Facing a $5 billion budget deficit, there is no way the Minnesota Legislature should offer a dime of general fund expenditures to build a stadium for the privately-owned Minnesota Vikings. That’s about as plain as we can state our position.
A bill for a stadium will likely surface in the next week or so — these bills have a habit of surfacing late in the legislative process — and we don’t know what sort of funding mechanism it will entail. If the plan calls for a metropolitan area city or county to levy a tax, user-based fees and contributions from the NFL and the Vikings, perhaps a stadium bill will be a reality.
As much as outstate Minnesotans may love the Vikings there’s no justification for general fund money, raised statewide, to benefit a private, Twin Cities-based company. The tangible economic benefits the Vikings and other stadium events bring to a middle class family in International Falls or Brainerd are negligible. At this time in the state’s history, in particular, we can’t afford to be generous to multi-millionaire team owners. A stadium project should be a Twin Cities issue. If they’re willing to take the lead and bear a portion of the financial burden, more power to them.
If Minnesota chooses to expand gambling, it’s been suggested that racino revenue be directed toward a Vikings stadium. Although that idea is more palatable than the use of general fund money, we still don’t see why a financially healthy private company should jump to the front of the line for a new stream of state revenue.
Any stadium legislation should be financed with Twin Cities taxes, user fees and Viking or NFL revenue. The state, as a whole, has no business funding a Twin Cities stadium.
Comments (19)
Add commentHe's a Creator!
We owe it to Wilf to build him a stadium so he can profit from the sale of his trinket team or so some believe.
Notice how quickly he came looking for welfare? That looks like he's had lots of practice.
ripple effect
Without all those low paying jobs that an NFL franchise creates in the cities, all those people will work their way north to find an endless supply of welfare, careful what you wish for.
Where was the dispatch when
Where was the dispatch when public funding was utilized for a new Twins' stadium?
mudshark
Where was the Dispatch when public funding us used for a Twins stadium? I quote " If the plan calls for a metropolitan area city or county to levy a tax, user-based fees and contributions from the NFL and the Vikings, perhaps a stadium bill will be a reality". Thats exactly what happened with the Twins stadium. There is NO general fund money used for the Target Field project. Mossmith is spot on..but small minded people will never see the benefit of major league sports for a community. If it wasnt for a handfull of people who can see beyond their little corner of the world the MLB would be gone, There would be no Mn Wild, no Timberwolves..and the Vikings may well be history in a little over a year. I really honestly believer that the majority of people in Minnesota are stuck in a small town mentality and only care about their own little issues, not looking at the big picture. If, and when, the Mn Vikings leave you will get what you deserve. Nothing. Look at other cities who have lost an NFL club for the same reason as MN will lose theirs. Cleveland. Baltimore, Houston, Oakland, St. Louis, Los Angeles. After the teams were gone the cities realized the value, the REAL value, of being major league and having NFL football. Cleveland build a new stadium and got the Browns "back" via expansion. Baltimore lost the Colts and stole the Browns from Cleveland after building a new stadium. Houston lost the Oilers to Nashville..built a new stadium and got the "Texans" via expansion. Oakland lost the Raiders to LA..then overhauled the stadium and got the team back. St. Louis lost the Cardinals, built a new stadium and stole the Rams..and LA is in the process of putting together a public/private financing package to lure a team back to town. Why did ALL communities that have lost NFL teams in the last 30 years did whatever it takes to get them back? (LA is in the process) Because of the "real" value of having major league sports. Something people with a "small town" approach to the world cant understand I guess. Seven county hotel/motel tax, rent-a-car tax, and on-sale liquor tax in the metro will do it, build it and move on. And NOBODY who complains about a new stadium ever better darken the doors of the place, put on a Vikings jersey or even watch a game on TV or you will be a hypocrite.
Why should we subsidize your
Why should we subsidize your entertainment tork?
Vikings
Since when do taxpayers pay to build a business building for a company. They build it themselves. They say they are a business, build your own building. Call me what you will, but I will not pay to build a sports stadium for any "professional sport. As far as I am concerned, they are mostly a bunch of overpaid, cry babies, who think they can do anything they want anytime they want with no consequences. Oh, there are a few pros who give back but most just take. We put them on pedestals. We put the wrong people up there. Well, I have probably offended enough people so I will cease my ramblings. Tah, tah,....
since now boyyy
they contribute a great deal of taxes,jobs build the stadium i say
Will stadium welfare give MN
Will stadium welfare give MN taxpayers the best return on the hundreds of millions that Wilf wants us to give him to increase his profit when he sells the team to the next billionaire?
What about using that money to reduce university tuition?
What about putting Minnesotans to work repairing our crumbling infrastructure?
In his book "Free Lunch" Johnston makes a good case that all the billions in stadium welfare that taxpayers give to the billionaire owners equals the annual profit of corporate sports.
This is just one more example of how the wealthy feed their greed by sucking the life out of our economy much the same as a leech sucks the blood out of a swimmer. They do it be destroying the free market and our dreams in the process.
Question for stadium supporters
Which bankrupt state is going to build a stadium for Wilf and steal the Vikings away from MN? California with it's debt in the tens of billions?
Granted the well connected have leverage to twist arms and pull favors so even in times of bankruptcy can still distort the free market in their favor even if means continued bankruptcy far into the future.
I understand that North Dakota has lots of temporary oil money so maybe they'll put up a stadium out on the prairie. I'm betting that they have some true conservatives running that state unlike the faux conservatives in MN and they won't allow it.
Anybody know why South Dakota
Anybody know why South Dakota doesn't have a professional football team?
Because then Minnesota would want one......
Sorry to say
ok, Barenet-baby. For one thing, I don't drink and I hope they charge you a ton to help build that stadium. And, I will be laughing.
Barnet69
will maybe grow up some day. I know I sure wouldn't want to grow up to be like him. His comments are so far out in left field no one can see them.
left field?
umm, more like extreme right field. . . . .Like past the foul pole right field.
goodnight
Goodnight brother. Peace be Upon You comrade.
Vikings should pay!
If the Vikings want a new stadium, then the Vikings should pay for it. Ticket prices will go up, but that's the REAL price of entertainment.