New Stadium Bill for Minnesota Vikings Does Not Eliminate a Move to Los Angeles Yet
By Jason Lisk
Of course, despite all the grandstanding and conversation this morning, this is still a political move. It’s a move by a Governor and the team to put pressure on the legislature, which still must approve the proposal, one that the Governor calls the “People’s Stadium”. (Because the people will pay a lot for it, I assume).
The proposal is for a $975 million dollar stadium, of which the state of Minnesota is contributing 398 million, the city of Minneapolis another 150 million, and the Vikings 427 million, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Of course, the devil is always in the details, and with projects like these cost overruns are commonplace. How those overruns will be divided, and who is responsible, will be key issues.
As Rachel Stassen-Berger notes, the “There are serious doubts about any Vikings stadium deal from both governing bodies. Backers said they would immediately start wooing lawmakers, who have said they cannot give any idea a specific vote until they got the plan.” That’s a far cry from the tone today. This is a move to put pressure on that legislature, to talk about job creation, and to create public expectation that it is done.
The real milestone, though, will be when the legislature members have a chance to review the details of a proposal and not a press release. Until then, we still cannot say that the Vikings to Los Angeles is dead, or that the new stadium is happening.
[photo via @stribdw, US Presswire]
Previously: It’s an Awful Time to Be a Minnesota Sports Fan
Previously: Video of Metrodome Roof Collapsing