I hope you guys get this done even as a rival. One thing to note is I would not get completely worried as of now as these types of negotiations are always messy. I was looking at how the process went down when the wanted to renavate Soldier Field. There were threats to move out of the city and it sure sounded for a decent amount of time that the deal itself might not get done even as a mainstay franchise. It finally got done and everybody hated it and said it looked like a space ship. From Lakeshore drive it does, but when you get in there it is actually a very nice place. A football team does alot for a city. It puts your city on the map not to mention the prospect of having a superbowl which we will never have as we went the traditional Bears route on the renovation. Well I have said my piece and wish you guys good luck. I for one have a brother that lives out there and would not mind catching a Vikings Bears game in your new shiny stadium:)
The really strange thing about this whole debate at the state legislature is that the net cost of this project to the state works out to around zero over the projected life of the stadium. Once the up-front costs of building the thing are absorbed it will pay back along multiple fronts in terms of taxes generated through player salaries (including players from visiting teams who play in the new stadium), increased business downtown on weekends, etc, property taxes, etc. The mere fact that Urdahl and others like him mention the word millionaire and billionaire should give them an idea as to just how much might be generated.
So it's an investment that pays back and it will. Maybe it never pays back the total invested, but it's not as dire an investment as they're painting it out to be. I agree with Souhan - either the pols are dumbing it down to pander to voters who haven't taken the time from their busy schedules to understand the issue, or they themselves are guilty of the same. In Urdahl's case that can't be true since it appears he is one of the more informed legislators when it comes to this issue, so we'd have to conclude it's shameless pandering to ill-informed voters.
if the vikes were to move to LA they wouldn't stay " the Vikings" for long. Just as when the Oilers move and became the Titans. I would stay a Fan until the name "vikings" was gone. Never been North Of Philly, and that was just a visit. I'm a southerner who as a 7 year old kid fell in love with the name Minnesota Vikings and the uniforms.
Late Friday afternoon, a state Senate committee approved the bill for further consideration and efforts were underway to revive it in the state House.
Perhaps most important, the state's top legislator said he expects the bill to be put to a vote on the floor of both the Senate and House before the legislature recesses at the end of April. House Speaker Kurt Zellers told KFAN-1130 that the vote will occur "so long as people are good for their word."
That doesn't mean it will pass, but it's a much better outlook from the Vikings perspective than even 24 hours ago, when there were fears that a 10-plus year effort had died in a committee. The bill has several committee stops in both houses remaning before it can receive a floor vote. But it's instructive how quickly state leaders jumped once the NFL made clear how seriously it takes this issue.
It is also infuriating how the state wants the vikings to put for the entire stadium. But I bet dollars to donuts they would also through a fit if the vikings did just that and then denied them access to the facilities for other events you know like concerts, state football tournaments, Final Fours, trade-shows, etc. Sure the vikes only use it 10 or so times a year. But how often is it rented out for other major events?
It is like the want to have their cake and eat it to. I would say let the vikes pay for the entire stadium. But then get a written signed agreement that makes them tax exempt for all revenue and related income that is generated from the stadium. Not to mention banned from using it for anything other than a vikings home game. Then see how quickly they change their tune.
If they had their way they would want to keep booking everything in the metrodump until it literally fell apart and killed someone like the I-90 bridge a few years ago.
Ok, enough with the ranting. I am glad the comish was able to get some sense talked into their thick skulls. They deserve at least an up or down vote from the full goon squad after these last 10+ years of pushing for a deal so we can all move on.
