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