Re: Stadium thread
Posted: Wed Aug 10, 2011 1:50 pm
http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/Viki ... sion081011
MANKATO, Minn. -- Eighteen politicians and business leaders from Ramsey County attended the Minnesota Vikings' practice on Wednesday morning, then heard from team and county officials who said they're close to an agreement to bring their more than $1 billion stadium project before the state Legislature in a fall special session.
"We have been prepared to come forward with an agreement -- pretty much all done," Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said. "Lot of hard work was put into it. Lot of hard work still to be put into it. But we feel we have the agreement and most of the details worked out."
The team and Ramsey County officials held a media conference in May to announce their partnership on a stadium to be built on the site of an abandoned munitions plant in Arden Hills. But the plan has yet to make it before the Legislature, which would have to approve a proposed $300 million contribution from the state.
"There's no doubt we're disappointed that we weren't able to be part of the special session (last month) on the budget," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' vice president of public affairs and stadium development.
"We understand. We appreciate the priorities and the significant issue of the state budget. But the Wilfs and the Vikings have been patient. We waited behind the Twins. We waited this year in the shadow of the budget. We've got to get it done."
The team could have walked away from its partnership with Ramsey County on July 1, but the sides have "verbally" extended the agreement, Bagley said. The hope now is to finalize an agreement by next month and gain the approval of Gov. Mark Dayton, whom the team hopes will call another special session in October.
The Wilfs met with Dayton last week and "realized that many of the details that we were negotiating in the past, and questions that were asked in the past, were answered," Zygi Wilf said. "We still have a few questions to be answered, but we're very optimistic we had all the pieces in place and we'll be able to achieve bipartisan support to move this forward."
Bagley said road upgrades around the proposed stadium site -- initially estimated to cost as much as $240 million -- have come down into the $100 million range and said the team is "fine-tuning" a deal for which the framework is in place.
Those in support of the agreement continue to emphasize the project would create thousands of jobs, including 7,500 construction jobs at a time there is a high rate of unemployment in that industry.
"We're so close, folks," Ramsey County commissioner Tony Bennett said. "It would be a shame not to put those people to work. It would be a shame not to clean up this polluted site and make it usable. It would be a shame not to have the Vikings here next year but one of these days we've got to have a team that's going to start to win."
The Vikings' lease at the Metrodome expires on Feb. 1. If the stadium issue isn't addressed by then, Bagley pointed out, they'd be the only team in the NFL without a lease.
That's notable in part because the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved the framework for financing a $1.2 billion stadium project in that city, where the NFL has made clear it hopes to place at least one team in the near future.
"I don't know anything about that," Zygi Wilf said, "but we're always focused on making sure that Arden Hills is going to be our home. We're excited about the opportunity for our fans and for the state."
I am hoping for it will be approved in the special session but I am not holding my breath
MANKATO, Minn. -- Eighteen politicians and business leaders from Ramsey County attended the Minnesota Vikings' practice on Wednesday morning, then heard from team and county officials who said they're close to an agreement to bring their more than $1 billion stadium project before the state Legislature in a fall special session.
"We have been prepared to come forward with an agreement -- pretty much all done," Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said. "Lot of hard work was put into it. Lot of hard work still to be put into it. But we feel we have the agreement and most of the details worked out."
The team and Ramsey County officials held a media conference in May to announce their partnership on a stadium to be built on the site of an abandoned munitions plant in Arden Hills. But the plan has yet to make it before the Legislature, which would have to approve a proposed $300 million contribution from the state.
"There's no doubt we're disappointed that we weren't able to be part of the special session (last month) on the budget," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings' vice president of public affairs and stadium development.
"We understand. We appreciate the priorities and the significant issue of the state budget. But the Wilfs and the Vikings have been patient. We waited behind the Twins. We waited this year in the shadow of the budget. We've got to get it done."
The team could have walked away from its partnership with Ramsey County on July 1, but the sides have "verbally" extended the agreement, Bagley said. The hope now is to finalize an agreement by next month and gain the approval of Gov. Mark Dayton, whom the team hopes will call another special session in October.
The Wilfs met with Dayton last week and "realized that many of the details that we were negotiating in the past, and questions that were asked in the past, were answered," Zygi Wilf said. "We still have a few questions to be answered, but we're very optimistic we had all the pieces in place and we'll be able to achieve bipartisan support to move this forward."
Bagley said road upgrades around the proposed stadium site -- initially estimated to cost as much as $240 million -- have come down into the $100 million range and said the team is "fine-tuning" a deal for which the framework is in place.
Those in support of the agreement continue to emphasize the project would create thousands of jobs, including 7,500 construction jobs at a time there is a high rate of unemployment in that industry.
"We're so close, folks," Ramsey County commissioner Tony Bennett said. "It would be a shame not to put those people to work. It would be a shame not to clean up this polluted site and make it usable. It would be a shame not to have the Vikings here next year but one of these days we've got to have a team that's going to start to win."
The Vikings' lease at the Metrodome expires on Feb. 1. If the stadium issue isn't addressed by then, Bagley pointed out, they'd be the only team in the NFL without a lease.
That's notable in part because the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday approved the framework for financing a $1.2 billion stadium project in that city, where the NFL has made clear it hopes to place at least one team in the near future.
"I don't know anything about that," Zygi Wilf said, "but we're always focused on making sure that Arden Hills is going to be our home. We're excited about the opportunity for our fans and for the state."
I am hoping for it will be approved in the special session but I am not holding my breath
