“There is no done deal here as far as I’m aware of,” said Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, who chairs the influential Senate Taxes Committee and presided over Tuesday’s hearing. “There is no fait accompli.” A second hearing will be held Dec. 6.I'm not sure what this meeting would accomplish, unless R. T. Rybak and the rest of the gang in the Mill City have a way to replace the $10 million parking revenue stream that the Vikings expect to collect if they get to build their palace in Arden Hills. As we've noted all along, the Vikings don't care about existing infrastructure, unless it delivers automobiles to parking lots they control. Not one of the sites that Rybak is floating will have that. Are they confused?
In one of the hearing’s pivotal moments, Ortman pointedly told Lester Bagley, the team’s vice president for stadium development and public affairs, that it would be “in your best interest” to meet again with Minneapolis officials before partnering with Ramsey County and firmly committing to a site in Arden Hills. While Bagley said the team would oblige, he said that with Ramsey County “we think it’s important that we stick with the local partner that sticks with us.”
In addition Rybak said that, without input from the Vikings, city officials and business leaders still did not know which of three downtown sites to officially support.Here's a hint to the befuddled mayor and his retinue: the site that works best is the one that has 20,000 parking spaces the Vikings would control. If Rybak can deliver that, the Vikings might come downtown. Better get cracking on that land acquisition.
As you would expect, the meeting accomplished nothing, really. The question hasn't really changed since the very beginning: will Minnesota pony up what the Vikings want? If Minnesota will, Wilf will smile, build and count his money. If Minnesota won't, Wilf will likely sell the team. There are potential buyers in Los Angeles. Are there potential buyers in Minnesota? If the lege won't pay the ransom money, Vikings fans had better hope that someone with deep, deep pockets is willing to buy the team.
14 comments:
why cant MN buy the team, like green bay bought theirs?
just throwing it out there...
why cant MN buy the team, like green bay bought theirs?
Because the NFL won't allow it. The Packers are grandfathered in with their ownership structure, which is completely unique in professional sport.
Minnesota did catch one break with the sale of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Los Angeles market will eventually be fed, and if Jacksonville moves, it takes away the primary negotiation chip that Wilf can use regarding a possible movement of the team.
The Los Angeles market will eventually be fed, and if Jacksonville moves, it takes away the primary negotiation chip that Wilf can use regarding a possible movement of the team.
Yes, L.A. will be fed, but Jacksonville has a lease that runs until 2030 and has exceptionally punitive provisions for breaking the lease. The new owners have already indicated that they will keep the team there.
and the current/old owner has already said that he ignored all calls coming from the west coast.
a move to LA, not gonna happen, although they are in a lousy market.
What about the idea recently floated by the Vikings, to replace the public financing portion of the stadium with an income tax break for the team and its personnel? They say they could completely pay for their own stadium, given that, and I say, "hooray"! I've always been willing to give them a tax break, by eliminating all taxes on their specific activities like the memorabilia tax. Also, giving them a property tax break for 20 years or so would be just standard operating procedure for a state government looking to entice a new industry to come here or an existing industry to stay here.
So long as all these tax breaks don't result in the rest of our taxes going up, I would be perfectly happy to just get the taxpayers completely out of the NFL's business in Minnesota.
J. Ewing
Jacksonville has a lease that runs until 2030 and has exceptionally punitive provisions for breaking the lease
I believe the cost of breaking the lease runs about $60 million - a cost that would be quickly and easily offset by revenues generated by a move to LA.
The problem for any owner trying to move (or threatening to move) to LA is that despite all the hype, neither proposed stadium has been approved. While the NFL has no problem moving a team to LA with an unfinished stadium in the works, they're not eager to move a team to the Rose Bowl without a guarantee that a new stadium will be built.
The problem for any owner trying to move (or threatening to move) to LA is that despite all the hype, neither proposed stadium has been approved. While the NFL has no problem moving a team to LA with an unfinished stadium in the works, they're not eager to move a team to the Rose Bowl without a guarantee that a new stadium will be built.
I'd agree with that, FR. We're not at that point yet, but I suspect that Wilf's patience is running out.
JE,
I don't think anyone would object if the Vikings could find a way to finance the stadium without raising taxes. I'm skeptical that the quasi-TIF model they've floated would work, though.
i dont want the Vikings here in SoCal.
that would be wrong.
i dont want the Vikings here in SoCal.
that would be wrong.
I'll be sure to let them know, Gino. ;)
tell them if they move to LA we will have to change the name to Mojados if they want to fit with the regional culture.
Gino the Lakers in LA were also wrong at one time. Are they now named after Toluca Lake?
I get a kick out of TIF strategies. By having them not pay taxes, isn't it the atthing as having the public cough up money if these non-taxpayers still cost the state with revenue expenses which they most certainly would?
I just think it is silly to give any corporation tax dollars with the one hand and then collect tax dollars with the other. I want the State's taxpayers completely OUT of the Vikings business, and you don't do that by having both hands in their pockets. Lots of mischief happens in such positions.
J. Ewing
Post a Comment