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You never know Rastak, Mcmahon might turn out to be the next big thing in Minnesota, like Sean Salsibury.
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"Litre is French, for give me some f*ckin cola!" -
In regards to the stadium, I don't think its as rosy as Rastak made it out to be. I guess it depends on who you talk to. I live in the TC and the voices I hear aren't as optimistic and even less supportive. The majority of people just don't want to pay for it. Here's an article...
Vikings rethink stadium game plan
Team says alternatives to Blaine site needed after rejection by lawmakers
BY BOB SHAW
Pioneer Press
The Minnesota Vikings are renewing their vow to build a stadium, though not necessarily in Anoka County.
After the team suffered a stinging setback at the state Capitol to its $790 million stadium proposal, a Vikings spokesman said Tuesday that the plan in Blaine might be too bogged down by politics to be viable.
"We have a great partnership with Anoka County, but we need a Plan B and Plan C. Mr. Wilf is very much a Plan B and Plan C kind of guy," said Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley, referring to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf. "There may not be an opportunity in Anoka County. Things change."
Bagley wouldn't say what other sites might be considered for a Vikings stadium.
The Vikings were left out of legislation that will provide stadiums for the Minnesota Twins and the University of Minnesota. But Bagley was encouraged by one little-noticed provision approved by the Legislature that would earmark most of the proceeds from the sale of the Metrodome site to a Vikings stadium.
Vikings officials estimate the downtown Minneapolis site would be worth about $45 million. Of that, the first $5 million would go toward the Twins stadium, and the rest would go toward the state's share of a Vikings stadium.
"We see that as a down payment," said Bagley.
Bagley said another reason for hope was that the bill rejected a referendum on a 0.15 percent sales tax to cover Hennepin County's share of the new Twins stadium in downtown Minneapolis.
Bagley assumes the Vikings will get the same break.
"There is definitely a precedent set by the Twins," he said.
Still, the state's rejection of the Vikings stadium left Blaine Mayor Tom Ryan and other supporters discouraged.
"It's pretty disgusting to have it end this way," Ryan said. "It's sad. This has been four years of work for us."
And despite the Vikings' optimism, plans for an Anoka County stadium face several complications, most notably a fight over the public's right to vote on a stadium tax.
Public opposition to a proposed Anoka County tax increase appears to be stronger than in Hennepin County, in part because the Anoka plan assumes a 0.75 percent sales tax  five times more than the tax for the Twins stadium.
Various polls have shown support for a referendum on the tax as high as 80 percent, and four cities have passed resolutions supporting such a vote.
Stadium backers admit that voters probably would turn down a stadium tax, but they say similar large projects have used public money without voter approval.
The Anoka County Board of Commissioners has supported imposing the tax without a referendum. The tax would pay the county's one-third share of the stadium's cost, with the remainder coming from the state and the team.
The two naysayers on the board  Rhonda Sivarajah and Jim Kordiak  have supported a referendum.
"I am not against the Vikings, but I want that vote," Sivarajah said. "I am not fond of public subsidies for stadiums. The owners could be building them on their own."
Four of the seven Anoka County Board members face elections in the fall. Although no new pro-referendum candidates have emerged, Sivarajah said, "I certainly have heard murmurings."
Bagley said that if the county decides to put the tax to voters, the proposal would die.
"If the political will evaporates, we have got to be prepared," he said.
Another worry is county funding for lobbying and public education.
The county has spent $600,000 on the stadium effort and earmarked an additional $300,000 for "mega-projects," including the stadium.
Stadium supporters talked about that money and the sales tax revenue as seed money  creating 13,000 temporary and long-term jobs and millions of dollars in annual tax revenue.
But in a year when the county is making cutbacks in its human services budget for such programs as child protection, Sivarajah is balking.
"On one hand we say we need to make these reductions, but on the other we have money to dump into studies and promotions for the Vikings," she said.
Control of the land also might be a problem.
Wilf and the Vikings have options to buy about half the land on the 740-acre site. Development on the other half is blocked by a city building moratorium  which expires in September.
It could be extended, Ryan said, depending on how the Blaine City Council votes. The mayor said three council members are up for re-election in November, but he didn't think their stands on the stadium would make much difference in city support.
One of the biggest landowners on the site said acquisition of the property by the Vikings wouldn't be a problem, as long as the moratorium were in place.
"If they have a moratorium, where else are we going to go?" asked Rick Wilder, owner of the Metro Gun Club, which sits on 140 acres at the site.
Although he hasn't agreed to sell to the Vikings, Wilder said he was satisfied by the initial contacts with the team. He said he would sell for the right price, but he can't predict what will happen.
"You are in the dark, I am in the dark, everyone's in the dark," Wilder said.
Bob Shaw can be reached at bshaw@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5433.Receive thy new Possessor: One who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.
"Paradise Lost"-John MiltonComment
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"In regards to the stadium, I don't think its as rosy as Rastak made it out to be. I guess it depends on who you talk to. I live in the TC and the voices I hear aren't as optimistic and even less supportive. The majority of people just don't want to pay for it. Here's an article..."
Oh I think it is Jack. Things are lined up pretty well. If they don't screw it up it should get approved next year...I'm more confident in that than in any year since this came up.
Not sure when that was written but there will be no referendum, that was agreed to in the Twins bill. Twins rank far behind the Vikings in popularity. The hardest stuff has been done, They still need the votes of course, but next year is not an election year. I've followed this pretty closely as you can imagine.
Things aren't done yet but they are rosier than ever.Comment
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I still live in the Twin Cities too, well at least for another week or so. I've heard the same as JackSmirk, mostly negative. Rastak seems optimistic. I'm not so sure. What the hell do I care, the dome just gives me another reason to rip them.
"Litre is French, for give me some f*ckin cola!"Comment
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The votes, from my understanding, that's the issue. Some think that they'll never get the votes. Rastak would know better than I though, he gives a shit.Originally posted by Rastak
"Litre is French, for give me some f*ckin cola!"Comment
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This was written a week ago Rastak. Pioneer Press. You must have some rose-colored glasses because everything I hear supports the point that people won't support a stadium tax. The legislature "slipped" the piece you're excited about without many people knowing. That's not a solid foundation; that's a hoodwink.Originally posted by Rastak
tylerReceive thy new Possessor: One who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.
"Paradise Lost"-John MiltonComment
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Originally posted by Murphy37The votes, from my understanding, that's the issue. Some think that they'll never get the votes. Rastak would know better than I though, he gives a shit.Originally posted by Rastak
It isn't a slam dunk but it looks good right now...you know politics, it could change.....I refuse to worry about it.....bring on the preseason.....Comment
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I think that's the big concern. Pawlenty and the administration are supporters of the stadium. If the Republicans are removed from the high offices, I think you'll hear a different song. It's all about politics. Truly, if the Dems regain the majority, then I think this will be put to bed again.Originally posted by RastakOriginally posted by Murphy37The votes, from my understanding, that's the issue. Some think that they'll never get the votes. Rastak would know better than I though, he gives a shit.Originally posted by Rastak
It isn't a slam dunk but it looks good right now...you know politics, it could change.....I refuse to worry about it.....bring on the preseason.....
As with Murph, I don't really care.......so long as my MN tax dollars don't have to fund it.
tylerReceive thy new Possessor: One who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.
"Paradise Lost"-John MiltonComment
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Originally posted by jacks smirking revengeI think that's the big concern. Pawlenty and the administration are supporters of the stadium. If the Republicans are removed from the high offices, I think you'll hear a different song. It's all about politics. Truly, if the Dems regain the majority, then I think this will be put to bed again.Originally posted by RastakOriginally posted by Murphy37The votes, from my understanding, that's the issue. Some think that they'll never get the votes. Rastak would know better than I though, he gives a shit.Originally posted by Rastak
It isn't a slam dunk but it looks good right now...you know politics, it could change.....I refuse to worry about it.....bring on the preseason.....
As with Murph, I don't really care.......so long as my MN tax dollars don't have to fund it.
tyler
Well your support of the Twins stadium with your tax dollars is appreceated Jack....LOLComment
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It's not like I had any say with that one either... I'm not against the Twins or the Vikes personally. I just am wholeheartedly against a multi-millionaire owner having his stadium partially paid for by public money and then wreaping the profits for the next couple of decades from the stadium public money helped build. Perhaps a discussion for another thread.Originally posted by RastakOriginally posted by jacks smirking revengeI think that's the big concern. Pawlenty and the administration are supporters of the stadium. If the Republicans are removed from the high offices, I think you'll hear a different song. It's all about politics. Truly, if the Dems regain the majority, then I think this will be put to bed again.Originally posted by RastakOriginally posted by Murphy37The votes, from my understanding, that's the issue. Some think that they'll never get the votes. Rastak would know better than I though, he gives a shit.Originally posted by Rastak
It isn't a slam dunk but it looks good right now...you know politics, it could change.....I refuse to worry about it.....bring on the preseason.....
As with Murph, I don't really care.......so long as my MN tax dollars don't have to fund it.
tyler
Well your support of the Twins stadium with your tax dollars is appreceated Jack....LOL
In the near future, I'll research the Twins stadium bill further to see how I can minimize my financial support of it. I don't know the specifics right now, but I will.
tylerReceive thy new Possessor: One who brings
A mind not to be chang'd by Place or Time.
The mind is its own place, and in it self
Can make a Heav'n of Hell, a Hell of Heav'n.
"Paradise Lost"-John MiltonComment
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I've been waiting for you to admit it.Originally posted by Rastak
To much of a good thing is an awesome thing
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Totally agree, I'm bored silly with this talk....
so how bout them Packers?Comment
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Re: .::.
If your original point was Rodgers is better than Johnson then I still contend you are dead assed wrong. Now McMahon doesn't do anything for me so I'd rather have a Tedford project than something I know isn't any good. And something I know is a one year stop gap.Originally posted by Jpopp
At least Green Bay would find out what they had if Favre went down with an ACL or something. Minnesota would just waste their year with McMahon. IMHO.Comment
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This was my Original point:
B. Johnson-38 years old and not gifted with a great arm
Mike McMahon-no talent assclown
J.T. o'Sullivan-Packer reject and no talent assclown #2
Tarvaris Jackson-who?
This is a new point:
You wish you had Aaron RodgersTo much of a good thing is an awesome thing
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Re: .::.
1) Don't put words in my mouth.Originally posted by Jpopp
2) Only if he was free, you can have him for a 1st round pick.Comment
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