At a time when the Vikings stadium debate is heating up and the 2011 legislative session winds down (62 days as of 3/23/11), where are the other sports teams in Minnesota? During the 2006 legislative session there were 3 stadium bills on the agenda. Two of those three were worked out in a manner benefiting Minny and the teams in question, the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Gophers. One MAJOR reason this was able to be accomplished is the position taken by the Minnesota Vikings at the request of the legislature.
Although the Vikings desire and need for a new stadium was no less important or urgent, the Vikings recognized the importance of those other two teams as assets to the state of Minnesota and our overall quality of life. Therefore at the request of the legislature they tabled their request so that the other two could be completed, which they were that session. The Gophers began play in TCF Bank Stadium in 2009 and the Twins at Target Field in 2010. Both to smashing reviews as to the final product produced for the price, & the convenience and experience for the fans. In fact both are producing higher than expected revenues even with TCF Bank Stadium not allowed to serve alcohol. Both venues have also helped to revitalize the teams and the areas in town where they reside. They have been a huge stimulous in an otherwise down economy.
This brings us back to the Vikings who at the time were promised an opportunity to resolve their situation at a later date. Fast forward to today in 2011 and there still has been no resolution, albeit during one of the worst economies in modern history with many priority issues to address, however we are now at a crossroads due to the continued tabling of this issue. The Vikings lease is up at the conclusion of the 2011 season and they will not renew without their situation being addressed. Additionally the dome collapsed under the weight of a December snowstorm and remains unusable. The Vikings were homeless for 25% of their home games last season and lost huge revenue streams. They were also massively incovenienced and had to relocate to temporary alternate venues, one of which was out of state. On top of this numerous other events were cancelled or relocated as well. Huge revenue streams were lost by all involved including the State of Minnesota.
All of this shows that a new facility not only benefits the Vikings but the whole state of Minnesota and our quality of life with the numerous choices we have. A new venue for the Vikings would not only maintain all this but would in fact enhance it. For proof of this look no further than Indianapolis, a town that pales in comparison to the Twin Cities area. Since they built Lucas Oil Stadium they have been luring numerous events to their area, many previously destined for Minnesota and the Metrodome. The Metrodome however is no longer viewed as a viable venue by anyone outside this state and as a result we are losing lots of revenue and jobs that would be supported by these events.
This brings me back to my point of where are all our other sports teams, ESPESCIALLY those that benefited from the Vikings grace, teamwork and recognition of the bigger picture in what was best for Minnesota. Twins & Gophers, as well as the Wild & T- Wolves it is time to step up to the plate and help hit a home run for the hometown Vikings. They are a valued state asset just as you are and they contributed to your success and promising future, time for you to return the favor. Keeping the Vikings is beneficial to Minny and maintains our quality of life and our position as a leader in this region and country as a whole. They help lure and keep other businesses for Minnesota. This is not the time to be silent it is the time to step up and show you are team players as well and want what is best for Minny long term. Show us, the people of Minnesota, that we were not wrong in our investments in you as teams and institutions and give back to us, join the debate and SAVE THE VIKES!!
To join in showing your support for keeping the #Vikings in Minny, to keep up to date on all the issues and to contact your local legislators for their support of this vital legislation PLEASE VISIT:
Save The Vikes.Org: http://www.savethevikes.org
Minnesota Momentum: http://www.minnesotamomentum.com
Minnesota Vikings: http://www.vikings.com
You can also follow and contact on Twitter (in the order above):
@savethevikesorg
@mnmomentum
@vikingsfootball
PLEASE sign up now and show your support. There are only 62 days remaining in this legislative session as of 3/23/11 and quite possibly to determine the future of the Vikings in Minnesota.
SKOL VIKES!!!
VOYAGEUR COUNTRY PRESS: A comprehensive view of the sports scene in Minny from a fans perspective. Covering local favorites such as the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Golden Gophers & yes even the Minnesota Timberwolves. Updates on MSHSL tournaments, World Cup, Olympics and other major sporting events as appropriate.Stories on life in the outdoors here in Minnesota. Occassional off topic rants are possible when major events outside the sporting world occur.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Wally The Beer Man - NOT GUILTY
In Minneapolis legendary beer vendor Wally "The Beer Man" was found not guilty by a jury of his peers today. His co-defendant in the case Ed Stepnick was however found guilty. The case stemmed from an incident at Target Field last fall towards the end of the 2010 Twins season. Minneapolis Police using undercover minors, slipped them into a group of people purchasing beer from Wally and they were allegedly served and not carded.
Wally "The Beer Man" was reported to have been offered a plea deal where he would have lost his license to sell alcohol for a year but he turned it down. Instead opting to go to jury trial where it all worked out in his favor. The only question remaing is whether he will get his job back, he was immediately suspended when the incident occurred and was not allowed back the remainder of the season. One can only hope that being as we our supposed to trust our justice system and he was found not guilty based on the evidence presented that he would be hired back. Otherwise he would be punished for a crime it was determined he did not commit.
Wally "The Beer Man" was reported to have been offered a plea deal where he would have lost his license to sell alcohol for a year but he turned it down. Instead opting to go to jury trial where it all worked out in his favor. The only question remaing is whether he will get his job back, he was immediately suspended when the incident occurred and was not allowed back the remainder of the season. One can only hope that being as we our supposed to trust our justice system and he was found not guilty based on the evidence presented that he would be hired back. Otherwise he would be punished for a crime it was determined he did not commit.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Big 10 Hockey Is Here
The Big Ten Conference is set to announce on Monday that the conference will add hockey as a sport beginning play in 2013-2014. Currently only five of the conference schools field a team in seperate conferences. The Minnesota Gophers & Wisconsin Badgers play in the WCHA with the Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans and Ohio State Buckeyes playing in the CCHA. The remaining schools either have a club team or no hockey available at all with the exception of the Penn State Nittany Lions which recently announced they will begin fielding mens and womens teams thanks to a generous donation. Penn States entry into hockey was the precursor for the formation of a Big 10 Hockey Conference.
The WCHA will remain strong with North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota-Duluth, Alaska-Anchorage, Minnesota State-Mankato, Bemidji State, Nebraska-Omaha, & Michigan Tech. Minnesota and Wisconsin have also agreed to continue playing WCHA schools on a regular basis in non-conference play which will provide some continuity and maintain old rivalries.
The WCHA will remain strong with North Dakota, Denver, Colorado College, Minnesota-Duluth, Alaska-Anchorage, Minnesota State-Mankato, Bemidji State, Nebraska-Omaha, & Michigan Tech. Minnesota and Wisconsin have also agreed to continue playing WCHA schools on a regular basis in non-conference play which will provide some continuity and maintain old rivalries.
2012 Vikings Season Opener
What a rebound year the Vikings had in 2011 the last year of the Metrodome and Leslie Fraziers first year as head coach. Things are definitely looking up after another successful draft which added more pieces to the puzzle to support the Vikings first franchise QB in well over a decade.
Farmers Insurance Field is probably going to host a playoff game and maybe more if things go right in its first season. The people of Los Angeles have been waiting a long time for the return of the NFL. Lucky for them Minnesotans are ambivolent and have no desire to maintain their resources/assets and are willing to allow other states to cash in on the money and energy they have invested. This is not the first time after all that this has happened. Minnesota allowed the Lakers to leave going into the 60's after they had provided the community multiple NBA Championships. Then Minnesota 3 decades or so later paid exponentially higher amounts of money to get the Timberwolves, yes you heard it right they chose the Timberwolves over the multiple championship winning Lakers and paid more for the pleasure.
They followed that up by allowing the North Stars to leave in 1993 when they were 2 years removed from a Stanley Cup Finals appearance against the Penguins. Minnesota allowed their hockey team to move to of all places Dallas, where Dallas was quickly rewarded with a Stanley Cup Championship in 1999. Minnesota has a rich tradition of allowing other communities to cash in on their success, money spent and on the backs of their hard work then paying exorbinate amounts of money to replace the departed asset once they realize the error of their ways.
Anyway hats off Minnesota the people of Los Angeles are forever grateful to you a 2nd time for allowing us to have one of your teams steeped in rich tradition and to reap your rewards. Enjoy the cold Minnesota winters while we enjoy your team and the money pumped into the LA economy, by the way we are more than willing to accomodate the exodus of businesses and jobs due to your complacency and narcisism.
Quick rewind to the present and current reality in case you havent figured out that this is a potential scenario when the Vikings leave if we do not address the stadium situation in the next 65 days and counting as of 3/20/11. There are numerous potential options to resolve this without taking general fund money or imposing statewide taxes. Most scenarios are proposing using racino funds, user fees, Vikings lottery scratch offs, Vikings license plates, hospitality taxes on businesses benefiting from existence of Vikings, etc....These are just a couple examples, bottom line is we need our legislators to sit down and talk to find a solution that works for the Vikings and more importantly for us.
Whether people want to admit it or not the Vikings are an asset to Minny. They are responsible for over $20 million in tax revenue annually which is expected to jump to between $25-30 million in a new venue. Additionally Vikings fans and vistiors would pump over $145 million into the local economy every year. There would be over 13000 jobs supported during the construction of this venue with $300 million of its costs used to pay wages. This would result in tax revenue going back into the general fund as well as putting people to work in a down economy.
This is just a snapshot of the benefits to Minny and there are many more. To help find a solution to this issue so we can keep OUR Vikings where they belong, & resolve this issue once and for all in a manner benefiting Minny please visit the following organizations to sign up and show your support and to contact your legislators:
Save The Vikes: www.savethevikes.org or on Twitter @savethevikesorg
Minnesota Momentum: www.minnesotamomentum.com or on Twitter @mnmomentum
Vikings Football: www.vikings.com
Farmers Insurance Field is probably going to host a playoff game and maybe more if things go right in its first season. The people of Los Angeles have been waiting a long time for the return of the NFL. Lucky for them Minnesotans are ambivolent and have no desire to maintain their resources/assets and are willing to allow other states to cash in on the money and energy they have invested. This is not the first time after all that this has happened. Minnesota allowed the Lakers to leave going into the 60's after they had provided the community multiple NBA Championships. Then Minnesota 3 decades or so later paid exponentially higher amounts of money to get the Timberwolves, yes you heard it right they chose the Timberwolves over the multiple championship winning Lakers and paid more for the pleasure.
They followed that up by allowing the North Stars to leave in 1993 when they were 2 years removed from a Stanley Cup Finals appearance against the Penguins. Minnesota allowed their hockey team to move to of all places Dallas, where Dallas was quickly rewarded with a Stanley Cup Championship in 1999. Minnesota has a rich tradition of allowing other communities to cash in on their success, money spent and on the backs of their hard work then paying exorbinate amounts of money to replace the departed asset once they realize the error of their ways.
Anyway hats off Minnesota the people of Los Angeles are forever grateful to you a 2nd time for allowing us to have one of your teams steeped in rich tradition and to reap your rewards. Enjoy the cold Minnesota winters while we enjoy your team and the money pumped into the LA economy, by the way we are more than willing to accomodate the exodus of businesses and jobs due to your complacency and narcisism.
Quick rewind to the present and current reality in case you havent figured out that this is a potential scenario when the Vikings leave if we do not address the stadium situation in the next 65 days and counting as of 3/20/11. There are numerous potential options to resolve this without taking general fund money or imposing statewide taxes. Most scenarios are proposing using racino funds, user fees, Vikings lottery scratch offs, Vikings license plates, hospitality taxes on businesses benefiting from existence of Vikings, etc....These are just a couple examples, bottom line is we need our legislators to sit down and talk to find a solution that works for the Vikings and more importantly for us.
Whether people want to admit it or not the Vikings are an asset to Minny. They are responsible for over $20 million in tax revenue annually which is expected to jump to between $25-30 million in a new venue. Additionally Vikings fans and vistiors would pump over $145 million into the local economy every year. There would be over 13000 jobs supported during the construction of this venue with $300 million of its costs used to pay wages. This would result in tax revenue going back into the general fund as well as putting people to work in a down economy.
This is just a snapshot of the benefits to Minny and there are many more. To help find a solution to this issue so we can keep OUR Vikings where they belong, & resolve this issue once and for all in a manner benefiting Minny please visit the following organizations to sign up and show your support and to contact your legislators:
Save The Vikes: www.savethevikes.org or on Twitter @savethevikesorg
Minnesota Momentum: www.minnesotamomentum.com or on Twitter @mnmomentum
Vikings Football: www.vikings.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)