Sometimes there’s no satisfaction in being right:
With the state and federal governments looking for ways to jump-start the economy, a New Jersey businessman has an ambitious public works project he says will create more than 5,500 jobs and provide $500 million or more to local contractors.
The businessman is Zygi Wilf, principal owner of the Minnesota Vikings.
The project: A $954 million, state-of-the-art stadium for his football team in downtown Minneapolis — to be constructed using more than $635 million in public money.
Fortunately, the Minneapolis Star Tribune goes on to report that “two legislative leaders laughed out loud” when asked if they’d consider funding a Vikings stadium this session. Let’s just hope Wilf doesn’t start talking up a stadium as “shovel-ready.”
Neil,
How did you not mention the “public asset” description by the Vikings about themselves? A first, perhaps?
I work for the Minnesota Judicial Branch, so I am seeing firsthand just how ridiculous a suggestion it would be to use public money for a stadium at this time. As of right now, no job openings are being filled. If someone leaves, they probably aren’t going to be replaced. That includes judges. We’re also expecting massive cuts this summer — I’m personally in a position of 9 employees that knows that 4 of us will be gone by July. Courthouses are closing early or not open to the public on certain days; and there’s talk of closing some courthouses completely.
So yeah, probably a bad time to be asking for money, Zygi. If the state can’t afford to fund courts — a constitutionally mandated branch of government — I sorta doubt there’s money for new stadiums. (You know, ignoring the Twins and Gophers stadiums, of course….)