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hopefully it's enough to make the Arden Hills site viable...

Demi wrote:hopefully it's enough to make the Arden Hills site viable...

I know, just to piss Henepin County off

State now says roads can be upgraded near arden hills Vikings site for $131 million instead of $175 million

Chip Scoggings on Twitter

it's coming together as i knew it would. can't wait for my first visit back after all this is said and done....

It is?? Sounds to me like a dollar here, a dollar there. Nobody knows yet what the NFL will kick in. Now they've knocked $45 million off the estimated cost, which is just a small fraction of $1.1 billion.

yep. i have been saying for years that a deal WOULD get done, that it would get done IN minnesota, and that the team most definitely WASN'T moving to california. read through this whole thread. it's actually quite entertaining.

as you said this is another small step. the nfl pitching in is a bigger step than most realize. i would gladly bet anyone anything that a deal gets done and the vikes get a new stadium IN MINNESOTA....

so yes....everything is coming together. maybe not as fast as people would like, but work on this is most certainly happening. a lot of work.

Ok, I'll take your word for it. It all sounds very fragile to me, but we'll have to see what happens.

Eli wrote:Ok, I'll take your word for it. It all sounds very fragile to me, but we'll have to see what happens.

i think a lot of it IS fragile. it's little steps at a time. but i have it on good authority that a lot is being done behind the scenes to get this done. it is in the best interest of the nfl that the vikes remain in minnesota and they know it too. vikes aren't going anywhere.

Vikings don't count $131 million into cost of $1 billion stadium. Veep Bagley says "creative way" must be found to finance roads. Veep Bagley says possible roads funding source is Ramsey County bonding authority to be paid at $7-8mill/year for 20 years.

The $131 million includes $45 million for local system and interchange improvements and $86 million for trunk highway improvements. Road improvements: I-694 ramps, aux lanes on I-35W, Hwy 10 interchange construction, I-35W/Cty I widening, internal site road.

Rochelle Olson in Twitter
FYI: Olson is a Star Tribune St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County reporter

Here's the deal. The legislature has until Monday to get the new budget done. No hearings are even scheduled to discuss the stadium proposal, and they're all much too busy right now discussing the gay marriage amendment vote. It's highly unlikely the budget will be completed without a special session, and no one at the capital is going to give the stadium even a passing thought until after the budget is done (that would just be bad political form).

There's a small possibility that stadium becomes part of the special session, but more likely that will be all about the core budget alone, since a lengthy government shutdown is a much more looming threat than the Vikings not having a place to play. The Vikes may pine for a 2nd special session but that probably won't happen, the legislators do like their summer vacations. Generally, it seems things don't get done at the capital until a little while past crisis/catastrophe mode.

I'm excited about a new big awesome retractable roof stadium with tons of parking and tailgating! But I have very little hope it will become any kind of reality until next spring.

Stadium update 5/24/2011: http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/vide ... 7e27a84807

Minneapolis just won't take the hint.

St Paul Mayor Chris Coleman proposes two cent per drink fee for stadiums that would keep Vikings in minneapolis. He proposes $75 million retrofit of Xcel to bring Timberwolves to st paul. Two cent per drink fee would be spread statewide for #vikings, #saints #timberwolves and amateur rec fields.

lester bagley says team is going to arden hills.

Rochelle Olson on Twitter

dead_poet wrote:Minneapolis just won't take the hint.
Rochelle Olson on Twitter

I like the idea because it is unique, and because the money would go towards many things, including a stadium for the Saints. People north of th metro probably won't like it, but two cents per drink is hardly going to break the bank. I would go for this one.

St. Paul's mayor says 2-cent per drink tax could build a Vikings stadium in Minneapolis and upgrade Xcel Energy Center. The team isn't buying.

Full story: http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/122602324.html

Wow, talk about taking horse trading to a new level.

"Okay St. Paul, we'll give you the Wolves if you support our plan to try to keep the Vikings"

If this is a statewide tax, then why should it be to keep the Vikings in Minneapolis? I could see this plan blowing up in their faces. Pass the tax anyway, use the money for Arden Hills.