New Vikings stadium plan may roll out this week

Vikings stadium planners may roll out a new option for a downtown Minneapolis stadium this week. The proposal would locate the NFL stadium in the parking lot east of the existing Metrodome.

Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chariman Ted Mondale says the new plan would mean that the Vikings may only need to play a handful of games at the University of Minnesota by completing as much as three quarters of a new facility before demolishing the Dome.

The new plan could require extensive road work nearby, he said.

"We might have to run 11th above the facility, or below the facility," Mondale said. "So 11th would have to be rerouted and then the interchanges down there on 4th Street, the whole what they call 'spaghetti junction' would have to be redone."

But Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, said he considers it very late in negotiations to introduce a new site option. And the idea may be too expensive, he said.

"Well, we're well aware of the fact that this new site option surfaced here recently with some facility or area next to the Metrodome, and initial readings are that the obstacles there are so great that there's no chance of that getting put together before very long," Lanning said.

He said he still wants to get a Vikings stadium bill before the Legislature ahead of a March 16th committee deadline.

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