Vikings Stadium

In case anyone hasn't heard, the Vikings have been pushing for a new stadium. So far, there has been no progress in the MN legislature to get the ball rolling on a public funded stadium.

Until now there wasn't a lot of pressure being put on the legislature. But now a couple factors have come up to bring this back in the news. The Vikings are almost up on their lease at the Metrodome (expires after 2011 season), they are claiming they will not renew this lease. In itself this is a pretty weak bluff, where else are they going to play, TCF Bank Stadium? I doubt it. However, in the last week California announced they were ready to begin construction on a new stadium in an effort to attract an NFL team to L.A. On their short list of team they're interested in is no other than the Vikes. I think the Wilfs would move the team to L.A. in a heartbeat if they are allowed to develop the surrounding areas.

The opposition reaction to a publicly funded stadium would be, how can they expect us to pay for a new stadium when we're in a recession and shutting down some social services. This is valid, but you have to look a little deeper. They Vikings are not going to continue playing at the Metrodome forever, and could leave very quickly. If we don't want to lose them, we need to invest in the team.

This would actually be an ideal time to build a stadium. The cost of construction in both materials and cost of labor is low, and will only go up. The construction would provide many jobs in a time that too many are out of work. What do businesses do during a downturn? They dig deep and invest in their company. This is exactly what Minnesota needs to do with the Vikings. They should tear down the dome, play a couple years at TCF Bank Stadium then open up an open air stadium where the dome currently sits. Make a stadium for football, do it right and it should be a great football stadium for decades, see Lambeau Field. Then get some development around the new stadium, like should have happened with the dome.

Let's face it, if the Vikings leave we'll all bitch and moan for years about the lack of pro football, some will revert back to being Packers fans. Eventually we'll have to pay a lot more to attract a new team than it would cost to keep the Vikings here now. Some of us remember a similar scenario playing out with the North Stars, it took 8 long years to get a hockey team back into Minnesota.

I will not cheer for the Packers!