state + local

If Gov. Dayton has any consideration for the taxpayers he'll tell the Vikings they'll have to wait until the next Regular Session in January. There are so many problems, questions, and opponents to this proposal that they should just concentrate on the budget and let this sit for 6 months. There's no justification to rush it through in a Special Session for which the taxpayers have to pay extra. It's not unfinished business any more than the 1,700 other proposed bills which never went anywhere during the last session.

Lets get the Racino's, use some of the money to upgrade the roads and kill 2 birds with one stone. No tax increase or additional money from anyone. These upgrades will be used by everyone not just for Viking games.

Enough already! The mere fact that this deal has to be hammered out before the end of the week to be considered an agenda item for a special session of the legislature being called to stop a government shutdown over a 5 Billion Dollar state deficiet should be a solid indicator that as a state we can't really even afford a publically funded stadium at ANY level. The $300 million already on the table should be withdrawn.

Let's get this deal done! The Vikings belong in Minnesota! The 'Dome needs to be replaced. The community needs jobs! Time to invest and get excited about building something that the entire region's businesses and people can benefit from! Bring a SuperBowl back to the Cities. Bring a FinalFour back to the Cities! Skol!

True cost of vikings stadium roads for taxpayers $131 million share with 30 year amortization at 7% interest is: Payments are $871,504 per month multiplied by 12 months per year equals $10,458,055 per year $10,458,055 per year multiplied by 30 years equals $313,741,656 On a cost benefit analysis, $313 million over 30 years there are much better investments then a gridiron playground for billionaire’s franchise and millionaire athletes.

True cost of vikings stadium for Minnesota taxpayers $300 million share with 30 year amortization at 7% interest is: Payments are $1,995,907 per month multiplied by 12 months per year equals $23,950,884 per year $27,942,708 per year multiplied by 30 years equals $718,526,520 On a cost benefit analysis, $838 million over 30 years there are much better investments then a gridiron playground for billionaire’s franchise and millionaire athletes.

True cost of vikings stadium for Ramsey County taxpayers $350 million share with 30 year amortization at 7% interest is: Payments are $2,328,559 per month multiplied by 12 months per year equals $27,942,708 per year $27,942,708 per year multiplied by 30 years equals $838,281,240 On a cost benefit analysis, $838 million over 30 years there are much better investments then a gridiron playground for billionaire’s franchise and millionaire athletes.

Don’t forget amortize the interest!!! No investors will loan the stadium money interest free! Read my previous posts to get an idea of the true cost of vikings stadium and roads for taxpayers when the state’s share or $300 million and Ramsey County’s share of $360 million and the State / county share of $131 million for roads is amortization at the current bond interest rate. This boondoggle for a gridiron playground for billionaire’s franchise and millionaire athletes will cost much more when interest payments are factored in.

Every day on my way home from work about 5:00 PM, I look at westbound 694 and it is backed up bumper to bumper from 35W to 35E. That's like 5 miles of complete gridlock because of inadequate lanes and poor exits/entrances with 35W and Snelling/Highway 10. And they want us to believe that road upgrades are needed because of a Vikings stadium? They say it will add 21,000 cars on Sunday afternoons. Big freaking deal, how about the 100,000 cars that go through there every workday? Even if you add 21,000 cars to normal Sunday afternoon traffic, it's still about 1/3 of the traffic on Monday through Friday. If they are against the Arden Hills site because they would prefer it in Minneapolis or want no public financing at all, then fine, just say so. Those are valid arguments. But to try to blame the stadium for road improvements that are drastically needed anyways, just so they can claim that is a major problem with the Arden Hills site, is a complete cop-out.

The Vikings belong in Minnesota -- I agree, but not at any cost. The Viking have a SUPER sweet deal with Ramsey County -- better than any deal in the history of stadiums....yet they want more??? What I Joke. I've lost all respect for them!