A reliable source who requested anonymity predicted to Sports Headliners that the Vikings’ likelihood of gaining approval for a new stadium during the coming legislative session appears “very, very bleak.”
Optimism was tempered even earlier in the year when the economy was slowing and construction costs were increasing but a fourth quarter headlined with more bad news such as unemployment and furthering of the mortgage crisis has put the state and country in a worse funk. In Minnesota we have a $426 million state budget deficit for the current biennium (with forecasts for about $5 billion by 2010) and possible unemployment of seven percent or more next year.
The source, who has local stadium expertise, predicted that the Vikings and their legislative supporters might not even offer up a stadium bill in 2009. Instead, a progress report on development of a stadium on the Metrodome site could be a focus, along with potential planning for a do-or-die effort in 2010, one year before the Vikings’ lease at the Metrodome expires.
Sources don’t believe owner Zygi Wilf and his family will move the Vikings even if the community doesn’t help fund a new stadium. However, it’s believed the Wilfs might sell the franchise to an ownership group willing to take it elsewhere.
Billionaire developer Ed Roski announced plans to build a privately funded stadium in the Los Angeles area earlier this year but hasn’t broken ground. In today’s fragile economic environment one wonders about the future of even that project.
The San Diego Chargers’ stadium lease runs through this season but don’t expect them to move to Los Angeles, according to Jeff Dotseth. He’s a talk show host in San Diego and reported via e-mail to Sports Headliners that franchise prospects for staying there have improved because of a change in city leadership and team president Dean Spanos has long been committed to the area.
As for the Vikings and Los Angeles, Dotseth wrote: “…If you talk to people up there, they don’t want the Vikes, Chargers, Jags etc…They are fine without an NFL team, but if a team was to go there, they want an expansion team. The other problem is where to play. The Coliseum is 100 years old and, like the Rose Bowl, does not have luxury boxes. …”