Category: Stadiums

 

Don’t be surprised if Hennepin County comes out with a plan regarding a proposed Vikings stadium within the next few weeks.

That’s the opinion of a knowledgeable stadium source who believes the county could team up with the state and the Vikings to fund a new football and entertainment facility downtown.  Hennepin County, the state’s largest county, eventually emerged as the public entity making the Twins stadium possible, and now after years of debate regarding a new home for the Vikings the county might be ready to get involved with building a facility that will be home to not only football but also other sports and entertainment attractions, according to the source who spoke anonymously.

The multipurpose use of such a stadium fits particularly well with the proposed stadium sites at the Farmers Market and Linden Avenue near the Basilica of St. Mary.  Both are near the existing downtown sports, entertainment and hospitality venues already in place.  The sites are also ideally situated for freeway and public transportation (including projects in planning by the county).

Stadium sources said the Linden Avenue site near the Basilica of St. Mary may ultimately have an advantage over Farmers Market because “land assembly” is easier.  The Linden Avenue site has fewer existing owners than Farmers Market.

Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak is an advocate for rebuilding on the Metrodome site because construction there is probably about $150 million or more less costly than at the two other downtown sites, or in Arden Hills.  The Metrodome site, though, doesn’t have the same appeal to the county as the two other downtown sites, according to a source.

The Metrodome probably can’t stimulate sales tax revenues from nearby businesses like the Farmers Market and Linden Avenue sites.  The latter two sites, unlike the dome area, already exist in an entertainment and commercial area that includes Target Field and has potential for redevelopment.  “A Vikings stadium in those areas helps the county protect its investments in Target Field and transportation,” a source said.

And building at the Metrodome means the Vikings will have to play probably three years at TCF Bank Stadium where a source suggested the franchise may gross about $18 million per season less than at the dome.  How to solve that financial challenge is a problem and a public subsidy seems likely not to be a solution.

Rybak wants to use tax revenues dedicated to the Convention Center to help fund a Vikings stadium.  Further tax help from Hennepin County and a yet to be determined funding source from the state, along with a contribution from the Vikings, seems like a possible formula for building a facility costing over $1 billion.

Meanwhile Ramsey County remains interested in building the facility in Arden Hills, a site long backed by the Vikings.  The funding picture there is perhaps even less clear than downtown, although potential gambling revenues could benefit building a facility anywhere in the metro.

The state legislature has started public hearings on the stadium issue but much needs to be determined including site selection.  “I think it is all a long way from being done,” a source said this week.

 

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Bruce Lambrecht and his associates sent a letter to Governor Mark Dayton and other state leaders last week that they hope will help change the face of sports in Minnesota.

Here’s how the letter begins: “For more than a year a group of interested citizens has been crafting and refining an urban revitalization plan that includes a new downtown Minneapolis site for the Vikings stadium, a redevelopment plan for the Metrodome, an exciting vision for what could be on the site of the current building, as well as a proposal for a new structure for financing and operating the region’s sports and entertainment facilities.”

Whew!

Attention commanding ideas from Lambrecht, a local real estate investment developer, and the other Minnesota-based letter signers, architect David Albersman and public affairs professional Mark Oyaas. Lambrecht and Albersman office separately in a building on North Washington Avenue. During an interview with Sports Headliners last week, Lambrecht jokingly referred to himself and Albersman as a couple of guys with a computer working from a building “next to a strip club” (Deja Vu).

But there’s no joking around about their intent as stated in the opening paragraph of the letter. This town learned to take Lambrecht seriously years ago when he advocated for the Rapid Park property that eventually became the site for Target Field.

Lambrecht and other land owners profited from that development. His newest mission is “civic” inspired, he claimed, and while he still owns property downtown he said his gain from a Farmers Market Vikings stadium site will be limited to the expected increase in real estate values that will benefit many landowners and the city.

Building a stadium at the city-owned Farmers Market site is an important piece in a concept Lambrecht and associates refer to as “The Corridor.” The vision is to connect sports and entertainment through transit.

With an emphasis on light rail and commuter train, people will connect to the Vikings stadium, Target Field, Target Center, the Hennepin Avenue entertainment district, Convention Center, Hennepin County Medical Center, a redeveloped Metrodome area, University of Minnesota venues including TCF Bank Stadium, Xcel Energy Center, RiverCentre and the Union Depot. And Lambrecht said a new Farmers Market site can be found near the old location.

The transportation synergy and proximity of attractions excites Lambrecht and others who want to maintain the economic vitality of Minneapolis, the lead city in the region. If downtown rots, the whole “apple (region) becomes rotten,” he said.

Albersman wrote in an October 28 Star Tribune opinion article that the proposed Arden Hills site for the Vikings stadium “flunks nearly every logical test.” He argues that the suburban site is “across the metro from the traditional season-ticket base.” He also views an Arden Hills site as not taking advantage of existing and planned transportation like downtown that also has bars, restaurants and other entertainment attractions already in place. The Arden Hills site throws more economic competition into the metro area mix, instead of maintaining and improving what’s already in place, according to downtown stadium advocates.

They envision the Farmers Market stadium site being an economic stimulus to the North Loop area of downtown. The stadium and other downtown attractions will be linked by rail, bus, bike, and, of course, car. Pedestrians will move through much of “The Corridor” by the skyway system.

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