Vikings: There is no next year

Posted at 6:21 PM on April 17, 2012 by Tim Nelson (8 Comments)

The cleanup from last night's stadium derailment continues at the Capitol this evening. Vikings lobbyists and team vice president Lester Bagley were working the legislative crowd, hoping to restart the stadium effort.

"There is no next year," Bagley said. "We were told by the last governor in 2006 when the Twins bill and the Gophers bill were moving forward that the Vikings were going to have to stand down, we'll come back next year. That was six years ago. After 10 plus years and an expired lease, we need to get this issue moving, get it done this year. Get it to the floor, let all 201, because there is support to get it to the floor, and let all the legislators get a shot at it because there is support in this building to get this done this year."

Sen. Julie Rosen, in a brief appearance on the House floor, said the team has reason to hope that things may yet work out in the days left in this year's legislative session.

"It's not a deal killer. Nothing is dead yet. We're still going to hopefully to move in the Senate...Last night complicated that a little bit. So I think the meetings that are going on with the governor right now are going to be able to make a little more sense going forward."

Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Chairman Ted Mondale was also at the Capitol today. He said the deal needs to be closed, as is.

Mondale rejected a plan floated earlier this month by South St. Paul DFLer Joe Atkins, which had the state authorizing a gambling expansion for a year, then paying for pre-design and other work while the state gets a sense if the proposed stadium financing would work.

"I don't think that's too great of an idea," Mondale said. "I mean, why would you vote on a Vikings stadium twice? Why would you spend $50 million of state money, and at the end of the day it may go to nothing. It just seems like we need to do this or not do it. It's coming down to judgment time. And people need to decide you know, it's not about this comma or that comma. We either need to do this or not do this."

Comments (8)

Does this mean we can now turn to getting some bonding $ for a Saints Stadium in Downtown St.Paul ?

Posted by Tammy | April 17, 2012 10:25 PM

What is the plan for replacing the lost revenue to the State if the Vikings leave? Someone better start figuring that out and raising my taxes isn't an option.

Posted by Don R | April 17, 2012 10:27 PM

Don, if you don't want to pay for it if they leave, are you saying you ARE willing to pay for it (stadium) if they stay? Because if you're not, then your comment is a bit double standard.

Posted by Emily | April 17, 2012 10:48 PM

Does this mean they may actually GO: AWAY? Nah. Too good to be true....

Posted by a.ferrey | April 18, 2012 3:42 AM

I am wonder if the majority of the state has any idea how much the players do for the people with their own money? We need this team to stay for many reasons but the thing that touched me the most was a life changing event that happen last November. My daughter turned 3 yesterday. She had open heart surgery in November due to a heart defect she was born with and that would have lead to her death if it hadn't been surgically repaired as the defect was getting significantly worse even in the time they waited with hopes it would get better as she would not have needed such an invasive procedure if it had. We live in northern MN so the Vikings stadium issues typically are not a huge day to day concern at least not until I spent 10 days at the U of MN Amplatz Children Hospital over Thanksgiving. This team donates Millions of dollars so hospitals like the Amplatz can provide life saving care for our children. I could not believe the things the team did while I was there. The team came to visit the families and provided a Thanksgiving meal for everyone in the hospital and their families. At the same time other team members were having charitable events to raise money for special causes and giving away free meals to families living in poverty for the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was a hard time for my family but they made our stay so much easier. Just the simple fact that knowing people care in times like that meant a lot to me.
My daughter has been watching the vikings since she was a newborn. Even at that young of an age she would sit in her chair and watch the entire game and never fussed. She has numerous autographed items from their visit that are a positive memory of an very traumatic event in her life and I would hate to think that such wonderful things these players do for our community would go else where. We are one of the leading states in children's health care and they are a big part of that! Who cares if it cost a lil extra for all of us if it means that one day one of our children or grandchildren need unexpected care and cant get it due to lack of support from donors! That's just my opinion! Check out this link for more information! =)

http://www.mmf.umn.edu/children/give/corporate/index.cfm

Posted by Amanda Vojak | April 18, 2012 9:25 AM

@ a.ferrey

I think that was a great experience, and the state could easily afford to do the same thing, for every holiday, at every hospital in the state (including the one near you in northern Minnesota) for a fraction of the cost of the stadium.

Posted by Alex | April 18, 2012 10:13 AM

Does this mean that the State of Minnesota will finally be free from this nonsense of paying for a rich man's business and entertainment center? I'm all for anybody who wants to have football...but pay for it out of your own pocket and not mine. This garbage has just gone on too long.

Posted by Bob | April 18, 2012 2:24 PM

In my dreams the state could easily pay for any of the things I was referring too! If that were so than I would imagine my childcare provider should not have just taken a pay cut of $1000 a month to $800 for 180 hrs of work a month due to the budget crisis and I wouldn't be on a waiting list for the next millennium for the necessary services my family desperately needs to take care of my daughters needs and I suppose if there was money to pay for things like Holidays for people with life threatening illnesses stuck in the hospital then my daughters disabled father would not be homeless right now as there's no money for him to get the necessary treatment or housing for him? Or the fact that the number of people living with mental illness and chemical dependency are committing suicide in record numbers due to extremely lacking services as the result of no money for services and new budget cuts due to the already huge deficits especially in northern Minnesota! hundreds of thousands of people are going to end up hospitalized which costs 10 times what supports in the community do! There are many things going on in this state that people do not want to hear about that have dire need as well. with that said no I dont want an organization that supports people in need to leave as too many people are in need as it is!

Posted by Amanda Vojak | April 18, 2012 4:22 PM

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