Ball 3

This past week, Minnesota lawmakers voted against a proposed stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.   The Vikings current stadium, the Metrodome, has been in disrepair for the past decade or so and the team has been lobbying for a new facility.   Soon after this decision by the legislature, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell flew in to St. Paul to remind them that Los Angeles doesn’t have a team.   That same day, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf’s jet was spotted in LA .   Sure enough, the legislature got a potential stadium deal back on track the next day. The Metrodome after its roof collapsed in a snowstorm There is very little argument against the fact that the Vikings need a new stadium.   However, the NFL is once again exerting its influence to get cities and states to put up public money to aid billion-dollar franchises.   You can’t exactly blame the NFL for this; they are simply doing what is best for the league and its franchises.   But ...

The Minnesota Vikings recently reached a tentative agreement on how their new $975 million stadium will be financed.   Although the deal is still very preliminary and there are many details to be fleshed out, the StarTribune reports that it will look as such: Under the preliminary deal, the city would contribute $150 million in construction costs to the downtown Minneapolis project. The state would add $398 million, while the Vikings would pay $427 million. The city also would pay approximately $180 million in operating costs over the next 30 years, multiple sources close to the negotiations said. With huge numbers getting thrown around, there are bound to be some questions raised.   Why do the Vikings need a stadium that costs nearly a billion dollars?   What benefits does the city get to justify spending tax dollars on a stadium?   And, most importantly, is this deal fair for the taxpayers, the team, and the city? T...