeff
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6 comments:
growing up in eau claire as a viking fan was the best. at the time, the vikings played at the old met, and I my dad took me to some games in december. what wonderful memories. when they moved inside, they died. no doubt about it. I have made peace with this team, and am no longer stressed out about any viking related wins, losses, etc. that being said, let me, along with jeff, be the lone voices out in the wilderness: if this team does not get what they want, they are gone. back in the early 1990s, I was the only one who truly took norm green seriously. everyone I knew said professional hockey would never leave minnesota. never. remember, money always flows where it it treated the best. would I miss the vikings? the vikings I knew died in 1981 when they moved over to the metrodome. dirt was shoveled on their grave when the mall of america open. RIP.
sory abt the typoosin preveous pst. got up two erly
tony - very good points. The Metrodome was built for football in the early 80's at the Vikings insistance. They had to have a dome. Ironically, the Twins adapted to the dome and have had more success over the years.
I agree with you that the "old" Vikings died when they moved in the dome. I have had fun watching some of the "new" Vikings teams, but something is missing. The aura is gone. It's strange even 26 years later.
It will be interesting to see what happens with this team over the next few years.
The Vikings are so ingrained into the culture of this area it is hard to think of them leaving but then again the same could have been said about the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Colts with their cities.
$2M is nothing to the Vikings/Sports Commission and lack of state funding shouldn't stop this study if it is truly needed. However, I think the Vikings need to be spending their time either coming up with more $$ to contribute or another partner to help pay for it
LA Vikings??? I think I'm going to be ill.
The Pantless Wonder
Pantless - The Vikings would be a horrible name for a team in LA. It would be like calling an LA team "Lakers" or something.
Hey, wait a minute....
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