Vikings to Arden Hills? IX -- Mighty Coleman Strikes Out

The Vikings want to build a stadium in Arden Hills. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman has a different idea:

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman floated a jumbo-sized plan Wednesday that would address Minnesota's stadium dilemma with a new statewide tax of 2 cents per alcoholic drink while keeping the Vikings in Minneapolis and moving pro basketball to St. Paul.

Coleman said his plan would raise $48 million a year for sports facilities. He said a Vikings plan to move to Ramsey County doesn't make sense; his plan would not move the team but send the Timberwolves and the Lynx to St. Paul to share the Xcel Energy Center with the Wild. Target Center in downtown Minneapolis would become a practice facility.

Coleman also would use the per-drink tax at bars and restaurants to build a St. Paul Saints ballpark in Lowertown and upgrade recreation facilities throughout the state.

The Vikings say:

"We're going to Arden Hills," Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley said repeatedly.

The Timberwolves say:

Timberwolves Vice President Ted Johnson said, "We are very happy with our home in Minneapolis. We continue to believe that the best path forward is the sensible solution of renovating Target Center."

Meanwhile, across the river:

Minneapolis City Council President Barbara Johnson said that as much as the city wants the Vikings to stay, she called it "ridiculous'' to give up Target Center. "It provides us with events many, many times a year, many more than the Vikings playing at the Metrodome,'' she said. "We're a big enough metro to support two" arenas.

So Coleman's proposal is dead on arrival. Why did he even bother? A few guesses:

• He doesn't like the idea of Ramsey County imposing a sales tax that doesn't directly benefit his community. That makes sense.
• He wants more events in St. Paul and is perfectly willing to offer something he doesn't actually have (possession of the Vikings) to get it. That also makes sense.
• He wants other people to solve his problems, as always. That also makes sense.

The problem? What might make sense for St. Paul doesn't make any sense for any of the players in Coleman's grand bargain. Minneapolis doesn't like losing to St. Paul, ever, and while the Timberwolves might be inept and largely moribund these days, they remain an amenity worth having. Turning Target Center into a practice facility begs a fairly significant question:  who would practice there, and what would be their incentive to do so? Maybe Coleman envisions the Timberwolves practicing at Target Center and then taking the light rail line to St. Paul. Can't blame him for that, I suppose -- someone needs to take that train.