I don't think I am missing any point. I think you've been brainwashed. No way in a city the size of Minneapolis do they need another 'entertainment facility' nor anymore convention space. It's tapped out. 8 years ago that argument could possibly be intertained, but not after Target Field, TCF Bank and the Mpls Convention Center additions.
As I said a million times now.....there is nothing that will fill this stadium to capacity or even half capacity outside of a Vikings game (12 times a year). I think we can find better uses for the land in a dense area such as Mpls than this building type will bring.
Then by your logic there would be nothing that fills a Vikings stadium more than 12 (12? are we thinking pre-season games fill it and they're making playoffs every year? ha) up in Arden Hills, either. So why would hotels, restaurants, shopping, etc want to build there???
As GoAUpher states, events like the following list would be held in a downtown location but rarely (if ever) at AH due to lack of major surrounding development and entertainment:
- NCAA BB regionals (maybe every other year? sure seems like Indy hosts them all the time)
- NCAA BB Final Fours (Ford Field held it recently, LucasOil also hosts it frequently
- B10 football championships,
- An MLS franchise (again, see my post where I referenced Seattle and their stadium
- High school football tournaments
- Big concerts (think the size of U2, Kenny Chesney, etc)
- Monster Truck Jams (yes, they're amazingly hickish yet fill up the dome quite well)
- etc
I'm also glad you're so sure that the addition of 2 outdoor stadiums and Mpls Convention Center expansion can handle the capacity of INDOOR events. The reality is that Minneapolis should continue to build and expand to
grow the capability to host more and more events like this, highlighting our excellent downtown full of entertainment options, bars, and free of crime areas (compared to most cities).
I'm not for spending $400M for Wilf to have the best location for HIM to develop and make money for HIMSELF. I'm for the idea of keeping an NFL franchise in MN due to the awareness/taxes/etc it brings in from their own events as well as all the public/private events hosted in a big stadium they would build. That, to me, is worth the 3-400M investment and Minneapolis is the best location for all-around usage.