The eye-catching videos of snow cascading from the roof into the end zone of Mall of America Field at the Metrodome were great visuals, but they didn’t change any of arguments in the debate about public funding for a new Vikings stadium.
Yes, we want the Vikings to stay in Minnesota. However, the state government’s stark financial mess precludes the use of any general fund money to assist the Viking owners. If legislators and Viking owners can concoct a scheme in which new gambling money and taxes generated by Viking customers are used to fund a stadium, that would be legislation that might make sense.
The fact that the Vikings are nearing the end of their lease and have made no substantive plans for where the team will play after 2011 is not the fault of Minnesota’s taxpayers. The Vikings may be beloved in Minnesota but unlike the University of Minnesota’s football team, they aren’t tied down here. There’s nothing to stop the Vikings from obtaining state money to build a stadium and then bolting for California at the conclusion of a 10- or 15-year lease.
The state of Minnesota has too many pressing needs right now to be overly generous to a very profitable NFL team.
Comments (29)
Add commentWrong again oh great one!!!
I think you are greatly mistaken on this--there are no stadiums that are owned by the teams themselves, all are owned by groups or Corps. like the Metropolitian Sports Comm. in the metro--they own or an investment group owns the stadium and they manage its day to day dealings. The state is the last group that wants to own the stadium--and the use of taxpayers money is the last thing most want to see--any sort of taxpayers money in this day and age is wrong as there are so many other places much more important to use those $$--I know people in Minn that bleed purple will not agree but face the facts-the loss of the queens will not bring an end to the world for anyone. These crybaby mamby pambies just want a new place to play their game and will not be happy with anything less--a renovated Dome is not good enough for our babies in purple.
Just buy em
the Vikings are worth 774 million the state should just buy the team and issue stock
Snow removal overlooked?
Any large span roof is vulnerable to collapse if snow is allowed to accumulate or drift into huge piles, as many warehouse owners have found out. Snow removal is an essential part of living in this area. Shovels are cheap, new buildings are not.
The tax revenue that will be
The tax revenue that will be lost, should the Vikings leave the state will need to be addressed, most certainly by raising taxes or cutting programs. Will the raise in taxes be greater than the cost of building the new stadium and if there is a raise in taxes or a cut in programs will there ever be a reduction in those taxes or will we ever get those programs back? We need to put aside if you like sports or not, if you like the Vikings or not. The Vikings are a source of revenue for the state, is that source large enough to keep them?
It's not just the
It's not just the Vikings...there was a long list of other events that were scheduled to be held in the stadium that had to be canceled or moved.
Staduims are a community/State asset and bring in revenue from a wide range of events and activities.
Vikes
Here's my 2 cents....We might as well give the Vikings a stadium now, sure it might cost $775million to $1 billion for the stadium but we might as well keep them, versus having to get an expansion team in 10 or 15 years when ever someone has the push to bring a team back again. Then we will see the state needing to pony up and probably contribute a billion or more just to get some expansion team back again. On top of that we have lost tax revenues and economic impact. On the news for the game that was moved to Detroit, they indicated Minnesota lost somewhere around $9 million just for 1 game. You add that up for the entire season that is over $70 million a season, and that isn't counting the impact of having all of the athletes in town buying houses and spending their millions from their contracts.
Ziggy Town
OK this is simple,tonight on the the last home game played on the Qween's 50th aniv. we will see outdoor foot ball as it should be at TCF stadium. I see ghosts of Grant,Brown, Tarckinton-ect. rising out of Met stadium. Green Bay,Soldier Field, other cold climet teams have outdoor stadiums-fix the metrodome for all those Monster-truck and rodio shows, then Tell Ziggy to partner up the the Univercity of Minn. and up grade TCF field by putting up Ziggy's "sky boxes" and install Heating pipes under the grass field, sprinkle a few space heaters around and , bingo we keep the Vikes, Ziggy has an almost new stadium- and we reclaim the 30 year old phrase "OUT-DOOR ADVANTAGE"
Are you forgetting that Wilf
Are you forgetting that Wilf is a Creator and that we owe it to him to build a stadium?
As quickly as he and others of his income level run to taxpayers with their hands out I have to wonder how much of there fortune came from Wilfare.
Any argument that giving him
Any argument that giving him $700,000,000 in wilfare will somehow be good for the economy and make money for Minnesota is bogus.
If we were to take that money and use it to lower college tuition instead, the state's economy would benefit far more than giving another handout to a billionaire.
I would like to understand
I would like to understand how we can use the money to lower tuition by using the 700,000,000. Are you suggesting an endowment fund to be set up? Who would qualify for the money? How many students would you suggest get the funds? Presumably the average cost for 1 year of a 4 year college is 9,000.00, that would pay one year of college for 77,777 students and then the money is gone.
I couldn't help but notice
I couldn't help but notice that there are four or five football games on TV every Sunday. Every one of those games feature teams with talent, coaching and financially viable team owners and stadium owners. The state of MN should provide the vikes the trucks needed to get their sorry overpaid, under acheivers out of the dome , out of the state and into the city of Omaha. Of course a seperate semi would be required for Favre's ego, but it would be worth it to be rid of Mr. Wonderful.
Steve, if the state goes your
Steve, if the state goes your route and does not go along with a new stadium, what programs are you ok with cutting and/or what new tax would you put in place to cover the lost revenue?
We had the Lakers, lost them to L A and built a new arena for the Wolves.
We had the North Stars, lost them to Dallas and built a new arena for the Wild.
I believe we are not in the business of owning stadiums, however there is a need to generate revenue to sustain our way of life, ie; keep the roads plowed. If we lose a revenue source we have 2 choices, cut spending somewhere or increase revenue from another source (raise taxes). Let's hope that we come to an agreement that benefits all the people of Minnesota.
Stadium
Aside from Duct tape and a giant shop vac the question is--do the Vikings actually generate a positive cash flow for Minnesota? Minneapolis??
Air that is a great question.
Air that is a great question. What money are we currently providing to the Vikings or what money are we currently waiting for the Vikings to repay us?
45vs9mm
Zero, and zero.
pathetic
the vikings are so poorly managed,coached and so highly paid it is pathetic to see the product they put on the field. if i get it straight,if we don't spend one tax dollar on a new stadium,they leave? don't let the dome hit you where ever-goodby!
Positive Cash Flow
Every dollar these overpaid players earn is worth about 7 cents to the state's coffers. Tickets come with a 10% sales tax. 8% on every $6 hot dog sold. 14% on every $8 beer.
There are some revenues associated with a professional sports franchise in the state.
wolfg1, if we are not funding
wolfg1, if we are not funding the team in anyway at this time then the income stream being generated is somewhere around 100% profit to the state. So if they leave how do we recover that, pathetic?
"So if they leave how do we
"So if they leave how do we recover that, pathetic?"
Why are you asking me? You must not have read my other posts.
relax
The Vikings aren't going anywhere. There is no way the NFL will approve (Zygi can't just say "that's it, we're moving!") the Vikings moving to Los Angeles. There are far worse off franchises to relocate there. And the NFL has already stated that they would prefer no one relocate to LA, because they want an expansion franchise there in the years to come, along with the 1 billion dollar expansion fee. The Vikings have sold out every game for a number of years. The Bills, Jaguars, Chargers, and Raiders sell out one or two games a year, which prevents them from being televised in their local markets, and anyone who knows anything about the NFL, the true money comes from their television contracts.
Sorry Wolfg1 I was addressing
Sorry Wolfg1 I was addressing that comment to moonhawk.
Chuck the North Stars weren't going anywhere either. Zigy is sitting in a very good spot. The lowest valued team in the mighty NFL, no where to go but up. The stadium was not even full last night, com'n man!
Steve, you and Favre must be
Steve, you and Favre must be great friends...make a wish is calling, which one of you is going to answer?
The Vikings aren't going anywhere.
See: Raiders, Oakland; circa 1980
Ok I'll bite, what about
Ok I'll bite, what about Oakland Raiders of 1980? SBCs - 2 years before they were known as the LA Raiders.
Stadium2
Perhaps I asked the wrong question. Does the stadium, with or without the Vikings generate a positive cash flow, even after looking at possible hidden expenses.
1980 Raiders
Al Davis wanted to the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1980. The league stopped him. Davis filed an antitrust suit against the NFL and in 1982 a jury cleared the way for the team's move. They relocated to LA.
I wouldn't be so sure the NFL has the ability to stop a team from moving. Court precedence is not on the fans' side.