Stadium thread

[PurpleMustReign]

So, let me get this straight. The Basilica is surrounded to the west by a 6 lane highway, and to the north by a 6 lane highway and the Stadium would be to the north of that highway. Just how in the world would that interfere with the Basilica? Sorry, I just don't get it.

It would be too close to Jesus.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

It would be too close to Jesus.

Ha ha ha Josh!

[dead_poet]

There's your smoking gun. RT @PatKessler: Dayton: We abandoned Linden Ave #Vikings site in part cuz Bascilica threatened lawsuit.

RT by Tom Pelissero on Twitter

[PsyDanny]

It would be too close to Jesus.

But Jesus seems to love football, if you consider his happy face at Notre Dame.

[Demi]

RT by Tom Pelissero on Twitter

Ok PurpleKoolAid. Is that good enough for you? Or is it still Dayton's fault?

[purple guy]

Ok PurpleKoolAid. Is that good enough for you? Or is it still Dayton's fault?

A threatened law suit?? I can threaten to you or anyone, for darn near anything, doesnt mean the threat has merit. If land is available for commercial use, and its of adequate size for the Vikings intended use, Im not sure a law suit is all that credible. Seems Dayton just tucked and ran at first resistence, caving to the obvious, inevitable, only viable option of the MetroDome site. Typical politics.

Now, I dont know the specifics of the potential law suit, as I doubt you do either, but just because a law suit was threatened, doesnt make it credible or warranted. Maybe it had teeth, I dont know, but it hardly seems Dayton had the time to determine its validity, they are set on the Dome site, period. Politics. If the Vikings are going to get money, its gonna stay in Minneapolis. Period, IMO.

[Demi]

A threatened law suit?? I can threaten to you or anyone, for darn near anything, doesnt mean the threat has merit. If land is available for commercial use, and its of adequate size for the Vikings intended use, Im not sure a law suit is all that credible. Seems Dayton just tucked and ran at first resistence, caving to the obvious, inevitable, only viable option of the MetroDome site. Typical politics.

And if you file a lawsuit I'm not going to be able to move ahead on getting that land and building a stadium until it is settled one way or the other. Which means even if they get everything else done they'd still have to wait until the lawsuit is settled one way or the other. which was probably why he used the words "this year".

Maybe it had teeth, I dont know, but it hardly seems Dayton had the time to determine its validity, they are set on the Dome site, period. Politics.

He's set on getting a stadium deal done. He supported Arden Hills until the Legislature shot it down. Last week he supported Linden Avenue (over the metrodome site...) and a councilman came out against it, and now word of a lawsuit. It's clear he's doing what he can to get a deal done and isn't the one throwing up hurdles.

[dead_poet]

At the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce 2012 Session Priorities dinner. All 4 caucus leaders on panel. Will post responses to stadium question.

Speaker Zellers - "once we have a bill and a location, then we can move forward...need both sides at table, working together."

Senator Senjem - "we owe the Vikings an up or down vote...team is an asset to MN and we need to try make it work."

Senator Bakk - "this continues to be teed up as a football stadium...all kinds of things will go on in this stadium."

Senator Bakk - "The Vikings were told to find a sit and a way to pay for it. They did that and still we can't advance a bill."

Representative Thissen - "There should be vote. Governor has shown great leadership. We should have a vote."

Jeff Anderson (Vikings Director of Corporate Communications) on Twitter

[bigskyeric]

Metrodome site it is...... http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8 ... line_stack

[CalVike]

http://m.startribune.com/news/?id=138014888&c=y

Metrodome site is not free of obstacles. St. Paul is complaining of a double standard.

[PotGoblin]

at this point I don't care anymore, just get it done.

[NDVikeFan]

If i was Ziggy i would sign a 1 yr lease with the Dome. Than he can either get what he really wants (Arden Hills) or he can go elsewere after this year. Cant blame Ziggy if this team does leave. There is no reason the Vikings shouldnt be in a new Stadium starting this fall. Talk about the Minnesota Powers that be botching this and botching it bad. Red wanted a stadium 14 years ago, and today still nothing for the Vikes, while the Twins and Gophers have gotten there stadiums.

I dont care were this team goes i am following them. I hope Minnesota fans are ready to live without Pro Football for a minumum of at least 3 seasons. No way a team comes to Minnesota to play in TCF Bank Stadium while waiting for a new stadium to be built. There is also no way a stadium gets built without a team.

Talk about a load of ****. I hate to say it but i think the Vikes are gone. And getting a new team to Minnesota isnt going to be as easy as some may think.

Be terrible if Minnesota lost the Vikings.

[Eli]

I was looking at the Metrodome site on Bing Maps (I don't know Minneapolis) and was wondering if there was even a remote chance that a new stadium could be built there on _adjacent_ land, then turn the current spot into parking. This is essentially what they did with Mile High stadium in Denver, so that they didn't have to play elsewhere while the new stadium was being built. This was logistically a bit easier in Denver, as they were building the new stadium in what was mostly the old Mile High parking lot.

I see a large block of land immediately to the north of the Metrodome, approximately the same area of the current Met site (six city blocks), occupied by only about 8 or 10 older buildings. This would be the area north/south from South Washington Avenue to South 4th Street and the RR tracks, and east/west between South Chicago Avenue and South 11th Avenue. South 3rd Street (shown on the map as the one-way westbound lane of Rt 122) runs through the middle, and would have to be re-routed.

There's also the smaller block to the immediate northwest of the current stadium, occupied by just a single building. This would be needed for rerouting South 3rd Street, and/or for parking.

The plan would go something like:

1. Tear down the structures on the northwest block.
2. Reroute/combine westbound 122 along S 4th St., through this block. (Or else make S 4th St two-way, if feasible).
3. Tear down the remaining structures in the six block area where the new stadium would be built.
4. Build new stadium. The footprint may be slightly smaller than the current one, and it would need to be oriented more east/west. Since this would be a football-only stadium I think this could be easily done, something like the rectangular footprints of the Colt's Lucas Oil Stadium and similar new NFL football fields.
5. Immediately following the final game of the 201x season, tear down the current stadium and begin to build parking in the space. This should be doable in the time frame between January and August, meaning that parking would be available for opening day.

Just from looking at it, this should even give about three times the amount of parking currently available at the Metrodome, which would make a lot of people happy. The key would be being able to acquire the land and buildings on those seven city blocks. And logistically, being able to reroute streets and perhaps the railroad tracks. From the looks of it, those streets and tracks were rerouted a bit when the Met was originally built, so that looks fairly minor.

Here's a pc of the new Mile High Stadium while it was under construction. You can just see the southeast corner of the old stadium, which was still in use at the time.

[Demi]

I was looking at the Metrodome site on Bing Maps (I don't know Minneapolis) and was wondering if there was even a remote chance that a new stadium could be built there on _adjacent_ land

http://finance-commerce.com/2011/12/sta ... metrodome/

Looks like it's that adjacent building. So that's a good question seems like something they'd either already have considered, or get to once something gets going. But would add desperately needed parking and allow Vikings to continue to play in the Dome while it's being constructed?

[Eli]

http://finance-commerce.com/2011/12/sta ... metrodome/

Looks like it's that adjacent building. So that's a good question seems like something they'd either already have considered, or get to once something gets going. But would add desperately needed parking and allow Vikings to continue to play in the Dome while it's being constructed?

Interesting. I wasn't aware of where they were talking about in those articles, until now. Yes, that's the block to the northwest that I mention, plus the four blocks immediately to the west of that, on the other side of the train station. Looks like it could be large enough, but might require moving the train station first. I'd venture that acquiring that land from the Tribune would make it a fair amount more expensive than building at Arden Hills.