In the last couple of days the Vikings stadium debate has really heated up. The Minneapolis Stadium Commission which owns the Metrodome has offered the Vikings an additional two years on their lease, rent free, along with all the revenue from postseason games. The Vikings answered by breaking off talks with the group, they saw this as a slap in the face. So it got me thinking. Why don't we come up with a solution to build a stadium?
I understand the economic climate, and I am fully aware that 500 million dollars of taxpayer money could go to schools, and hospitals, etc. I understand there isn't much logic to paying for a stadium for a billionaire. I fully understand the people who aren't sports fans and could care less if the Vikings ever get a stadium of even if they move out of town. So if you don't want a stadium, I fully understand your side. I don't want to pay anything for the stadium either.
But I do want a Vikings stadium. For those of you who are Vikings fans like myself. I'm guessing that your falls are consumed by the Vikings. When was the last time you went more than a day without talking about them. When was the last Sunday in the fall you didn't try to watch them. What I'm trying to say is the Vikings are a major part of our lives in Minnesota. In the grand scheme of life the Vikings aren't as important as education or things of that nature. But for some of us they are very important. If they left my life wouldn't change a whole lot. In today's NFL, you can follow any team from any where. So I could still watch the LA Vikings play every Sunday if I wanted to. But I don't to. I want the Vikings in Minnesota.
We built a stadium for the Twins. We built a stadium for the Gophers. Why not the Vikings. If you look at ratings the Vikings dominate. The worst rated Vikings telecast this year will be higher than any Twins game all year, including the one game playoff. And don't even get me started on the Gophers. So they're our favorite team, and they've been competitive for 40+ years. So why are our leaders making this so difficult. I know that no one wants to add any fees or taxes in this economy, but the Vikings we're talking about a stadium back when the Twins and Gophers were too. One of the ideas I've heard is to put slot machines at Cantebury. But some are opposed to that because they don't want to offend the Native Americans. They don't want to offend the Native Americans? According to Wikipedia the Native Americans make up 1% or our population. So that means that 99% of the population is not Native American. And ratings for Vikings games are usually around 40% of the televisions in the market. So that means roughly 39-40% of the state watches the Vikings. So we don't want to offend the 1% Native Americans but have no problem offending the other 39-40% of Minnesotans that are Vikings fans by potentially letting them leave?
I know that there is a lot more to this story than I've even come close to. I think that these politicians need to pull their heads out of there asses, and find a solution. I don't care what you do. I don't want to pay for it, but I don't want them leaving. So if it's a hospitality tax increase, slot machines, user fees, etc. I don't care just get it done.
For some of us the Vikings are what connects us to friends, family members, dads, and neighbors. Lastly without the Vikings we'd really have no reason to hate Wisconsin, and who wants to like them?
1 comment:
The Gross Domestic Product (market value of goods and services produced) for MN in 2008 was $217 billion. Assuming a new stadium would cost $1 billion, MN would need to implement a statewide tax of 0.4% to pay for the new stadium in one year. That amounts to $0.04 of tax for every $10 spent. I'm willing to contribute that much.
Obviously this is oversimplified. But I hope they get this done.
Post a Comment