Stadium Idea

[snapcrackpop]

So is anyone except the reservations against using gambling money?

Have them build the casino. No new taxes, they keep their corner on gambling and future income on the new stadium.

What do you think?

[zepman]

The legislators who TAKE $$$$ from the reservations and their casinos are the stumbling block...let's not kid ourselves.

Put term limits on those crooks and the Vikes would probably be playing in their new stadium next year.

[snapcrackpop]

The legislators who TAKE $$$$ from the reservations and their casinos are the stumbling block...let's not kid ourselves.

I totally agree. Put a giant bow on this idea and offer it to them. :-)

[snapcrackpop]

keep their corner on gambling and future income on the new stadium.

What do you think?

I ment stadium, not casino. Darn phone.

[SkunkedAgain]

Us non-natives are the fools. The tribes contribute heavily to both political parties, locking up a say in whatever decisions might affect them. Someone can argue that one party gets more than the other, but all of their dirty politician hands have been bound up with $100 bills.

[FISHINGURU]

Just build it and throw the tab on the US Deficit, what's another billion?

[Scott M]

[Dave S]

I thought at one point the Mystic Lake band offered to build or assist in funding a new stadium but politics got in the way.... go figure.

[Scott K]

Doesnt look like they are going anywhere anytime soon.

Quote:

Commissioner Roger Goodell says if the NFL puts a team in Los Angeles, it is probable the league would expand to 34 franchises.

Appearing Thursday night on "Costas Live" on NBC Sports Network, Goodell said the league "doesn't want to move any of our teams."

"We probably don't want to go to 33" teams by adding just one new club if a suitable stadium is built in the Los Angeles area, Goodell said. Instead, the league would consider adding two. An odd number of teams would pose scheduling problems, including at least one club being off each week, and would create one division with five teams.

There has been speculation an LA stadium could house two NFL franchises, although Goodell did not address that with host Bob Costas.

Goodell says there are several issues that must be solved in LA, particularly which of two current stadium pro

[Antero]

Watered down football......that would add another 106 players that cannot play today in TODAY'S watered down environment. We currently have approx 15 to 20 teams without good QB's. 2 more?

[toughguy]

I disagree. We have more quality QBs in the league today then at any other time in the history of the NFL. Another 2 teams wouldn't hurt. I'm all for it. Please don't put two expansion teams in LA. Put the other one in Vegas, Toronto, San Antonio, etc.

[MNice]

I know I'm in the minority, but it really wouldn't bother me at all if they left, and I am a football fan. The NFL is on major networks every week, you can just about watch any team you want. Don't mean to stir the pot, but there is just to much money in the NFL for public assistance.

[mallardnwalleye]

I don't believe in welfare for billionares. It will end up costing taxpayers-public 500 million in the end. They should rename them Minisucker Vikings because that is what we will be if we spend the money.

[toughguy]

If that's the case then they should already be called that. The dome was built with tax payer $ and so was the Met. So were the vast majority of the arenas/stadiums/ballparks in this country. I don't like idea of having to pay tax $ for it but if my choice is to pay or go without a team I'll pay. I pay for cable TV to watch sports. I pay for tickets to games and I pay for team merchandise. I pay to play fantasy football. $20 a year or so isn't going to break me. In fact it's a good deal for the amount of entertainment they provide me. I know not everyone cares or follows the vikings and I get why they wouldn't want to pay. But if you're a fan I don't see why you would care. That said they need to find a way to get this done that has the smallest impact on the tax payer. Racino, casino, sports merch tax, hotel tax, rental car tax, pulltabs are all good ideas IMO. Lets build something we can be proud of. Something that can generate buzz and economic activity. Look at what Target field and the X have done for ST. Paul and Minneapolis.

[mallardnwalleye]

All these great ideas of gambling should be going to lower the amount we are taxed or pay off debt. The X and Target Field haven't neccesarily improved the economy of MPLS St. Paul. Target Field will take over $1000.00 from a family of four in Hennepin Cty from sales tax. Pretty silly letting a billionaire take us/you for $500 million in these times of debt and trouble. The government isn't Santa or does it have special magic powers that can create money. $500 million is a whole lot of money to throw at something that is entertainment like football. I could go on and on about more important things (Cancer-Medical research, education..... ) Im sure we would all be fliping out if the $500 million were for a new opera house but ideologically the Opera House and Stadium are about the same.

[toughguy]

At 0.15% you would have to spend $666,666 on sales tax related items to pay in $1,000 in stadium tax. I think that's a bit of a stretch. That said I don't agree with how Target Field was funded. The entire state should be chipping in for the Vikings. The 7 county Metro at the very least if it's going to be a tax funded stadium.

[mallardnwalleye]

$33,000 spent/purchased a year x 20 years will get you there. They bleed you slowly but they do take there $1000.

It is the gall that a successful business recieves 100's of millions of dollars from cash strapped people and families that is not right.

It is obvious why our country is going down financially and the rich get richer.

[Getanet]

SnapCrackPop, did you have some insider info? This just posted on Strib.com:

Officials with the White Earth Tribe will announce Thursday morning a plan to build a metro-area tribal casino with the state that would help pay for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium.

According to the tribe's "Minnesota Wins" HSOforum, backers say the casino would generate enough revenue to pay the public's share of a new stadium without new taxes. White Earth officials say they've already secured financing for development and construction.

A news conference will be held Thursday morning at the State Capitol to provide more details.

Under the proposal to be released, revenue from the casino would be split equally between the state and the tribe, which would use it for housing,economic development, health care and education. The casino would pay property and sales taxes.

After the stadium is paid off, revenues would continue to go to the state. The state would regulate and audit the casino, which is not the case with tribal casinos generally.

Officials estimate that construction of the casino would create 2,500 jobs and that operations would create as many as 2,000 new and permanent jobs.

At a Senate hearing in December, Erma Vizenor of the White Earth Tribal Council first brought the proposal before policymakers. She said that a tribal casino adjacent to an Arden Hills stadium would raise $300 million yearly.

The White Earth reservation, located in northwestern Minnesota, is the state's largest and most populous with more than 20,000 band members. The tribe runs the Shooting Star casino in Mahnomen.

[Born2Fish]

Very interesting. I wonder where this will go now...

[mallardnwalleye]

[Please Read Forum Policy Before Posting Again]

[Hookmaster]

I'm with MNice. You can follow any team you want by buying the NFL network or one of the cable football packages or getting a satellite radio. I don't care if the Vikes leave and I've lived in the Minneapolis western suburbs my whole life, 52 years. The Vikings are spending close to the salary cap now. All the extra money a new stadium would bring in will go right into Ziggy's pockets. He feels bad that he isn't making as much money as the other owners. And you know what happens when the new stadium is built? The tickets and food will be more expensive so Ziggy can earn back the money he put into the stadium. Just like the Twins did. The casino downtown and the White Earth tribe and the state splitting the profits is the best idea for the citizens of the state but it will never happen.

[Doonbuggy]

Right or wrong, there is no casino support at the Legislature or with the governor.

Financing plans are starting to leak out now, but what I like most is having the stadium slightly to the east of where it's located now and shifted 90 degrees. This way one of the endzones will face downtown and this end will be made mostly of glass affording a great view of downtown from inside the stadium.

The old Dome will then be demolished and a great civic plaza area will be built. I think this will offer an improved game-day experience.

More importantly, the metro area will once again be able to host multiple Final Fours, an annual college football bowl game, a Super Bowl, and all of the other various events that are now going to new stadiums in Dallas, Indy, Houston, and Phoenix.

This will drive revenue to the state and this money goes into our general fund so it will support education, nursing homes, etc.

DB

[Scott K]

If they keep building things in the parking lots down town, where are people suppose to park?

[SkunkedAgain]

Sanitized football. Tailgating is a "nuisance" to the city and they don't want it around. You'll have a couple of highbrow lots that only rich people can afford immediately next to the stadium, and they'll have the rest of us riding rail or paying to park in spendy parking ramps that don't allow tailgating. I'd rather have something out in the suburbs where you can have the real football experience of tailgating, a Vikings HOF (don't laugh), and enjoy everything.

[harvey lee]

If the White Earth tribe is willing to build a casino and give us part of the profits for a new stadium, why would it not be better for us to use our dollars to build a casino and take all the profits instead of a part of it?