For those who have never been to the dome, here is an example of the crowded hallways. Time to eliminate fire hazards and the impedance on commerce and overall fan experience! PHOTO: Kristi Johnson
Guest Author: Josh Hewitt
I’ve heard it a few times in the past several months. People are saying that financing a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings would be nothing short of “Corporate Welfare”.
Corporate Welfare?
Step back for a moment and look at the facts: Our stadium will be publicly owned. Minnesota taxpayers won’t be giving Zygi Wilf a dime.
Of course, the new stadium will benefit the Vikings, but it will also benefit the public. The current Dome is used 300+ days a year. 8-10 of those days are Vikings games. The rest are youth athletic events, concerts, trade shows, conventions, military training, and other public events.
Perhaps you think that these events don’t need a new venue, but it would be hard to argue that they won’t benefit from one. The fact is that all stadium activities would benefit from better restroom facilities, larger concourses, better seating, etc.
Some of you may argue that you don’t and won’t attend Vikings games or other events, so why pinch your pocket?
Because it supports our community.
There are many public services that we don’t use on a daily basis, or maybe even at all, that benefit the overall good. For example, currently, I don’t use the rail system, go to the Guthrie, or have school age children. Yet I help finance our light rail, the Guthrie, and public education.
And I’m glad to help finance these expenses, because it benefits our community.
The Vikings have been a Minnesota institution for nearly fifty years. That’s fifty years of tailgating, fifty years of touchdowns, fifty years of tradition. They are a huge part of our cultural identity. They are a huge part of our lives.
Perhaps you don’t like the idea of building a new stadium for the man who currently owns the team. But we have to remember that owners change over time. This isn’t an expenditure for Mr. Wilf, this is an expenditure for the franchise. And it is an investment for us in keeping tax dollars, tourism dollars, and their tangential businesses in Minnesota, for the benefit of Minnesota.
In the end, building a new stadium is an investment we have to make. We must keep the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota. It is essential to our economy. And a priceless investment in our community.
– Josh Hewitt VIKESSTADIUM on Twitter
Josh, you hit on a ton of great points. Also, look at all the jobs that will be lost, all the tax dollars that won’t be coming in, all the charitable work the team does in the community, that will likely end. These are serious considerations that must be taken into account when deciding the fate of our NFL football team. A new stadium for the Vikings to play in here in Minnesota has more benefit and upside than any of the other Minnesota team’s new facilities. This is NOT a difficult decision to make. It MUST get done, as Josh said, for our community.
Yes, it must get done!! I just wrote a five page essay for my college writing class on why the vikes should get a new stadium and what it would do for our community. I am a huge football fan, and I love the vikings. I would be crushed if they were to leave. I am 28 yrs. old, and have been watching the viking since I can remember. Whatever I can do to help, I will. Please let me know!!
Damn straight! Of course, the light-loafered libs will cry about “priorities” and how the poor are losing the little medical insurance they have, but you have to ask yourself: what does the MinnesotaCare plan do for our culture? Nothing! The people getting kicked off this plan can’t possibly do anything but drag down out Quality of Life, whereas the Vikings are an important cultural asset, along with our bars, shopping malls and bowling alleys. Not only that: think of the sick and poor people with depression who won’t be able to buy their meds because Of TimPaw’s vetoes…the Vikings can cheer these people up as well as Prozac any time. Hell, we’ll ALL be depressed if the Vikings leave.
As I was reading on nfl.com about the stadium issue a few great points need to be brought out on this subject. The NFL has said, “there will be football in MN, whether it be the Vikings, a relocation team or a future expansion team. The MN football legacy is too large to NOT have football in MN and whether it’s paid for my corporate, the taxpayers or someone else there will be football in MN so WHY not keep the Vikings since there will be football anyways”. Why would us fans want to lose them and then go after another team is my question ??? We just as well suck it up, get a new stadium and keep our beloved Vikings now and forever. The NFL also went on to say that it upsets the entire league when states have team shakeups, etc such as this one.
Alot of great points as well about jobs, other events hosted there, etc…….so let’s do what we can to make it happen.
Agreed. Pull your head out of the sand, approve it, build it, and support it. Period.
Another aspect to look at is what will happen to the Metrodome if the Vikings lose. The Pontiac Silverdome was unable to create enough revenue to maintain it after the NFL left. Do those who say “let the Vikings leave” really think the Metrodome will be open long after they go?
Is anyone going to Pay for this Stadium? Im not hating or anything but until Somebody steps up and says I’ll play for a New Stadium the Vikings are more than likely moving to LA. Its a bigger market and everything