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November 09, 2011
Dayton: Legislature needs to build a Vikings stadium, er, somehow
If there was any doubt that Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton was trying to position himself so that the state legislature takes the blame if the Vikings don't get a new stadium, it should have dissipated yesterday when Dayton blamed the state legislature for the Vikings not getting a new stadium:
An apparently frustrated Gov. Mark Dayton called on Republican legislative leaders Tuesday to stop "playing games" and propose their own plan for financing a new Vikings stadium.
"It's time for leaders of the Legislature to show some leadership to get this project approved," Dayton said at a Capitol news conference...
Dayton asked of the leaders, "What are you for? What are you willing to support?"
Without naming names, Dayton said of some legislators, "All they know is no."
Dayton had previously announced that he was canceling plans to issue his own stadium proposal this past Monday, after state house speaker Kurt Zellers came out against holding a special session this month to discuss a Vikings stadium. Instead, the governor spoke vaguely about some of the ideas being kicked around for funding, including electronic gambling pull-tabs in bars (he's in favor), Legacy arts funds ("a bad idea"), and memorabilia and ticket taxes (mentioned as options, not specifically endorsed). He also said, "I'm for maximizing the private team's contribution," but didn't indicate whether that would mean increasing the Vikings' contribution or whether he thought the current three-way city/state/team split was maximized enough.
State rep Phyllis Kahn, meanwhile, issued a proposal to finance a new stadium by selling stock in the team to fans, a la the Green Bay Packers. (The NFL no longer allows so-called "community ownership"; Kahn's plan would require the Vikings and state to get the league to change its rules.) Kahn, who proposed a similar plan for the Twins back in 2005, also said she's introducing a bill to install slot machines at airports — something she didn't particular endorse as a way to fund a stadium, but which is worth mentioning for her explanation of why it'd be a good thing:
"All gambling is a regressive tax on stupidity, but if you put the gambling in the airport, it would be a progressive tax on stupidity, because you have people with higher incomes at the airport," Kahn said. "Plus, 80 percent of the traffic at the airport is from out of state."
Now there's a campaign slogan: "TAX RICH IDIOTS." The 99% would approve — not to mention, presumably, non-stupid rich people.
It sure would be a lot easier for Dayton and the legislature in MN to hold their nose and give the public's money to Zygi if Zygi was even a little less greedy than he's being. It's a tough sell to pitch building the 3rd most expensive stadium in NFL history (Only NY [shared by two teams] and Dallas cost more) at a time like this.
Actually, pitching the project isn't the problem. It's that Wilf is asking for more public money than any team in NFL history to subsidize his extravagant taste.
Posted by Ed Kohler on November 9, 2011 10:39 AM
This was sent to me this morning from a friend in MN with the note: LOL ha ha ha ha yeah!
startribune.com/politics/statelocal/133252703.html
"The commission's original lease agreement with the Vikings required the team to play at the Metrodome for 30 years, through the 2011 season. But what is known as a "force majeure clause" specifies that if the Metrodome is damaged and the team is forced to play elsewhere for even part of a season, the Vikings are obligated to play an additional full season at the Metrodome.
The clause states in part that: "For each football season, or part of football season, while this Agreement is suspended, the term of this Agreement ... shall be extended by one football season."
By legal definition, "force majeure" means an unavoidable circumstance or accident.
On Dec. 12, 2010, a blizzard collapsed the Metrodome's roof, forcing the NFL to move that day's Vikings-Giants game to Detroit's Ford Field. The Vikings played their final home game on Dec. 20 at TCF Bank Stadium against the Chicago Bears."
So MN legislators are interpreting that clause to mean the Vikings must play in the Metrodome for the 2012 season.
Posted by SantaClaraTaxpayer on November 9, 2011 03:57 PM
Yeah, meant to post the force majeure thing when it came up a few days ago. Not sure it means all that much, though - there's no way the Vikings were going to be ready to move in 2012 in any case, since a new stadium wouldn't be ready by then, and there's no need to rush out of Minnesota to play an extra season in the L.A. Coliseum or whatever.
Posted by Neil deMause on November 9, 2011 08:31 PM
A cording to our friend Arash Markazi at ESPN Los Angeles the 2013 season had already become the target, anyway.
Let's just focus on the important part, which is keeping the LA Vikings in the NFC north do that it's an easy commute to one Packers game per year.
Posted by Ben Miller on November 10, 2011 11:38 AM
The Rose Bowl is opening services for the 2012 season.
An NFL team is encouraged to take field at the RB next season.
Posted by Rose Bowl on November 17, 2011 08:21 PM