For approximately half of my life, there has been discussion of the Vikings needing a new stadium. It started off idle enough, with chatter in the mid-90s ramping up to a full-on campaign about a decade ago, and finally morphing into hand-wringing hysteria over the last couple of years.
During that time, there was the near-miss on the Anoka County stadium in 2006, which always seemed more about the team thinking it could get a better deal than anything else. A focus of efforts on downtown Minneapolis, where plans to build on the current Metrodome site got scuttled by an inability to secure the required real estate at the right price. A misguided attempt to build a “destination stadium” in a northern suburb based on county tax dollars; the grand majority of which would be footed by a city who wouldn’t be host to the facility (because that always goes over well). And finally, the return to a trio of downtown sites...which ultimately landed things right back where they started at the Dome.
Every one of these course corrections carried with it endless debate about location, tailgating opportunities, infrastructure, and funding plans that ranged from half-baked to absurd. But through it all, the feeling prevailed that it was only a matter of time before things got taken care of. That's how it works with sports facilities, leases expire, economic realities hit home, and push comes to shove. After a bit of hemming and hawing about “misplaced priorities” and “handouts to billionaires”, we’d cave and hand over the few hundred million dollars required to make it happen.
Because this wasn't the Twins, or North Stars, it was the Vikings. The saga that caused this town to lose one team, and have another spend an extra decade playing in a flavorless marshmallow where a day at the ballpark went to die, would not be repeated here. This was the NFL, and the most popular team in town by a landslide. Dealmakers would make things happen to get this done, without the nasty threats of contraction and relocation that hung over past dealings.
Unfortunately, it appears that once again, we're not in for a smooth ride.
Not to say it won't get done, because it will, rest assured. It might be 2017 or 2018 before you see it, but eventually a shiny new billion-dollar palace will be built, complete with screens observable from space, gluttonous food options, and all sorts of other things that will no doubt make a bunch of terrorists hate us.
It just appears that we're going to need a bit of ugliness, some good old threatening and cajoling, to get things to that point.
This isn't a blog about the merits of stadiums, I have my opinions and am not really concerned about convincing anyone who might disagree with them. Some of the spending that goes into these buildings is frivolous and ridiculous, but you know what? So is a lot of other stuff. I find value in this project primarily because I like professional football, and I'm certain that, given a red pen, a copy of the state budget and a couple hours, I could find the cash to pay for it. Perhaps even without any apocalyptic consequences. No promises on that though.
If you disagree, more power to you, write some letters, makes some signs, and dance in the streets when the team finally leaves town. While a bit callous, considering how many people would be losing a cherished part of their personal history should that occur, it is your prerogative.
But you won't get that opportunity, because of two things:
The NFL isn't eager for the Vikings to move to Los Angeles.
If the team and the league can successfully convince the state of Minnesota that they are serious about doing just that, they will cave.
As to the first point, pro sports teams moving is something that stinks, but actually might be warranted here. For the time being, calling that bluff could be a gamble worth taking. The NFL can't be eager to pull a team out of the country's 15th largest media market, even if it will be moving to the 2nd. Perhaps this is a naive viewpoint, and I'm sorely overestimating the importance of this city. But when half the cities in your league are smaller TV markets, and there are some far better candidates to be moved, it is the absolute last option that should be employed.
However, even the last option is still an option, and the fact they may be loathe to employ the scorched-Earth plan doesn't mean I don't think it's a threat. But that reluctance should at least buy time to try a different tack. The problem here, in my view, is that enough cages have not been rattled. While threats are typically not well received, they also appear to be the only thing that truly moves the needle in this area. The Vikings owners and the NFL have been agreeable in their dealings so far, and now it's time for that to end.
It's time for a game of chicken, and as long as the threats are genuine enough, I think the politicians will be the ones to blink.
Perhaps that won't be the case, who knows? In a world where the local hockey team can end up in Dallas, anything is truly possible. We can debate the particulars all we want, but it's not every day that an entity comes along who's willing to invest $400 million in your city. If you want to talk about a proposal that was poorly put together, with too many open questions, that's fine. Go back to the drawing board, find something that's viable, and come back this time next year with a done deal that has broad support.
In the meantime Vikings fans, I know you're annoyed with this, but try not to fret. This will eventually get done, the team isn't going anywhere, my faith in this is unshakable. Unfortunately, as bizarre as it seems, you're going to have to convince them of your intention to burn down the current house, before they'll agree to build you a better one.
I mean, come on, what would Loserville be without the Vikings? They're the crumbling rock that this church was built on. Can't leave, won't leave, now it's just time to convince everyone they're about to.
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