Stadium thread

[NextQuestion]

I'm embarrassed for you right now...

...Says the guy with the Bernard Berrian avatar. The Lions are a team I don't hate and are finally becoming competition for NFC North teams.

[thatguy]

send the timberwolves to LA.why fix there place when they cant even win more games then the vikings and they play what like 70ish more games give me abreak.TIMBERWOLVES SUCK

Timberwolves suck right now...but if you just want to move a team because it sucks...doesn't that include the Vikings? They had a pretty terrible year. You can't just tell a team to move because of its performance.

The email did make good points. The T-Wolves only use the Target Center for about 25% of the events held there...that's a pretty low number. The Target Center has been paying dividends to the state for years now, too. They said for every 1 million that the state spent on the Target Center initially, the state has received 16 million (16 to 1 return on investment essentially). I think that exposure like this is actually GOOD for the Vikings' stadium push simply because it makes people look at the returns generated by the Vikings as well. It just goes to show you just how important local teams are to a community.

[thatguy]

I hope they stay, but I hope the state doesnt give them .01, not even 1. I like the Vikings and would be pretty bummed if they move, but they have fumbled this stadium issue for years, and the now with the states budget in the shape its in, they shouldnt give the Wilfs any money. Hell, after years, the Vikings dont know where they want the stadium, if they want a roof, a retractable roof?? I guess if I was going to ask someone for hundreds of millions of dollars, I would FIRST, know what the hell I want. SECOND, know where in the hell I want to build it. And THIRD, appear as though I had an actual plan.

The Vikings drug their feet too long, this should already have been built. Again, I hope they stay, and at one time I was OK with the stae contributing, now, I am against it. They need to find a corporate partner or pack their #### head west.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...the Vikings have been open to discussion for decades now. Where was Pawlently when they needed the conversation? Nowhere. He only stated that the Vikings needed to stay in Minnesota at the END of his term. I put 95% of the blame on the legislature for being to short-sighted and too easy with their money in other sectors to have any idea how to handle the Vikings stadium issue.

[purple guy]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...the Vikings have been open to discussion for decades now. Where was Pawlently when they needed the conversation? Nowhere. He only stated that the Vikings needed to stay in Minnesota at the END of his term. I put 95% of the blame on the legislature for being to short-sighted and too easy with their money in other sectors to have any idea how to handle the Vikings stadium issue.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. While no one wants the Wilfs/Vikings to "threaten" to move the team, the Vikiking approach of being nice without the threats, hasnt seemed to work now for a decade. IMO, the Vikings need to have a plan, be firm, and ask them to support it, or they'll move. Its come to that now I think. I hope the legislature doesnt give them a nickle, but for the Vikings to just basically wait for the state to jump on any half baked plan and accept whatever the current plan (I use the term plan loosley) is and fork over a bunch of the states money, is a foolish approach. Like the tactic or not, IF the Vikings are going to stay in MN, they'll have to give an altemadum to the state IMO, or they'll just keep limping along like they have been for the last 10 years. I blame the Vikings, 100%. Of course if/when they threaten to move, everyone will jump on the Wilfs (or whoever is the owner at the time), but without that threat, the state will continue to push it back and push it back until they only have 2 options, commit to some state funding and move forward, or tell the Vikings its not possible with the current state financial situation. Then the Vikings can do what they need to, fork over their own cash, find a corporate partner, or pack up and head west.

[Lash Man]

My perspective is from a lifelong out of state Vikes fan. I would HATE for the Vikes to leave Minny but I agree with the poster who stated that they should have more concrete plans in place after all these years. It isn't like this issue is new. The Vikings have to get off there duffs and pick a stadium style and location and say this is What and Where now we ALL need to work together to solve the HOW, They have been way too submissive in this process in my opinion. They need to replace Bagly as pointman he has been an epic fail and they need to get someone with some in state cred to help get the ball rolling or that proud team will move. Trust me I have seen it happen in Cleveland and it CAN happen again. There is NO guaranty that they will keep the Viking name either and get a new franchise like the Brownies did.

[thatguy]

We'll just have to agree to disagree. While no one wants the Wilfs/Vikings to "threaten" to move the team, the Vikiking approach of being nice without the threats, hasnt seemed to work now for a decade. IMO, the Vikings need to have a plan, be firm, and ask them to support it, or they'll move. Its come to that now I think.

Threatening to move polarizes the public and the voters. For some it scares them into action but for others, it makes the organization seem greedy and self-absorbed. They've said the right things (apart from some bone-headed statements by Lester Bagley) for the most part by staying committed to Minnesota but also giving subtle warnings that an LA partner is looming over them and contacting them regularly. If the Vikings start talking like "give us what we want or we're gone," they'll be gone in no time. It just doesn't work. The old Baltimore Colts owner used to talk like that to the community. "It's my football team and I can do what I want with it." Sure, it's true, but at least the Vikings organization has acknowledged that the team is more than just a franchise...it's also a cultural icon.

[purple guy]

Threatening to move polarizes the public and the voters. For some it scares them into action but for others, it makes the organization seem greedy and self-absorbed. They've said the right things (apart from some bone-headed statements by Lester Bagley) for the most part by staying committed to Minnesota but also giving subtle warnings that an LA partner is looming over them and contacting them regularly. If the Vikings start talking like "give us what we want or we're gone," they'll be gone in no time. It just doesn't work. The old Baltimore Colts owner used to talk like that to the community. "It's my football team and I can do what I want with it." Sure, it's true, but at least the Vikings organization has acknowledged that the team is more than just a franchise...it's also a cultural icon.

And what they have been doing is/has been successful???? I agree, initially they had the right approach, but after years of that approach netting ZERO results, they might want to consider another solution. At this point, any fan who has followed them, would realize their threat was not their first stratedgy, only after years of the legislature doing nothing what so ever, it became their only play. Its time for both sides to #### or get off the pot.

[Vikefan68]

the Dome needs a whole new roof.


http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... -new-roof/

I think this can only help the push for a new stadium as now the cost has increased to repair the metrodome and a patch job "band-aide" is no longer a solution. But, I guess on the flip side they could say well we put a new roof on and it has a life of 20 years so the stadium is good to go.

[TeamChaplain]

Could the Vikes play there without a roof? If that's possible, why not play the final year of their lease in an outdoor Mall of America Field. I just don't see the wisdom in spending 15-18 million on a new dome if the team doesn't even plan to renew the lease.

[purple guy]

Could the Vikes play there without a roof? If that's possible, why not play the final year of their lease in an outdoor Mall of America Field. I just don't see the wisdom in spending 15-18 million on a new dome if the team doesn't even plan to renew the lease.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Seems like a complete waste of 15-18mil to me. If it looks like no stadium deal is going to get done, work something out with the U of M and play las few games there. While it might not put a dent in the overall stadium fund, putting 15-20 million into something that will be destroyed in a couple years seems foolish.

[glg]

Could the Vikes play there without a roof? If that's possible, why not play the final year of their lease in an outdoor Mall of America Field. I just don't see the wisdom in spending 15-18 million on a new dome if the team doesn't even plan to renew the lease.

I don't think so, because it wasn't built to be open, so the concourses, bathrooms, concessions, etc aren't ready for weather.

[marty264]

I don't think so, because it wasn't built to be open, so the concourses, bathrooms, concessions, etc aren't ready for weather.

I heard some higher up with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission talking about it on the radio a couple weeks ago, and they could, but it would end up costing more to convert it to an outdoor stadium then to re-roof it. Most of the new roof would be covered by insurance.

[APeterson28]

I just read that the roof will be replaced instead of repairing it

[dtbrehm]

I just read that the roof will be replaced instead of repairing it

Yup just saw this:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6109935

"In a statement, the Vikings said they support the roof replacement but said it 'is not a long-term stadium solution' for them."

[OJVIKE]

http://kstp.com/news/stories/s1968160.shtml?cat=7
new update..get the deal done!!