But then again, at least that many people were opposed to public financing of a new Twins baseball stadium back in 2005.
But the GOP-controlled state house of representatives and GOP Governor Tim Pawlenty just about fell all over themselves to kiss the butts of Carl Pohlad and Jerry Bell.
Folks, I can't even begin to tell you how strongly opposed I am about this. Back in 2006, I even stopped giving money to the House Republican Campaign Committee because I didn't want one cent of my money going to any legislator or candidate who supported the Twins Stadium debacle.
Unfortunately, we opened up a Pandora's Box od sorts when the Twins Stadium bill was signed. We can't very well tell The Twins "Yes, we'll pay for a new stadium" and then tell the Vikings "No, we wob;t pay for a new stadium".
Worse yet, what's to stop any other business from coming to the Legislature and saying "Hey, you did it for the Twins and Vikings! I've got a business plan and I want you to fund it as well.
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Based on the precedent set by the president if 66% are against then those 66% must be racist. Therefore you will have the stadium jammed down your throughts.
I’m with you Steve. One thing I would mention is the taxpayers of Hennepin country bought the Pohlads their stadium and not the state as a whole.
If they start building right away, Brett Favre might still be the starting QB - just imaging how magical THAT bit of circus would be!!!
I thought the days of teams holding taxpayers for ransom were over, especially in this economy. Here in Jersey, the Jets and Giants each went half on a $1.1 billion stadium, no taxpayer money involved. What was stopping the Twins and Vikings from doing the same? And what’s the problem with one multi-purpose stadium anyway? It’s not like it NEEDS to look like another Three Rivers or something...
Good luck to you. Hope you have more luck stopping this than we did in the Pittsburgh area. We even had a referendum vote that was, if I remember correctly, 60+% against taxpayer funding of the stadiums. The local pols totally ignored the vote and went ahead with the plan anyway.
Coincidentally, I just got off the phone with a Republican party fundraiser. I told him I won't give money to the party because I don't trust them.
The Astrodome (public financed) still has more
money owed then it cost to build it.
I don’t support public funds for this stuff either. FYI. The guy in LA is ready to turn the shovel if he can get a team to commit. FYI, Minn, San Diego and others.
Go Minnesota! It’s time for every state to stop underwriting professional sports; if owners can afford to pay single players tens of millions, they can finance the playing fields themselves. Get off our backs!!
Perhaps the fact that there are no other businesses in the state whose presence adds immeasurably to the quality of life of millions of people all around the region? It ultimately didn't turn out like we would have liked, but did you happen to notice just a tad of excitement in the area last fall? Did you notice what the vast majority of your neighbors were doing on January 17th and 24th? Do you really not give a whit about that? What's a good term for people that don't care at all about something that is really important to large numbers of their neighbors? And what is a good term for people that actually do enjoy the local team, but for some reason take a stance that seriously jeopardizes the teams continued presence?
I hope all of you no stadium types have never spent a single minute over the last 45-50 years enjoying the Vikings, Twins, North Stars, or Wild. Every single game they've ever played since 1961 has been in a publicly financed stadium. Do you really want to make the case that their entire existences have been illegitimate, and their histories and legacies are some sort of socialist scam to fleece you?
It's really too bad that the whole high end stadium thing has come to the point it has, but the Twin Cities have been getting by on the cheap for a very long time with the Dome. For some ridiculous reason, a few hundred million was sunk into a pathetic college football program nobody cares about that doesn't have the option to leave. The river bank is adorned with an ornate multi-million dollar theater very few people attend and fewer people care about.
Whether or not you personally care about the Vikings, millions of tax payers in high brackets do. Losing them would leave a massive hole in the lives of regular people all over the region, and a 50 year tradition would die. The Vikings have patiently waited their turn while less deserving Teams and artistic snobs have butted in line. Their lease expires soon and they don't have to wait much longer. Just build the damn thing.
I’m sorry..but the idea of an open air baseball stadium in Minnesota is patently ridiculous..