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.
To me, the quality of life are safe and driveable roads, not subsidizing palaces for the ultra-wealthy who can afford to build it on their own.
As for the vast majority of my neighbors on January 17th and January 24th, I honestly have to say that I don’t give a f___. If that vast majority wants to contact Zygi Wilf and offer to pony up about $50,000 a piece, maybe Wilf will let them in as junior partners and it’ll save the taxpayers from having to pony up.
Your assumption (of me) that just because Metropolitan Stadium and Target Center were built with public money makes them (and the teams that play there) illegitimate or a socialist scam is nothing more than a fallacy. There is nothing in what I previously stated in which you can claim this. Nothing.
This state survived when the North Stars left. It would have survived if the Twins had left and it’ll most certainly survive if the Vikings leave.
Just build the damn thing.