Stadium Watch Blog

March 8, 2013 12:00 PM

New Vikings stadium designs put off until April

The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority had some bad news for eager Vikings stadium watchers today. Schematic designs for the new stadium won’t be coming out this month, as expected. MSFA chairwoman Michele Kelm-Helgen said that bringing in Mortenson Construction — the builder selected last month — is taking a little longer than they’d thought. “I…

by Tim Nelson

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March 8, 2013 1:49 AM

UPDATED: Will MN have buyer’s remorse after Falcons stadium deal?

Listen: MPR’s Tim Nelson discusses the stadium deal At least a couple of Minnesota lawmakers feel Minnesota might want to rethink the deal it gave the Vikings in light of the deal struck with Atlanta and the Falcons. The Falcons are putting an estimated $800 million into their new $1 billion stadium, compared to the Vikings $477…

by Tim Nelson

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March 5, 2013 8:12 AM

Bakk: We can fix Vikings stadium funding next year

Senate majority leader Tom Bakk, the DFLer from Cook, says he doesn’t see the need for a fix for the shortfall on electronic pulltabs this session. The numbers have been coming in significantly below expectations, and the state last week wrote down a key reserve fund planned as part of the financing package. “I don’t…

by Tim Nelson

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March 5, 2013 4:53 AM

State will wait until summer to decide on backup Vikings stadium funding

The AP’s Brian Bakst says the state finance director plans to wait until this summer to decide whether to “blink on” alternate funding for the Vikings stadium as pulltab revenues lag behind projections. Jim Schowalter spoke to the House Ways and Means committee yesterday. The backup revenues Schowalter can count on include a tax on…

by Tim Nelson

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March 4, 2013 12:03 AM

Hennepin County: Don’t rob from Twins stadium to pay for Vikings

State officials may soon be searching the couch cushions looking for change to boost electronic pulltab revenues for the Vikings stadium. And Hennepin County Board Chairman Mike Opat has a very, very clear message for them: “Our position to date and going forward is going to be very, very strong opposition, to using any of the…

by Tim Nelson

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March 1, 2013 9:42 AM

Charities might pitch ‘e-kickoff’ for electronic pulltabs to open Vikings season

The state is now looking for ways to get its Vikings stadium financing plan up and going and get electronic pulltabs on their feet. It turns out that pulltab sellers have some ideas of their own. Like a pulltab “e-kickoff” day as the Vikings open their season in London on Sept. 29th. That’s one of…

by Tim Nelson

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March 1, 2013 7:41 AM

The bad news for electronic pulltabs and Vikings stadium financing

Minnesota finance officials released their February forecast, and it doesn’t look good for electronic pulltabs. Governor Mark Dayton acknowledged the shortfall yesterday and vowed to get the problem fixed, but It takes some close reading to get the basics. Back in the salad days after the stadium bill passed in May, Minnesota was quietly expecting…

by Tim Nelson

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February 28, 2013 6:39 AM

Atkins on e-pulltab gambling: “We need to at least start considering other options”

Rep. Joe Atkins, (DFL-Inver Grove Heights) said he thinks the time has come to start considering Plan B for financing the Vikings stadium other than electronic pulltabs. “I think you are about to hear, from more than just me, we need to at least start considering other options in addition to e-tabs,” he said in…

by Tim Nelson

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February 28, 2013 1:30 AM

Vikings stadium financing: Will B-I-N-G-O spell success?

Makers of a new pulltab and linked bingo machine have been making the rounds in St. Paul this week, talking about the potential to start delivering on the promises of electronic charitable gaming that is slated to fund the state’s share of the Vikings stadium. They’re pitching a machine developed by Electronic Game Solutions, out…

by Tim Nelson

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February 22, 2013 7:14 AM

Updated: Vikings and baseball ready to play well together in new stadium

The dispute over whether the new Vikings “People’s Stadium” will accommodate baseball people seems close to getting resolved. Amateur baseball, like the University of Minnesota’s team, expressed alarm that the Vikings intentions to bring fan seating as close to the action as possible might hem in hitters in the new stadium. “We think the teams…

by Tim Nelson

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