The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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February 7, 2011

Our View: Stadium issue needs attention now

The Free Press

— State Sen. Julie Rosen has her work cut out for her as she takes the lead on getting agreement on a new Vikings football stadium.

Rosen, a Fairmont Republican whose district runs up to the edge of Mankato, is a perfect point person for the challenge. Bright, driven and respected by her colleagues, she will be a capable shepherd of a bill that will draw intense scrutiny and criticism.

Political leaders, from the governor to members of both parties, know the stadium issue must be dealt with as the Vikings play their final season in the Metrodome when their contract expires this year. The team has been clear it won’t extend that lease contract unless a deal for a new stadium is in place.

Whether a football fan or not, most Minnesotans understand losing the team to another city — Los Angeles being the top suitor — would seriously damage the state’s quality of life and its ability to attract businesses.

Cries will arise that with a major state deficit looming, this is no time to help finance a stadium. But like most tough decisions, there is no good time to do it. Because of political pressures, the issue was pushed off when budget times were better. Now the clock has run down, forcing the tough decisions to be made.  

And while the state’s current fiscal problems will fade from memory, a stadium deal put together now will pay off in the certainty the team will be in Minnesota for decades to come.

While Rosen has no specific bill in place, we know much of its framework. It will not include money from the state’s general fund; the Vikings will be expected to contribute around one-third of the nearly $1 billion cost (with football the most lucrative of sports’ businesses, there is no reason the team shouldn’t cover at least the 36 percent the Twins contributed to Target Field); and public financing will come from a mix that could include entertainment and memorabilia taxes, a state loan, local taxes around the site of the stadium and perhaps new gambling revenues.

For Rosen, the weeks and months ahead will be a treacherous balancing act of playing political hardball, finding agreements, fending off public criticism and ensuring the Vikings bring everything expected of them to the deal.

It won’t be easy, but the benefits will be long appreciated in the state.   

 

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