Vikings Stadium: Let the people vote!
The Vikings have done a lot of work to convince politicians in the Legislature of the benefits of the stadium and to vote in favor of it. The Wilf family is putting in more money to build the stadium than most other franchises have contributed that have recently built new facilities. But we still have Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers calling for a referendum in Ramsey County on the proposed half-percent sales tax needed to fund the stadium.
I suggest Koch check with her Buffalo constituents on how she would fare in a future election if the Vikings, who are in the last year of their Metrodome lease, decide to move to Los Angeles or some other place if they can't finalize this deal.
I agree with Ramsey County Commissioner Tony Bennett, who has been pushing hard for the Arden Hills site, that a referendum would kill the stadium proposal. And if there wasn't a referendum for the Twins' Target Field, which has been such a major success, why have one for the Vikings stadium?
If a referendum took place and voters defeated the tax-increase proposal, believe me, it's a cinch the Vikings would move. The team would be stuck in the Metrodome with no chance to take in the necessary revenue to compete with other teams.
All signs point to two teams moving to Los Angeles to play in their proposed new downtown stadium. The Vikings could be one of them.
Comment: Sid Hartman at it again.
Hmm. The Vikings will move to LA if the taxpayers don't support them? 1. If the Vikings are really "Minnesota's" team, why such a threat? They expect Minnesotans to loyally support them, but they will not spend some of their $ millions to have a better stadium. I can see a tax break (like other companies get at times) but a subsidy? 2. They will move to bankrupt California? How do you think that will go in the long run?
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