Twins Stadium

Give me one GOOD reason why they don’t want a tax referendum voted on. Other then it would not pass.

I doubt this proposal will go to the public for a vote as it is now. I do not think the Vikings will allow their stadium initiative to be tied into the Twins stadium proposal, or the light transit, which just about everybody is opposed to.

I know this much, if we do end up loosing any of our sports franchises, this state will be the laughing stock of the entire country.

By the way, for those of you who are so opposed to any more taxes, what if the “Dedicated Funding Bill” for natural resources goes to the people to vote on, and is the version for the increased tax instead of the reapportioned exsisting tax, will you vote against it, and kill any chance to ever have dedicated funding for our natural resources?

Here is an Economic Impact Study that was done to show the state how much the Viking’s stadium proposal will effect the state.

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This was posted on the Vikings site.

http://www.vikings.com/news_d…t5306.html

VIKINGS OWNER ZYGI WILF AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT REVEAL
ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF STADIUM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

On Wednesday, May 3, Vikings Owner and Project Developer Zygi Wilf and McComb Group President Jim McComb presented the results of a recently completed economic impact study of Northern Lights – Minnesota’s Sports, Retail and Entertainment Center.

Within the presentation, Mr. Wilf described his vision of the project, which includes $1 billion in private investment from the Vikings. He also cited the importance of reaching a stadium solution during the 2006 legislative session.

“This is a tremendous economic development opportunity for the city of Blaine, Anoka County, the Twin Cities area and the entire state of Minnesota,” Wilf said. “The Vikings are offering to invest $1 billion in private capital toward a development that will add thousands of jobs, bring in millions of visitors each year, and build the north metro area’s infrastructure. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that deserves to be given a fair chance during this session.”

Wilf then introduced Mr. McComb, a real estate and economic development consultant, who detailed the findings of his company’s analysis and the expected return on investment from the Vikings’ development plan. McComb referred to four impact areas, including total investment, development square feet, construction period impacts and annual economic impacts.

“This stadium development project brings a tremendous return on investment for the State of Minnesota,” said McComb. “The project will deliver approximately 4,300 construction jobs, 6,900 permanent jobs in a variety of fields, $33.1 million dollars in annual sales tax proceeds, and $15.8 million in property taxes.”

Senator Don Betzold (DFL-Fridley), Representative Andy Westerberg (R-Blaine) and Anoka County Commissioner Dan Erhart also attended the presentation.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS MINNESOTA’S SPORTS, RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

TOTAL INVESTMENT – $ 1,533,519,700
Stadium – $ 674,746,600
Private Sector Development – $ 857,773,100

DEVELOPMENT AREA – 3,960,400 sq. ft.

CONSTRUCTION PERIOD IMPACTS
Annual Construction – Jobs 4,313 jobs
Total Construction Payroll – $ 706,845,500
Sales Taxes – $ 34,611,400

ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Employment* – 6,916 jobs
Payroll* – $ 215,326,200
Sales Taxes – $ 33,136,700
Property Taxes – $ 15,808,200

* Excludes Minnesota Vikings

Now how can anyone say that helping the Vikings build this stadium is a bad thing to do?

I think the fact that it was done by the Vikings ownership is a testiment to it’s validity. It doesn’t mention anything about the long term impact on the taxpayers of Anoka County, nor does it mention anything about the infastructure costs to the residents of Anoka County, nor does it mention the long term tax implication of the surrounding area of the stadium. It surely doesn’t mention the income impact it will have for the Vikings owner. Just some thoughts………I guess it is just how you look at things…and of course if you aren’t a resident of Anoka county you can believe what you want.

The thing I have a problem with is this. A stadium that seats probably about 65,000. What percentage of that is the “total” audience, when compared to Television & Radio. I’m guessing around 1 or 2 percent, lower at a tuesday twins game with 13,000 butts in the seats. Isn’t most revenue created through media outlets and sales of licensed items like apparels ? Seems like, they want the public to pay so some owners of “HUGE” business can have top of the line sky boxes. As long as the grass is nice, thats what I see on TV. Isn’t the stadium just the “set” that this game is played out on ? Most “sets” are props and cardboard, I for one do not think you need this elaborate stadium for 1 to 2 percent of the audience. JMO. Stadiums don’t win championships, defense does. Vikings, get one & don’t worry about the building.

big g

Well Joe, if things stay as Jon has described, a 7 county metro tax bill, we all will have something to say about it and pay for when it gets passed.

An interesting note……Not that I’m a big Sid Hartman fan, but I did take a minute to read his column this AM and he had something in there I found interesting. According to his column, only the ownership groups of the Yankee’s, Met’s, Giant’s, and Cardinals have ever paid more for a stadium development than what Pohlad is putting on the table here. Thats a huge contribution for the owner of one of the smallest market franchises in the league.

Jack, I assume these aren’t new jobs, other than the initial construction. Also, private business will suffer, where the stadium is moved from, to where it will be. In a sense, moving the money around. I would assume that alot of the jobs will be relocated to the new stadium, not neccessarily creating new jobs.

big g

What about the downtown development once the dome is gone? Have you guys noticed that Minneapolis isn’t asking for any of those teams to stay in the Dome. Because they want the Dome gone from downtown. They want that developed into retail and business space and earning tax revenue. The state wants to see the sports pie spread around also. Twins in Minneapolis, Wild in St.Paul, Gophers on Campus, and the Vikings in Blaine, and all conected by light rail!!

All everyone is saying is that they don’t want to build new stadiums. It is obvious that most people do understand that not only was the Dome a huge mistake to build in the first place, but replacing it is going to be more painfull. The Dome does not fit any teams needs, less lone any combination of those teams.

If we had handled this problem correctly 23 years ago, we wouldn’t be dealing with it again today.

Agreed.

big g

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The Dome does not fit any teams needs, less lone any combination of those teams.

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No one will be saying that while sitting outside watching basball during a cold April rain or football in a December snowstorm.

Amen, we’ll probably hear the teams saying the same thing about any NEW stadiums built, in about 20 or so years…

big g

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The Dome does not fit any teams needs, less lone any combination of those teams.

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No one will be saying that while sitting outside watching basball during a cold April rain or football in a December snowstorm.

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Some of my fondest memories are of watching Vikings games at the old Met Stadium during a snowstorm! What a treat. That’s how football was meant to be played.
I won’t tell you about fond memories of watching the Twins play in the rain during April though…

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Well Joe, if things stay as Jon has described, a 7 county metro tax bill, we all will have something to say about it and pay for when it gets passed.

An interesting note……Not that I’m a big Sid Hartman fan, but I did take a minute to read his column this AM and he had something in there I found interesting. According to his column, only the ownership groups of the Yankee’s, Met’s, Giant’s, and Cardinals have ever paid more for a stadium development than what Pohlad is putting on the table here. Thats a huge contribution for the owner of one of the smallest market franchises in the league.

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Well if you believe anything of what Sid says………….
Pohlad is one of the richest owners in baseball.
Pohlad will not allow a stadium to be built without a dome on it. Period end of discussion, it will not happen.
Pohlad is still licking his wounds over the failed Victory sports deal, which had it worked would have given him his leverage to extort the whole cost of the stadium from us.

As for this crap about being a small market,enough already. Last I heard the twin cities is like the 13th largest tv market in the country.
After winning the world series the Twins drew 3 million plus people.
The luxery tax being paid to the Twins is going into Carl’s pocket to finance the campaigne to get a stadium.

The rumors are now starting about moving the Twins or MLB buying them. See ya.

If Carl was less of a low life I would be on the stadium bandwagon. This guy is a self centered , egotistical, caniving,liar.

He makes Norm Green & Red McCombs look like saints.

Not one penny of my money will he get.

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Not one penny of my money will he get.

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Yoda reference?

If you believe that I have some good news for you. The Muskie’s are going nuts on the French, slip bobbers, #4 red hook tipped with corn.

Hang on they fight!!

13 billion dollar proposal. 1 billion for the stadiums and 12 billion for a new choo-choo train.

Give these idiots an inch and they take a mile and a half….

This bill will never pass. Pawlenty has already said no.

-J.

By the time these proposed projects would be finished that 13 billion will be grossly inflated with cost over-runs.

Our kids will finish paying for this.

First of all, whose the idiot that threw the tranportation wrench in the bill? I’ll be happy to campaign against him/her. They got their little choo-choo train on Hiawatha, enough already. Talk about a waste of money.

I think this is it then. I say if we don’t move, let them go now. That way, the 10 year wait begins sooner rather than later. The 10 year wait of when new franchises come here to their new buildings we built, because apparently we didn’t learn from letting the NHL go.

You don’t think any other city in the Us would dream of having a private investor come in and say they were going to spend $1 billion? By the way, it sure is moving money around. If not in this state, then Ziggy will do it somewhere else. Think of it as getting an influx of East Coast money.

And for those of you who hate the idea of Zig making money, that’s capitalism. He’s investing money that there is no gaurantee he will profit from.

This is another case of politicians playing their games. The Democrates are doing their best to make sure no stadium bill gets passed while there is a republican in the govonors office. If they can’t get their light rail bill passed, they say…”then lets throw it onto the stadium bill and that way the Republicans take the blame for nothing happening and when we get back in control we can make ourselves out to be the saving heros”!!

Lawyers and politicians…if it weren’t for either of them, we wouldn’t need either of them!

Jack,

I am not a lawyer or a politician, but I would do all I could to stop this crap. I think most of the people that don’t want their money to go for this would do the same. I also think that whatever political side of the isle you are on, makes no difference….”WE DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR A STADIUM” plain and simple. I DO NOT WANT MY MONEY SPENT THAT WAY……………Pretty plain and simple

Correct me if I’m wrong……..
Didn’t Ziggy state he didn’t want stadium money. I’m pretty sure he said that right after he bought the Vikings.

So glad to hear Ziggy intends to invest 1 billion in addition to the 600 million he paid for the Vikings.

Ziggy will prove to be no different then Red or Carl. He will get his hand out just as quick as they did.

This debate is not about a Viking stadium, it’s about GIVING Pohlad a new stadium.
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So will one of you pro stadium guy’s post the quote where Carl agree’s to put up $130 million for a stadium with no roof.

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Did you know according to Forbes Magazine that the Pohlad companies are valued at over 2 billion dollars, enough to build all the stadiums. If stadiums are such a great deal why won’t he build his own?

Well I am pro stadium. I do not know about any quotes. I know how much Carl is worth and I could care less. Just don’t want to lose the Twins or the Vikings. The Gophers play for a “SCHOOL” they should be happy with what they have.

Seems like things are pretty bad for some people if this is what they have to worry about.

Funny how guys are dying everyday over seas. Our wonderful presadork is going to have us in a 12 TRILLION debt by the time he is done.

Why don’t we push our efforts to something that matters like getting our boys and girls home?

Telling people to ignore one issue because another exists is one of the best ways I know to make sure NOTHING ever gets done. Involved and motivated people just don’t work that way.

What did I start her, this thread has been going strong for a while. I still support the Twins Stadium. Thanks guy’s for all the view’s expressed on this post.

Well Mr. Holst I would just agrue that there are more logical arguments to focus my attention towards. However, that does not mean that a person with ideas and views which are different from yours does not want to get “involved”…..

Hence the box idea. There is a box in which we all think in and out of. Some have a different box. Some no box at all.

The Twins Stadium passes the conference committe, with the house version, .03 on every $20. We are allmost home with this new ballpark.

Well, if it gets done, then our elected officials can say they did something, even if some of us think it is wrong. Nothing else got done.Typical………..

” TOUCH EM ALL !!!”

HEY! I thought this was long over with!

Didn’t the Twins move down south someplace???

Take me out to the ball game.
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack.
I don’t care if I ever get back.
Let me root, root, root for the home team,
If they don’t win it’s a shame!
For it’s one, two, three strikes you’re out,
At the old ball game!

And my favorite:

We’re going to win Twins
We’re going to score
We’re going to win Twins
Watch that baseball soar
Crack out a home run
Shout a hip-ho-rae
Cheer for the Minnesota Twins today

Their game seems to have “moved south”…….sheeeeesh are they bad or what?….Kind of funny..if they keep playing like they are, stadium or not…….Well, have you heard the old saying “We had a party and nobody showed up”……