New retractable roof stadium in Arden Hills

[soldoncass]

I was SHOCKED that the proposal, agreed upon, actually makes sense this time. I LIKE IT! Putting those types of things right downtown , only benefits the TOWN...not the fans. I went to the metrodome ONCE....metropolitan stadium 3-4 times....and the main reason is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION. Put a great stadium in a subburb, with decent access, parking, and tailgating, etc. .....wow, better add plenty of seating, cause "they will come".

I can understand the "cheeseheads being "scared" (their comments prove it)....their main competitor just hired a great staff, had a great draft, and now are planning a great venue to play at. I'd be "scared" too!

[LMITOUT]

the day Minnesota turns into Iowa, or the third Dakota, will be a sad day

If you only had a clue...

Have you ever been out of this state?

[LMITOUT]

To say T-Paw took the responsible route on this issue may be the most preposterous statement you've ever made on this forum...and that's saying something.

So being responsible is preposterous?

I know that may be difficult for you to comprehend as a kool-aid drinking myopic Viking rube, but for the sake of the rest of us please try.

[jwmiller33]

Have you ever been out of this state?

Have you ever been to Iowa??

[LMITOUT]

The ironic thing is those three states you mentioned have as many Super Bowl trophies as MN does.

[jwmiller33]

LMIT, someday you will learn there is more to life than superbowl trophies...

[jwmiller33]

I'll take 12,000 lakes over a superbowl trophy any day of the week and twice on sundays. MN has more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined. It's the little things in life....

[B. Amish]

so, why does mn need to build a billion dollar stadium then?

[Antero]

I'll take 12,000 lakes over a superbowl trophy any day of the week and twice on sundays. MN has more shoreline than California, Florida and Hawaii combined. It's the little things in life....

California..Big Sur.....Super Bowl Trophies

Florida.....the Keys....Suber Bowl Trophies

Hawaii......Waikiki.....No Team

Minnesota...Ham Lake....Empty Trophy Case

[jwmiller33]

what's your point? how exactly does a piece of hardware sitting in a trophy case make your life so much better besides fueling your ego?

[LMITOUT]

California..Big Sur.....Super Bowl Trophies

Florida.....the Keys....Suber Bowl Trophies

Hawaii......Waikiki.....No Team

Minnesota...Ham Lake....Empty Trophy Case

LOL

[jwmiller33]

apparently having a trophy collecting dust in a trophy case somewhere makes your state much better to live in....

hey LMIT, just curious, what state do you live in?

[goblueM]

the one he complains the most about, obviously

[LMITOUT]

apparently having a trophy collecting dust in a trophy case somewhere makes your state much better to live in....

[jwmiller33]

Some day I will learn?

Listen up kid, that is the reason I'm against this...because some people need a wake-up call that there are more important things happening right now than figuring out how to throw more money at a billionaire's feet.

Listen up guy, Apparently somewhere along the line you got the assumption I am for this whole stadium thing? Please tell me where I said I was for this whole thing. I could care less about the Vikings and Wolves leaving... As long as the Wild and Twins are in MN, I am happy.

[jwmiller33]

I fail to see how having 8 home games/yr brings enough $$/tourism/jobs into the a city that justifys building a new stadium (especially in todays condition of our state). I'd love to see a NPV analysis of the Vikings leaving vs them staying and building the new shack. If it was up to me, they would continue playing in the Dome for another 20 years or else get on the bus and head to LA. Do I agree with how pro sport teams leverage their home state/city for money? Aboslutely not. But it is people who pride themselves on the number of trophies they have collecting dust on a shelf somewhere that are funneling money into the pockets of the billionaire owners.

And LMIT, what state do you live in? I'm not trying to be a smart but, I seriously don't know and I am just wondering...

[ted4887]

Yes there will ne an initial cost to the state to build it. But in the long run it should also benefit the state. The stadium will employ a lot of folks, the local hotels, bars, resturants, shopping centers,.... will benefit. All these fine folks will be paying taxes on thier purchases. I think it is a good investment.

BINGO! And don't forget all the money that hostings events such as the Super Bowl will bring in.

Although, I'm pretty confident that this won't make it out of the legislature.

[Antero]

There are many books dealing with this subject....here are a couple you may want to read....

Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profit, Revised and Expanded Edition (At Table S.) [Paperback]

Neil deMause

Sports, Jobs, and Taxes: The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums [Paperback]

Roger G. Noll

[CJH]

I am sorry, but no way in this budget situation should we be financing a billionaire's enterprise. Ziggy wants the Arden Hills site so he can develop the real estate around it (that's what his business is). Tax money should not be going towards his development plans.

Some of the things that are going to be developed on the site that the tax payers of MN are helping to paying for:

-Hotel

-Restaurants

-Retail

-Residential

-Movie Theater

-Exclusive deal for Vikings to buy additional acreage on the site

What a sweetheart deal for someone that doesn't even live in the state.

[jwmiller33]

I don't need to read any books to know that a new stadium is going to bring $$ in. How much money is the real question. Each individual team/city/stadium is going to be different, and I am sure none of those books were written specifically for MN in our current economic state and our budget deficit.

What it comes down to is the Vikings could have remained in the Dome for zero cost to the taxpayers, but they didn't want to. Ziggy and the franchise wanted to increase the bottom line..

Regardless of what field the team is playing on, you cannot tell me that they are going to win more games because of their new stadium. Regardless, there is still a salary cap and the franchise is going to spend the same amount of $ on players whether they are playing in the dome or a different stadium.

[jwmiller33]

Some of the things that are going to be developed on the site that the tax payers of MN are helping to paying for:

-Hotel

-Restaurants

-Retail

-Residential

-Movie Theater

-Exclusive deal for Vikings to buy additional acreage on the site

you forgot roads.... who is going to pay for the roads??? Not Ziggy!

[CJH]

you forgot roads

Sorry, that is correct. $240 million dollars - State estimate not mine, currently budgeted at only $100 mil in the plan. And yes, they are low-balling in order to make the deal look more palatable.

[Antero]

Regardless of what field the team is playing on, you cannot tell me that they are going to win more games because of their new stadium. Regardless, there is still a salary cap and the franchise is going to spend the same amount of $ on players whether they are playing in the dome or a different stadium.

I thought that the Vikes were near the bottom in income and a new stadium would bring them closer to the top thus allowing them to spend more on free agennt and in keeping their stars etc.

[jwmiller33]

I thought that the Vikes were near the bottom in income and a new stadium would bring them closer to the top thus allowing them to spend more on free agennt and in keeping their stars etc.

Although you would think so, income and payroll don't have a direct corelation in the NFL. 2010 was an uncapped year because of the expired labor agreement, and the Vikings were #3 in the entire NFL in payroll last year @ $143M.... How did that work out for Ziggy and the Vikes? Spending like crazy doesn't always produce the end result you want to see. Sound investments are the key to good returns. Keep in mind we are still going to be paying Brett Favre's 2009 and 2010 salary come the next couple years as a good chunk of it was deferred

The NFL salary cap was introduced in 94 and I'm sure will continue to be in place after there is a new labor agreement. The whole idea of the Salary cap in the NFL is to keep it from turning into the MLB w/ teams like the Yankees spending more than the bottom 4 teams in payroll combined. The whole idea is to keep somewhat of a "level playing field"

One thing will be certain, if the Vikes move forward and get a new stadium, Ziggy will be making a lot more money.

[Antero]

If it as you say and the new stadium will not help the product on the field, why do some fans want a new stadium, much less help pay for it?

Why do the Vikes want a new stadium that they will only partially pay for?

I realize that the dome is no more and something needs to be done but this discussion has been going on for yrs.