Reports started coming in fast and furious yesterday that the City of Minneapolis, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commissioner Ted Mondale and the Minnesota Vikings may have found the formula to a stadium package to present to the Minneapolis City Council and ultimately the Minnesota Legislature.
All of this on the same day the Vikes announced they are not filling for relocation, at this time. With several news sources announcing a deal could be close; the team could be feeling optimistic about its chances of getting a deal done on the Metrodome site.
1500 ESPN: Vikings optimistic financing plan for stadium will be ready in days
Star Tribunes @RochelleOlson on Twitter:
#Vikings VP Bagley says deal must be reached soon as Legislature is in week 4 of 10-week session
#Vikings VP Bagley says team close to deal on Metrodome site – contingent on state and city approval.
And that City approval is exactly what SavetheVikes.org has been working on over the last week. The fan group has been urging citizens of Minneapolis to contact their City Council member asking for their support. In order to get this bill into committee at the Capitol, it’s going to need seven votes from the thirteen person panel.
If you are a citizen of Minneapolis or work in Minneapolis please use the handy tool below to contact your City Council member. If you have friends, family or coworkers in Minneapolis please send to them encouraging them to do the same.
While there are other suitors outside Minneapolis who would like to have the stadium built on their proposed sites, which may in fact be better, the greatest chance of the Vikings getting a stadium bill passed in the 2012 Legislative session is to partner with Minneapolis. It is our opinion that if we get through the 2012 Legislative session and the Vikings do not have a stadium solution, they will file for relocation to Los Angeles. The next eligible team to move is the St. Louis Rams in 2014, hence the Vikings would seize their opportunity to sell the team in January of 2013.
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has put forward a plan that would require no new taxes from the local partner and would utilize existing revenue streams to the City. His plan will bring down property taxes to the residents, assist with renovations to Target Center which the City owns and help Minneapolis retain the Convention Center Tax revenue that would otherwise go back to the state.
This is the final chance for Minneapolis to act. Just last week, Governor Dayton expressed frustration with the Council’s unwillingness to act swiftly saying “I understand why the Vikings walked away from Minneapolis”.
With the Metrodome lease having expired there is nothing keeping the Vikings in Minnesota, unless they get a new stadium.
Founder and author of SavetheVikes.org. Born and raised in MN, Cory has been a lifelong Vikings fan. Season ticket holder, stop by and see him in section 218! cory.merrifield@savethevikes.org 
Why push this through at an hour when it isn’t completely excepted that this location (downtown) is viable. I would hope that they consider purchasing enough property to expand the area and make it a big enough attraction for everyone to enjoy…young and old.