The National Football League said Wednesday the Minnesota Vikings' chances of getting public money for a new stadium appears to have reached a stalemate, and that the league's commissioner is ready to tell Gov. Mark Dayton which other cities were willing to have the team. With the stadium's chances at the state Capitol sinking by the hour, Dayton on Wednesday gave a "sobering" assessment to the league of the failed attempt to move the nearly $1 billion stadium plan forward. After that conversation, the NFL issued some of its strongest comments on the impasse and the possibility that Vikings owner Zygi Wilf might sell the team. "This was portrayed as having support and likely to pass as recently as a couple of weeks ago," said Eric Grubman, the league's executive vice president of business operations. "So this will come as quite a blow. This is quite a blow. There are plenty of willing buyers. I think the Wilfs do not want to sell the franchise, but I think there is a point where they probably would be open-minded," he added. "I would not be surprised if [NFL commissioner Roger Goodell] tells the governor, if he asks, what other cities are interested." Source: Star-Tribune
i read a different article that suggests that the league is now working on the approval process to allow Wilf to move the team because all of the parameters have been met.
I'm sure there's tons of Minnesota non football residents ready to send the NFL a big F you for their threat...
well, i'm sure you're right tark. that's the case in any city though. here in missouri, a few years ago the state gave a crapload of money to st.louis to build the cardinals stadium, so they had to give a crapload of money to the chiefs and royals, because the chiefs and royals started 'threatening' to move. well, then the 'arts' community in k.c. threw a temper tantrum so the state ended up giving them a crapload of money to build a $300 million performing arts theater in kansas city. everybody wants their piece of the pie and it's really no different than a city giving a big private company in any industry tax breaks for 20 years to come to their city and bring jobs and tax revenue. it's just the cost of doing business sometimes and a city/state has to decide if the cost of doing business is worth the eventual benefits. apparently minnesota isn't feeling like the eventual benefits are worth what the vikings are asking for in this case.
Yea, Cap'n.. "Cost of doing business" is exactly it. Just a shame that it's a form of extortion that in many cities doesn't pan out in the long run.
