New Minnesota Vikings Stadium Thread (Duluth: lease, transfer to, tenants)

[golfgal]

Dayton is proposing that the team pay for 1/2 and the state pay for 1/2 of the stadium. I think that is fair.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Dayton is proposing that the team pay for 1/2 and the state pay for 1/2 of the stadium. I think that is fair.

It sounds like Dayton has studied and modeled the stadium usage. How else could he have decided what the state (a.k.a.tax payers) should pay. Who would of guessed that the exact percentage was 50-50??

[audadvnc]

Politics is the art of the possible. Gov. Dayton is probably just trying to cut through the Gordian Knot that is the stadium funding issue. Nobody's happy, so that's about the best we can hope for.

[knke0204]

Speaking of tax dollars, nobody is complaining about their federal taxes and HUD's biggest project in the Nation right now, the redevelopment of the Riverside High Rises... I'll never live there, plus they're ugly as sin.

[audadvnc]

People don't complain about redevelopment of housing, bridges, highways, schools, libraries, etc because they are public projects. The primary beneficiary is not a billionaire sports team owner, it's the Common Good.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

It sounds like Dayton has studied and modeled the stadium usage. How else could he have decided what the state (a.k.a.tax payers) should pay. Who would of guessed that the exact percentage was 50-50??

I think it's likely, after negotiations, to be less than 50 percent. To propose they pay more than half would be an absolute non-starter for the Vikings, I'm sure, so starting at half is what will get them in. Hopefully, to save us all money, they are able to keep Vikings contribution above 40 percent.

I'm sort of stuck between the two because I really do want the Vikings in the state, but I find it distasteful that teams can't pay on their own or at least pay a majority of it on their own. It really is playing on the heartstrings of local sports enthusiasts and wringing them for all its worth.

[Ghengis]

I'm pretty sure Zygi is actually a womp-tillionaire and not a billionaire.

[toplarry]

The owners could build it or some version of it on their own and realize a decent return. But why would they when there are state and local governments willing to force their constituents into subsidizing their investment?

Don't blame the players when it is the game that needs fixing.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by knke0204

Speaking of tax dollars, nobody is complaining about their federal taxes and HUD's biggest project in the Nation right now, the redevelopment of the Riverside High Rises... I'll never live there, plus they're ugly as sin.

If everyone living in the Riverside towers were billionaires I'd be mad about that, too.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

If everyone living in the Riverside towers were billionaires I'd be mad about that, too.

And generally it is in major need of repairs. I worked on the student newspaper last semester and found during my research of the topic that some parts of the building, especially near the top, can turn on their faucet for hot water and are forced to wait up to 45 minutes before it finally does warm up a bit.

That's just ridiculous and inhumane.

Plus it just needs a new paint job. Even if it's repainting the same way. It's faded look is a bit of an eyesore.