What improvements are needed for the Vikings to use TCF Bank Stadium?

[howeda7]

Umm I have a reason: The University of Minnesota is PUBLIC. The profits from usage of the stadium don't belong to a billionaire from New Jersey once received. That's a pretty logical reason for public money for one, and not the other.

The Vikings are a 'quasi-public' entity too. The courts of Hennipen County said so when they mandated that the Twins play there games there in 2002. Can't have it both ways.

 

[fej]

Accusing your opponent of dishonesty doesn't make youe argument any stronger. That public money does sometimes go to private entities doesn't make your case that funding a stadium for a public university means that the state MUST fund a stadium for a private business. If the legislature decides that funding a Vikings stadium is preferable to the Vikings leaving, then it will be funded.

This.

 

[SMU GOPHS FAN]

At the end of the day I could care less if they have to play there for a couple of seasons if they don't drastically change the look and feel of The Bank or make the U out to be the bad guys. That's how I took their letter the other day. It was like they were trying to blame the U for the added cost of building on the Inflatible Toilet site. I mean how rude of the U to not have built an "NFL" style stadium knowing there was a good chance the Vikes were going to have to play there. I absolutely hate the arrogance of the purple.

 

[zambam]

At the end of the day I could care less if they have to play there for a couple of seasons if they don't drastically change the look and feel of The Bank or make the U out to be the bad guys. That's how I took their letter the other day. It was like they were trying to blame the U for the added cost of building on the Inflatible Toilet site. I mean how rude of the U to not have built an "NFL" style stadium knowing there was a good chance the Vikes were going to have to play there. I absolutely hate the arrogance of the purple.

I didn't read it like that at all. I read it as the Vikings saying if they had to build on the Metrodome site they would also have to pay for renovations of TCF since they would have to play there and it is not a pro-style stadium. Maybe you just don't like the Vikings so always read anything about them in a negative light?

 

[GoAUpher]

I didn't read it like that at all. I read it as the Vikings saying if they had to build on the Metrodome site they would also have to pay for renovations of TCF since they would have to play there and it is not a pro-style stadium. Maybe you just don't like the Vikings so always read anything about them in a negative light?

This. The only hidden message was towards Minneapolis and it was to tell them "stop pretending like the Dome site is a simple solution". Unless you consider the Vikings stating factually that TCF is not an NFL caliber stadium to be a slight (which would be silly because it is not nor does it need to be for it to be awesome).

 

[RailBaronYarr]

I didn't read it like that at all. I read it as the Vikings saying if they had to build on the Metrodome site they would also have to pay for renovations of TCF since they would have to play there and it is not a pro-style stadium. Maybe you just don't like the Vikings so always read anything about them in a negative light?

I read it in a similar way as SMU did.. in everything the Vikings organization do or say they want to market themselves as the better product and the ones that have been wronged by other people to keep public opinion in their favor and not against them. I'm not surprised by that. But last year's game at TCF where volunteers, the U staff, etc bent over backwards to make that game work still resulted in Kluwe complaining about the facility to no end and the Vikings ending up being late on their payments (which many people turned and pointed blame at the U for trying to squeeze money out of those poor Vikings for using their stadium).

I'm not exactly sure how much of a financially bad situation the Vikings would be at the U for 3 years if temporary seats were added to match the dome's seating capacity. The Vikings don't fill the stadium currently and the suites at the dome are not as nice (which makes up for the fact that there are simply more). There are no club/loge seats or areas at the dome, nor is there an amenity like the DQ club room. Yes, the U would retain a certain % of concession sales and 100% of the parking, as well they should after the many years of poor treatment of the U by the Vikings in similar contracts.

For the record, I'm on board for the Linden/Corridor site. It fits an actual plan for the city, has best access to transportation (rail, freeway, etc), has most room for future development, and is near current bars/restaurants. It also opens up the east side of the city for development. It ALSO allows the Vikings to continue playing at their precious dome and not coerce the U in to changing their stadium for the Vikes, which could have long-term negative effects (read: unnecessary seats that make the stadium seem more empty/full of opposing fans).

 

[1983]

Heating coils are necessary because the NFL cares about player safety now a days. And also, there is no way they would accept being scheduled a heavy amount of away games at the end of the year. Those games could decide who makes the playoffs and who doesn't. And the Kinnick suggestion is just ridiculous...

Ridiculous playing in Iowa city for a game or two? Don't think I just made that up do you? The Vikings have a huge share in that market as well. There are more butts available as well.

 

[Breakin' The Plane]

Ridiculous playing in Iowa city for a game or two? Don't think I just made that up do you? The Vikings have a huge share in that market as well. There are more butts available as well.

It's a great idea. The Vikings could schedule games in Fargo, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Duluth. They could even pop in at the man camps up in the North Dakota oil fields to entertain the workers. They could be the upper midwest's NFL version of the Harlem Globetrotters.

 

[GoGophers2005]

I read it in a similar way as SMU did.. in everything the Vikings organization do or say they want to market themselves as the better product and the ones that have been wronged by other people to keep public opinion in their favor and not against them. I'm not surprised by that. But last year's game at TCF where volunteers, the U staff, etc bent over backwards to make that game work still resulted in Kluwe complaining about the facility to no end and the Vikings ending up being late on their payments (which many people turned and pointed blame at the U for trying to squeeze money out of those poor Vikings for using their stadium).

I'm not exactly sure how much of a financially bad situation the Vikings would be at the U for 3 years if temporary seats were added to match the dome's seating capacity. The Vikings don't fill the stadium currently and the suites at the dome are not as nice (which makes up for the fact that there are simply more). There are no club/loge seats or areas at the dome, nor is there an amenity like the DQ club room. Yes, the U would retain a certain % of concession sales and 100% of the parking, as well they should after the many years of poor treatment of the U by the Vikings in similar contracts.

For the record, I'm on board for the Linden/Corridor site. It fits an actual plan for the city, has best access to transportation (rail, freeway, etc), has most room for future development, and is near current bars/restaurants. It also opens up the east side of the city for development. It ALSO allows the Vikings to continue playing at their precious dome and not coerce the U in to changing their stadium for the Vikes, which could have long-term negative effects (read: unnecessary seats that make the stadium seem more empty/full of opposing fans).

I have to disagree with the city planning thing. I think having a football stadium in the heart of a downtown is terrible city planning. The stadium will be at capacity maybe 12 games a year? Throw in a few boat shows and the place will sit empty (or operating at a fraction of its capacity) for the remaining 300 days in a year? At least Target Field has 80 home games which to me makes perfect sense to me being in the warehouse district
What city would a billion dollars go further in? Arden Hills or MInneapolis? Put a billion dollars into Arden Hills and at the end of the day you've revitalized a whole city whereas putting a billion dollars into Minneapolis and a stadium I'm not sure it would make much or any impact past the couple of blocks the stadium is sitting on. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Arden Hills. Minneapolis will have many other opportunities if this falls through. To me an 'investment' in Arden Hills will pay more dividends down the road than a Vikings stadium in Minneapolis.

 

[RailBaronYarr]

I have to disagree with the city planning thing. I think having a football stadium in the heart of a downtown is terrible city planning. The stadium will be at capacity maybe 12 games a year? Throw in a few boat shows and the place will sit empty (or operating at a fraction of its capacity) for the remaining 300 days in a year? At least Target Field has 80 home games which to me makes perfect sense to me being in the warehouse district
What city would a billion dollars go further in? Arden Hills or MInneapolis? Put a billion dollars into Arden Hills and at the end of the day you've revitalized a whole city whereas putting a billion dollars into Minneapolis and a stadium I'm not sure it would make much or any impact past the couple of blocks the stadium is sitting on. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Arden Hills. Minneapolis will have many other opportunities if this falls through. To me an 'investment' in Arden Hills will pay more dividends down the road than a Vikings stadium in Minneapolis.

You mean like Target Field? Last I checked that area is not the "heart" of downtown. It's on the fringes which is what makes it ideal - it's an entire sports complex that is also right at the junction of the Northstar line and Central Corridor and Hiawatha LRT lines, plus the planned lines that serve the SW metro. There is then the gateway in to downtown via the Hennepin theater/bar district which further segues in to the Nicolett Mall and then the business district. Building a stadium near Target Field/Center makes for how many days a year where people are there for an event? 8 NFL, 81 MLB, 40 NBA? That's ~130 days a year where people will be in THAT location, which helps draw businesses to the area.

Your argument for it only being used XXX days a year makes a site NOT downtown that much less practical. So we dump just as much public money in to a venue that only brings people in 8 days a year? How successful will the surrounding area be when 75,000 people are only coming 8x a year? Keep in mind that Minneapolis is much easier to get to for the majority of the metro population (which is heavily shifted to the south and west of Mpls). I don't think a venue in AH has the "draw" for big time events that a thriving downtown does. Think B10 Championship football games, NCAA playoff rounds, etc etc) due to the scene that's there - plethora of hotels both close and within quick driving distance, bars, restaurants, bars, restaurants, etc.

 

[GoGophers2005]

You mean like Target Field? Last I checked that area is not the "heart" of downtown. It's on the fringes which is what makes it ideal - it's an entire sports complex that is also right at the junction of the Northstar line and Central Corridor and Hiawatha LRT lines, plus the planned lines that serve the SW metro. There is then the gateway in to downtown via the Hennepin theater/bar district which further segues in to the Nicolett Mall and then the business district. Building a stadium near Target Field/Center makes for how many days a year where people are there for an event? 8 NFL, 81 MLB, 40 NBA? That's ~130 days a year where people will be in THAT location, which helps draw businesses to the area.

Your argument for it only being used XXX days a year makes a site NOT downtown that much less practical. So we dump just as much public money in to a venue that only brings people in 8 days a year? How successful will the surrounding area be when 75,000 people are only coming 8x a year? Keep in mind that Minneapolis is much easier to get to for the majority of the metro population (which is heavily shifted to the south and west of Mpls). I don't think a venue in AH has the "draw" for big time events that a thriving downtown does. Think B10 Championship football games, NCAA playoff rounds, etc etc) due to the scene that's there - plethora of hotels both close and within quick driving distance, bars, restaurants, bars, restaurants, etc.

The target center and target field have the whole calendar filled for downtown Minneapolis bar/restaurant/hotel scene. There is not anywhere near a need for a billion dollar investment in this area. None.
With Arden Hills the Vikes can go out and create Vikingland with endless amounts of land. It is very short sighted in my mind to shoehorn in the Vikings into any of the downtown locations. We need to be looking at 30-40 years down the road and not 5. The landscape of what an NFL stadium and experience is going to change and Arden Hills gives the Vikings the opportunity to grow and adapt.

 

[RailBaronYarr]

The target center and target field have the whole calendar filled for downtown Minneapolis bar/restaurant/hotel scene. There is not anywhere near a need for a billion dollar investment in this area. None.
With Arden Hills the Vikes can go out and create Vikingland with endless amounts of land. It is very short sighted in my mind to shoehorn in the Vikings into any of the downtown locations. We need to be looking at 30-40 years down the road and not 5. The landscape of what an NFL stadium and experience is going to change and Arden Hills gives the Vikings the opportunity to grow and adapt.

You're right, we DO need to be thinking 30 years down the line. Right now and for the foreseeable the giant megatrend across the globe is re-urbanization or cities and metro areas. You can see it already. LRTs being expanded, NorthStar rail, the legislature pushing through the commuter rail from downtown Mpls to Chicago, downtowns and closely surrounding areas becoming a place where people live and work again. The identity of the MSP metro area depends on the cities themselves being seen as destinations (having a large-scale pro football stadium is part of that for hosting big time athletic events) as well as a place to live.

What advantage does putting the stadium in Arden Hills have? Is that a place people will ever go to? The airport is on the far end of town, there is nothing other than a potential stadium to see and do. Again, how does a venue that is used 8x a year for football make sense for that location? What exactly will it accomplish? Can new businesses even thrive there year round without a strong pull other than football games?

 

[dpodoll68]

The Vikings don't fill their current stadium? Huh? They've sold out every game for 14 seasons and counting.

 

[zambam]

It's a great idea. The Vikings could schedule games in Fargo, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Duluth. They could even pop in at the man camps up in the North Dakota oil fields to entertain the workers. They could be the upper midwest's NFL version of the Harlem Globetrotters.

And when season ticket-holders see this on the schedule before the season they won't renew.

 

[GoGophers2005]

You're right, we DO need to be thinking 30 years down the line. Right now and for the foreseeable the giant megatrend across the globe is re-urbanization or cities and metro areas. You can see it already. LRTs being expanded, NorthStar rail, the legislature pushing through the commuter rail from downtown Mpls to Chicago, downtowns and closely surrounding areas becoming a place where people live and work again. The identity of the MSP metro area depends on the cities themselves being seen as destinations (having a large-scale pro football stadium is part of that for hosting big time athletic events) as well as a place to live.

What advantage does putting the stadium in Arden Hills have? Is that a place people will ever go to? The airport is on the far end of town, there is nothing other than a potential stadium to see and do. Again, how does a venue that is used 8x a year for football make sense for that location? What exactly will it accomplish? Can new businesses even thrive there year round without a strong pull other than football games?

If there ever was a project that was made to order for the arden hills site it's a stadium project with parking lots. I'm not 100 percent sure what amount of land is buildable and what amount will require it to be paved over because of the pollutants on the site. But if this doesn't go through hat site will sit empty for the foreseeable future which is a mistake in my book. The other option is to build in Minneapolis on sites where there are perfectly good and functional buildings being used everyday that will be torn down. Which doesn't make too much sense in my mind.

 

[GoGophers2005]

And I'll also add that if any stadium in sports can be off grid and not tied to mass transit like trains it's an NFL stadium. The lack of actual game days vs. the rest of major sports and also the fact that tailgating is a big part of the experience and people will drive to the games.

 

[4four4]

When the Vikings finally build a new stadium I guarantee a MLS franchise will be awarded to the area. This way the Vikings will be able to have another tennant fill the stadium during off NFL months.

 

[zambam]

Also a shiny new stadium is the perfect place for some NCAA tournament games.

 

[Go4Broke]

And I'll also add that if any stadium in sports can be off grid and not tied to mass transit like trains it's an NFL stadium. The lack of actual game days vs. the rest of major sports and also the fact that tailgating is a big part of the experience and people will drive to the games.

One thing we know is that the new stadium is not going to be an NFL football stadium in which the local pro franchise plays 10 to 12 games per year. The new stadium is going to replace the Metro Dome and it will have high school football games, soccer games, basketball games, concerts, tractor pulls, golf shows, and every other form of entertainment known to man.

The Arden Hill site is absolutely the worst place in the Twin Cities to build it. This stadium needs to be in downtown Minneapolis on the LRT line on which Minnesota taxpayers have already invested multiple billions of dollars to get people out of their cars and move them around like they do in big-time cities. In 15 to 20 years the Metro freeways will be so congested that it will take several hours for a Vikings fan to drive from Eden Prairie to a Vikings game in Arden Hills and getting home after the game will be an absolute nightmare.

When the state legislators finally do make a decision where the new stadium will go the tailgating experience for Vikings fans will the the last item on their list of concerns. If you read the recent public comments by the Vikings it is clear that Ziggy already understands that the Arden Hills proposal was a pipe dream by a couple of rubes on the Ramsey County Board and there is no way the state Legislature is going to approve it.

 

[GoGophers2005]

Absolutely NOT! I'm sorry but the percentage of fans that will use any form of mass transit at a Vikings game is small and as I said in early posts that this stadium will only be at capacity 12 times a year. I do not deny that there will be events there from time to time but even the state football tournament games do not even fill the lower bowl at the Dome. So in saying that we are talking very small ridership numbers here. Connecting to Target Field is a no brainer. Same as connecting the airport to the Mall of America. Connecting Regions hospital is a no brainer as well. But by and large the stop in front of the Metrodome is empty at all times of day every day besides game day.

I'm all for LRT and getting a full 'system' completed here in the Twin Cities, but come on, let's not kid ourselves on who uses it.

But at the same time who says that it can't be part of a future LRT line out to the Arden Hills/Mounds View area?

 

[RailBaronYarr]

Absolutely NOT! I'm sorry but the percentage of fans that will use any form of mass transit at a Vikings game is small and as I said in early posts that this stadium will only be at capacity 12 times a year. I do not deny that there will be events there from time to time but even the state football tournament games do not even fill the lower bowl at the Dome. So in saying that we are talking very small ridership numbers here. Connecting to Target Field is a no brainer. Same as connecting the airport to the Mall of America. Connecting Regions hospital is a no brainer as well. But by and large the stop in front of the Metrodome is empty at all times of day every day besides game day.

I'm all for LRT and getting a full 'system' completed here in the Twin Cities, but come on, let's not kid ourselves on who uses it.

But at the same time who says that it can't be part of a future LRT line out to the Arden Hills/Mounds View area?

Luckily there are giant parking garages within a few blocks (A+B+C ramps), a good amount surface parking surrounding Target Field, and plenty of undeveloped, wasted land to the west of the proposed site on the other side of the freeway (the plan includes building 2 E-W pedestrian dedicated walkways under 94 at the north and south sides of the stadium) where lots and more restaurants can be built. Keep in mind there is parking UNDER 94 that can be used for tailgating as well. Also the proposal calls for 1,600 surface spots on the site of the stadium, which would serve as a pretty good tailgate scene directly adjacent to the stadium.

I also don't understand how using a combination of mass transit, garage, and some surface parking for baseball is ok but not for football? I was unaware people didn't tailgate (Milwaukee, Philadelphia, etc) for that sport. Just like the challenges we have for TCF and the traditional "tailgate" scene are present doesn't mean there can't be a thriving combination of people who tailgate on lots, some who "tailgate" at the many bars within walking distance, and others who either park in garages or take the rails in and go straight to the games (there are a lot). If the issue is that the Vikings won't retain all that revenue from tailgating, then I say "boo-hoo" since you're encouraging it to be spread out to other business owners.

Your last point.. because there's already an infrastructure that has been developed with rail lines coming to a junction right near the Corridor site. There are no plans right now for future lines up to AH, most likely because the population base is not nearly as strong in that direction. For all the other events that would be held at a stadium (concerts, NCAA games, conventions, etc) it needs to be in a convenient location for all and Arden Hills is absolutely not that. No public transportation to get there, forcing a majority of the metro area's population to drive FARTHER to get there, lack of proximity to the airport, and on the wrong side of town for guests driving in from the east/south. The Arden Hills site makes the most sense for the VIKINGS and Wilf. The Vikings get to retain more parking revenue and Wilf gets to have more land to develop on. But if $400+M public money is going in to this thing, it should be at a place that serves the population better.

A couple examples of recent stadiums in metro areas that are perfect models of how this stadium would work with the city/other sports venues and be successful: Seattle - next to Safeco, right on the fringe of the city with great freeway access and access to bars. LucasOil Stadium - similar location to the heart of downtown, limited but successful lot tailgating, has hosted NUMEROUS events outside of football games in recent years. Heinz Field (Pittsburgh) - next to PNC Park, right across the river from downtown. Ford Field - right next to downtown and the Tigers park, has also hosted numerous high-profile events.

 

[station19]

You don't choose a stadium site to justify an already built mass transit system.

The exception would be if another mass transit system is needed at new stadium site.

 

[Go4Broke]

Absolutely NOT! I'm sorry but the percentage of fans that will use any form of mass transit at a Vikings game is small and as I said in early posts that this stadium will only be at capacity 12 times a year. I do not deny that there will be events there from time to time but even the state football tournament games do not even fill the lower bowl at the Dome. So in saying that we are talking very small ridership numbers here. Connecting to Target Field is a no brainer. Same as connecting the airport to the Mall of America. Connecting Regions hospital is a no brainer as well. But by and large the stop in front of the Metrodome is empty at all times of day every day besides game day.

I'm all for LRT and getting a full 'system' completed here in the Twin Cities, but come on, let's not kid ourselves on who uses it.

But at the same time who says that it can't be part of a future LRT line out to the Arden Hills/Mounds View area?

We are not just talking about LRT here. We are also talking about every other form of transportation people will be using to get around the metro area in the future including buses, bicycles, and their own feet. The infrastructure to support a major entertainment facility like the new stadium is already in place for any of the three possible sites in Minneapolis including hotel, bars, restaurants, and shopping for the out of town visitors who will make up a significant part of the ticket buyers to the large variety and number of events that will take place in this new facility. This is called urban planning and Arden Hills doesn't fit into any of the planning schemes which have been developed for the metro area over the last 25 years.

If you want to build an LRT line out to Arden Hills that cost has to be included in Ramsey County's proposal just like all the road improvements that will needed for ingress and egress to the Arden Hills site. Current cost estimates for the proposed sites indicate that the $1.1 billion Arden Hills site proposal is already the most expensive by more than $150 million. And that is the No. 1 reason why the state legislature will never approve the Arden Hills site.

 

[Go4Broke]

You don't choose a stadium site to justify an already built mass transit system.

Sure you do. Just watch it happen. From MinnPost this morning:

At the Vikings-crazy [web]site, the Daily Norseman, Christopher Gates is biting down hard on cold reality: “Like we ever should have had any doubt that the Minneapolis Mafia was going to end up getting their way with this whole thing.

From reading Tom Pelissero's Twitter account (1500 ESPN) this morning, it looks like there isn't a snowball's chance in Cuba of the new Minnesota Vikings' stadium going up anywhere outside of the Minneapolis area.

From what I hear, Ramsey County and Shakopee stadium proposals both will be dead on arrival. Look for #Vikings to push Basilica site hard.

 

[jovs]

Arden Hills is pretty remote for most of the fan base that actually attends the games. If you ever drove through downtown Minneapolis around the time Vikings games were getting out 35w southbound is usually backed up bumper to bumper and the freeways heading north flow freely. I've never seen the Arden Hills sight as happening.

Ziggy wants Arden Hills so he can develop real estate, I see no reason the State of Minnesota should finance his business adventures.

 

[RodentRampage]

You don't choose a stadium site to justify an existing transit system, but you might choose a stadium site to leverage existing infrastructure.

 

[DLguy]

The Bascilica/Farmers Market sites make the most sense. Both are under-utilized right now and are not prime locations for future developement. They are basically just storage buildings and light industrial. So you wouldnt really be taking away from future developement. These sites would not require any new infrastructure (besides redoing a few local roads) and would be at the center of a sports district. A few points:
- NCAA games can not be hosted at Arden Hills or Shakopee. NCAA requires a certain amount of hotels near the host site, and ease of access via public transportation. (light rail to Arden Hills would be a HUGE waste of money)
- Concert promoters will shy away from a concert out in the suburbs.
- Trade shows will only host events at a central location.
- No matter where the stadium is built, it will not affect MLS. They now require MLS specific stadiums.

 

[GoGophers2005]

We are not just talking about LRT here. We are also talking about every other form of transportation people will be using to get around the metro area in the future including buses, bicycles, and their own feet. The infrastructure to support a major entertainment facility like the new stadium is already in place for any of the three possible sites in Minneapolis including hotel, bars, restaurants, and shopping for the out of town visitors who will make up a significant part of the ticket buyers to the large variety and number of events that will take place in this new facility. This is called urban planning and Arden Hills doesn't fit into any of the planning schemes which have been developed for the metro area over the last 25 years.

If you want to build an LRT line out to Arden Hills that cost has to be included in Ramsey County's proposal just like all the road improvements that will needed for ingress and egress to the Arden Hills site. Current cost estimates for the proposed sites indicate that the $1.1 billion Arden Hills site proposal is already the most expensive by more than $150 million. And that is the No. 1 reason why the state legislature will never approve the Arden Hills site.

Arden Hills is not even a mile north of 694 yet everyone thinks its part of Canada. It's equal distance to St. Paul and Minneapolis. It's just off of 35W which can get you a pretty good straight shot to the airport for those important out of town ticket holders. And I guess I personally do not want to build a stadium nor pick a location based on what an out of town fan wants. A sports reporter or out of town fan will find a way to get to the stadium the same way I do when I go to Northwestern, Michigan, or an Ohio State football game.

Urban Planning also involves filling in areas of the city that are neglected or polluted and finding uses that are well suited for the site.

Also, all road improvements to the Arden Hills site are slated for construction or repair in the next 10 years REGARDLESS if a stadium is built in this location. And I don't want to build an LRT out to this site unless the residential population will use it because like I said an NFL stadium will do NOTHING for ridership numbers.

 

[GoGophers2005]

The Bascilica/Farmers Market sites make the most sense. Both are under-utilized right now and are not prime locations for future developement. They are basically just storage buildings and light industrial. So you wouldnt really be taking away from future developement. These sites would not require any new infrastructure (besides redoing a few local roads) and would be at the center of a sports district. A few points:
- NCAA games can not be hosted at Arden Hills or Shakopee. NCAA requires a certain amount of hotels near the host site, and ease of access via public transportation. (light rail to Arden Hills would be a HUGE waste of money)
- Concert promoters will shy away from a concert out in the suburbs.
- Trade shows will only host events at a central location.
- No matter where the stadium is built, it will not affect MLS. They now require MLS specific stadiums.

Come on....how many concerts do you think this new stadium will get even if it were downtown? We have how many arenas in this town? How many performers are out there that could sell out an NFL stadium?
How many trade shows are going to rent an NFL stadium out vs. the convention center in Mpls and St. Paul?
Minneapolis is saturated. We should be using this as a development tool in an area that could really use the investment.

 

[DLguy]

Come on....how many concerts do you think this new stadium will get even if it were downtown? We have how many arenas in this town? How many performers are out there that could sell out an NFL stadium?
How many trade shows are going to rent an NFL stadium out vs. the convention center in Mpls and St. Paul?
Minneapolis is saturated. We should be using this as a development tool in an area that could really use the investment.

The problem with using the stadium to develop Arden Hills is that this stadium will do nothing to spur development. If it is used 8 times a year, are hotels and restarants going to want to build out there? Doubtful. I just dont see an NFL stadium spurring developement out there. That site is better suited for an office park or residential development.

And as far as other events, such as trade shows, the Dome is still getting used. Those events would then be at the new stadium. The opportunity to use the stadium for events is much greater given a location near the core.

And the Arden Hills location is outside the loop, in a lesser densely populated area of the metro. Minneapolis is cheaper, and offers much more opportunity.