Questions on TCF Stadium

[Rosemountian]

Minnesota Vikings.

So you are suggesting that the Vikings will wait 2 years after some sort of bill will be passed to move out of the dome in hopes of cashing in on 20-30k extra seats times 8 games time 2 seasons while they build a new stadium on the metronome site.

At 50 dollars per ticket times 30k seats time 16 games that's 24 million in revenue (about 70% of it lost to revenue sharing) for a minimum of 80 million dollar expansion.

Also the Vikings somehow paying for an expansion for their temporary home puts them in a new stadium in 2016 at the earliest.


Which brings me to my next point. Don't smoke crack.

 

[station19]

So you are suggesting that the Vikings will wait 2 years after some sort of bill will be passed to move out of the dome in hopes of cashing in on 20-30k extra seats times 8 games time 2 seasons while they build a new stadium on the metronome site.

At 50 dollars per ticket times 30k seats time 16 games that's 24 million in revenue (about 70% of it lost to revenue sharing) for a minimum of 80 million dollar expansion.

Also the Vikings somehow paying for an expansion for their temporary home puts them in a new stadium in 2016 at the earliest.


Which brings me to my next point. Don't smoke crack.

Not to debate the viablility of the Vikings paying for extra seats, but some of your figures are off.

1. The Vikes have 10 home games each year. 2 exibition games are also full price.

2. The average ticket price as of now is $70 per ticket.

3. The Vikes have stated they would need a place to play for 2 or 3 years. That would mean they should be in a new stadium in either 2014 or 2015.

4. Not sure where you got your 80 mill expansion figure.

5. Not sure where you got the 70% revenue sharing.

6. The Vikes have stated they would lose 15-20 mill per year by playing at TCF instead of the dome.

 

[Go4Broke]

There will be no permanent expansion of the Gopher's Stadium if the Vikings have to move in for a couple of years. The Vikings will pay for the construction of whatever temporary seats they can get the U and the State to agree to, and then include those costs and any lost revenue they suffer in the negotiations for the new stadium. It will not be done any other way.

 

[MrGopher]

It is my understanding that if the Vikings played a couple seasons at the brickhouse, temp seating could be added in the end zone and perhaps elsewhere to bring up the current capacity another 10K or so. That would make it very close to current Metrodome capacity.

That situation would NOT be related to the long term prospects of actually expanding TCF. For that, as others have said, it would NOT involve (much) additional seating in the west end zone area but it would involve a third deck that would extend from the NW side of the stadium around to the press box on the SE side.

One solution is temporary... with the Vikings in mind, while the other is long term with the college football team success in mind. Two different configurations for two different potential needs.

This is exactly right.

I will add that we should all be grateful, in the long-run, that the Vikes might play here. If permanent upgrades will be paid for by the Vikes, it won't/shouldn't add to the capacity, but capacity is overrated. The Bank is already a pretty beautiful setting, but some purple and gold money would add a lot of the little things that make places like the X and Target Field so amazing. Heated field, upgraded concessions and ticketing procedures, more efficiently heated concourses, money to finish the brickwork on various internal and external facades.

And if the Athletic Department plays their cards right, the money from this venture (parking, concessions, etc.) could be even better than we imagine. There's money for your gopher ballpark, your hoops practice facility, your marketing campaign.


I will also say this: I do not support the permanent expansion of the Bank until we have a 15K strong waiting list, and that 15k is sustained for a good 5-6 years. For the record, I do not see this happening anytime within the next fifteen years.... unless the Vikings do leave town in the next couple of years.

 

[GoAUpher]

Imo, it makes sense if the Vikings pay for the expansion.

I meant financial sense for the Vikings. Adding permanent seating to TCF doesn't make good sense for the Vikes. It definitely does for the Gophers if paid for by the Vikes.

 

[GoAUpher]

And if the Athletic Department plays their cards right, the money from this venture (parking, concessions, etc.) could be even better than we imagine.

I agree with this in general, but I'd point out that just like with Gopher games it is the Parking and Transportation Services part of the U that will get the parking money, not the athletic dept.

 

[Rosemountian]

Not to debate the viablility of the Vikings paying for extra seats, but some of your figures are off.

1. The Vikes have 10 home games each year. 2 exibition games are also full price.

2. The average ticket price as of now is $70 per ticket.

3. The Vikes have stated they would need a place to play for 2 or 3 years. That would mean they should be in a new stadium in either 2014 or 2015.

4. Not sure where you got your 80 mill expansion figure.

5. Not sure where you got the 70% revenue sharing.

6. The Vikes have stated they would lose 15-20 mill per year by playing at TCF instead of the dome.

I meant 30% not 70...I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote that.
Didn't have any idea the average ticket price and didn't think about preseason games. Assuming they sell out the preseason 80k seats and they are in there for 2 years...that is about 42 million extra. Lose (i think it is like 33 or 34% to revenue sharing) 30% and you are at a little under 30 million in revenue.

I said 80 million just from looking at the price of TCF stadium when it was built, along with looking at expansions and renovations at other stadiums. If they were going to put in a 3rd deck, I see 80 million as the minimum. But that is just me estimating (and i have no knowledge of the construction industry at all).