FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Media Alert: Vikings fans express support for White Earth casino plan to fund stadium
The tribe proposes a Twin Cities Casino to answer stadium funding issues
MINNEAPOLIS (FEB 16, 2012) – As Minnesota lawmakers and key stadium constituents fumble over Vikings stadium funding, a shiny new proposal has been brought to the table. Erma Vizenor, Chairwoman of the White Earth Tribe laid down a plan at the Capitol for a Twin Cities casino, which would share revenue with the state 50-50; revenues that would pay for a people’s stadium. In addition to stadium funding, Vizenor’s proposal could provide funding for many other public purposes appealing to many.
Numerous funding options have been disagreed upon and shut down, but the White Earth tribe put a new spin on prior funding initiatives similar to those of Racino. This may just be the golden ticket, and Vikings fans like Cory Merrifield, Founder of SavetheVikes.org are jumping on board.
“As the Minneapolis City Council continues to drag its feet, once again a local community has stepped up to assist in solving the Vikings stadium issue in the 2012 session,” says Merrifield. “We applaud the White Earth Tribe for its desire to collaborate on the stadium issue and creating new jobs for Minnesotans.”
With a time crunch on a stadium deal and a potential re-location of the Vikings, “Fans and the majority of the general public have shown tremendous interest in seeing expanded gaming as part of the financing solution for a new people’s stadium,” explains Merrifield.
What makes this plan unique is the significant presence the White Earth tribe has, representing 60% of the Native American population in Minnesota. Merrifield also points out that, “they are offering something no other Minnesota Tribal Casino has which is to split the revenues of a metro area casino evenly with the State of Minnesota.”
Merrifield commented on his views of the most recent funding plan stating, “SavetheVikes.org supports this solution for the same reason we continue to support Racino-It is self sustainable, creates jobs and keeps the Vikings in Minnesota without a sales, property or general fund tax increase.”
Merrifield will be participating in a press conference at the Capitol in room 125 at 10:30am Thursday, February 16th.
ABOUT: SavetheVikes.org is a grassroots, nonpartisan group dedicated to securing the Vikings a new home in Minnesota. The group is open to many forms of stadium solutions and financing, and is an advocate for keeping the Vikings a Minnesota team. Founder Cory Merrifield created SavetheVikes.org to be for the fans, by the fans. The group is not owned or operated by any company or political organization.
# # #
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 
Sounds great! Just as long as the new gaming facility and the new stadium stay OUT of Hennepin County! That county and mayor rybak are getting too greedy! They already have the Twins and the Wolves. And I wouldlike to point out two things about that. They are NOT the capital city and we have MINNESOTA teams, not minneapolis teams. Share! Just like our parents taught us to do! Its a pain in the butt to HAVE to go into a major city with confusing one way streets just to see one of our teams play. Not to mention spending $50+ to get a good seat and then having to pay $13+ for parking, and THEN probably having to walk almost a mile in downtown from the parking ramp you found. But, if you want to cut into your beer money, you could take the light rail to get there. All I’m saying is Arden Hills site, best idea yet. Hotels, mall, shopping, thousands of new jobs for people that are year round, seven days a week. Instead of metrodome or another downtown stadium that is one day a week and only for a 16 week season. And we don’t even play at home every week. Not to mention a new stadium complex could have a Vikings museum on sight. Might awaken that slumbering Viking inside some that have forgotten Purple Pride! More fans!!!
I hope the Vikings get what they want. Put this casino right next to the new stadium in Arden Hills. Get it done already! Helps build a stadium without raising taxes, helps fund education and health care, creates jobs… If the legislature doesn’t approve this, there’s something severely wrong. I hope this happens so the Vikings would not have to move to Los Angeles.
I’ve been discussing this with my state representative for a couple months now and he is now the sponsor of the bill. This is the proposal that we as viking fans need to get behind. It doesn’t get any simpler or easier that this. There not one negative thing that I see that would outweigh the positives. It keeps casino gambling with the tribes so that should blunt the arguments of the anti gambling expansion crowd a little bit. We won’t have to hear anything from the mindless “no taxes” for anything buffoons. The state will continue to collect real revenue from this casino even after the stadium is paid off, White Earth, the states largest and poorest tribe get a much needed revenue source and we all get to keep the Vikes.
I really hope that they can use a casino to help finance a stadium instead of just taxes. It would make things a lot simpler.
The state legislature had better approve of this proposal by White Earth to build a new casino which will fund a new stadium for the Vikings. This is the state legislature’s last chance. They need to stop giving the middle finger to the Vikings organization and all of their fans. Let’s continue to put the pressure on those in the state legislature so that we can keep the Vikings in Minnesota for many years to come.