Big Sponsors Now Voicing Displeasure Over Peterson's Status

((HT: MyFoxTwinCities/ESPN))

This is getting escalated quickly...

Big-name Minnesota Vikings sponsors and public figures are voicing their displeasure with the Adrian Peterson situation and the idea that Peterson will play this weekend against New Orleans. Radisson Hotels is suspending its sponsorship of the team and the governor is getting his two cents in.

Of course, it was the lead at 5:00
KMSP-TV

Here's Governor Dayton's statement in full:

"It is an awful situation. Yes, Mr. Peterson is entitled to due process and should be "innocent until proven guilty." However, he is a public figure; and his actions, as described, are a public embarrassment to the Vikings organization and the State of Minnesota. Whipping a child to the extent of visible wounds, as has been alleged, should not be tolerated in our state. Therefore, I believe the team should suspend Mr. Peterson, until the accusations of child abuse have been resolved by the criminal justice system. However, I will not turn my back on the Vikings and their fans, as some have suggested. The Vikings belong to Minnesota – and in Minnesota. This has been the team's only home; and our citizens, including myself, have been its most dedicated fans."

And KO is still on the forefront to keep 28 from playing for the near future- dropping another pipe bomb

Super Bowl 52 Goes to Twin Cities

((HT: KFAN Radio))

The town and the Vikings ownership group used this video to court the National Football League for a January-February football game


Indianapolis was knocked out on the first vote and Minneapolis beat out New Orleans for the Roman Numeral Classic
((HT: KARE-TV))
"On behalf of all Minnesotans, I want to thank Co-Chairs Doug Baker, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, and Richard Davis, and the Minnesota Vikings, for their superb and successful efforts to bring the 2018 Super Bowl to Minnesota," Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement. "Hosting the Super Bowl will provide a terrific opportunity to showcase Minnesota to the world. It will also bring major economic benefits to our state."
The Vikings will play outdoors on the University of Minnesota campus for the next two seasons while the new barn is being built. The 2016 season will be the first in the new building for the Vikes. Houston, the new San Francisco stadium, and Arizona will be in play before Minnesota.

And, now, Atlanta is on the want and on the clock for the 2019 game...

Twin Cities Wants 2018 Super Bowl

((HT: KSTP-TV))

In the light of this outdoor Roman Numeral Classic in the metroplex, the Twin Cities are chasing the idea of having the 52nd renewal in their new building...

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton was surrounded by the normal amount of muckety-mucks who said that they wanted the game in the city...

There's a three-person campaign team and a five-person steering committee
Whatever those are...

Here's the presser and the initial amount of publicity the state is chasing...


The last time a game of that type was in Minneapolis-St. Paul was 1992...

Vikes Break Ground On New Stadium

((HT: KSTP-TV))

The Wilf brothers, Twin Cities mayor RT Rybak, and Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton were among a bunch of folks who broke ground on the new Vikings stadium this morning...

You'll see below just how cute everyone was with their golden shovels and viking helmets...

Here's the movement of the shovels...


It's supposed to take 2-and-a-half years to build the new barn on the grounds of the Metrodome...

“What a day,” Zygi Wilf said. “It was always our intention to bring a championship and a stadium” to Minnesota, he said. “We are embarking on our way to both.”

“It’s easy to demagogue against a project like this. But demagoguery doesn’t put people to work,” Governor Dayton said.

The 65,000-seat stadium is set to open for the 2016 season, and the Vikings will play on the Minnesota campus at TCF Bank Stadium for the time in between...

Minnesota Governor Asking For Early Calm On Revenue Projections

((HT: KSTP-TV))

Part of the deal with the funding for the new Minnesota Vikings stadium has to do with the gambling revenue element. It has to do with games that are found on iPad-like devices which are, right now, fairly few and far between.

Conventional opinion has to do with the outlets that have to file paperwork and their slowness in doing so- since there's an alleged mountain to fill out in the first place...

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is already saying that he's not going to change any of his philosophy to get revenue in faster to help pay for the new barn when the session starts...

Here's the early thoughts from Governor Dayton...


The new stadium is set to open for the Vikes in the 2016 season...

BREAKING: MSP City Council Approves Stadium

((HT: Star-Tribune/Roper))

The Minneapolis City Council voted 7-6 to approve a plan that would fund the facility using redirected sales taxes.

The vote is one of the last hurdles for the project, but the Council still has to ratify their decision during a regularly scheduled meeting Friday morning.

If the vote stays as is, the city will finance its portion of the stadium using a citywide sales tax, downtown restaurant and liquor taxes and a hotel tax. Those taxes work toward paying off the city convention center, but money can be transferred to the new Vikings stadium project when the debt is paid off by 2020.

More when we know more...

BREAKING: Dayton Signs Vikes Stadium Bill

((HT: KSTP-TV))

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton signed the bill for the new Minnesota Sports Complex at a noon ceremony at the Capitol. Every important muckety-muck who had a hand in it (or thinks they did) was there to see it...

Here's the deal as it stands now...

The state legislation is committing to raising $348 million by allowing electronic pull-tabs and bingo in bars and restaurants. There are also backup funding measures such as a lottery game and luxury suite taxes.

The HQ thinks there's going to need to be more back-up to their back-up...
But that's just us...

Here's the latest before the signing this afternoon...


More when we know more...

Questions Remain For Vikes Stadium

Like... would Vikings owner Zygi Wilf really have moved the team...???

The only question that isn't a question is that the Board of Regents and the University of Minnesota is letting the Vikes play at TCF Stadium on campus while the new barn is being built...

They get close to $3-million a year as part of the deal...
((HT: KSTP-TV))


Here's the look at the real questions: all money related for the building of the barn... and the Wilf brothers are looking at a retractable roof if they can handle the cost...


KARE-TV's John Croman catches up with the Wilfs...


And Channel 11's look at the questions left on the floor...

DEVELOPING: Minnesota House Passes Vikes Bill

The Minnesota House spent over eight and a half hours debating and changing the Vikings stadium bill (which politicians are wont to do), but went ahead and passed the bill with a 73-58 vote anyway.

One change in the bill, that the Vikings didn't ask for and certainly don't like, is an amendment to increase the Vikings contribution from $427 million to $532 million.

That part of the bill will, probably, go back for discussion as it heads for the state Senate. If that gets fixed, governor Mark Dayton could sign the bill by the end of the week.

The state would share revenue from naming rights for the stadium in the current version instead of letting the Vikes can keep all of the money. The team would also pay any cost overruns.

"It's only fair that the public have part of that contribution," Representative Pat Garofalo told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Mark Kaszuba and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger.

The HQ tells the state of Minnesota good luck on that one...

Jeff DeMars saw a bunch of Vikings fans in the capitol rotunda before the vote went down...
((HT: KARE-TV))

Vikings Stadium Vote Set For Monday

((HT: KSTP-TV))

Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers said the original proposal for a Vikings stadium will be brought to a floor vote in the House on Monday.

It may not make it out alive, but it'll be there...

"The stadium is the governor's top priority this session, his only priority," Zellers said. "Our priorities have been disrespected or dismissed."

Zellers and Majority Leader Dave Senjem think the votes aren't there for the bill to pass, and other state representatives don't think the current financing ideas will work on their own for the new stadium. They may work in concert with other ideas that could be brought to the table... just not on their own...

"Now everyone will be able to hold legislators accountable for that momentous decision," Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said. "I will continue to do all I can to convince them this is a good deal for Minnesota, the best deal available, and much better than alternative: losing thousands of jobs, losing the Vikings and losing the can-do spirit, which is Minnesota."

Dayton urged all Minnesotans to contact their legislators and urge them to vote "yes" on Monday.

Here's the short version... with an opinion thrown in...


The HQ will leave the podium-thumping to Brother Phil, as he (and you faithful reader) has done throughout this entire ordeal...

We're just waiting for a wagging index finger with the appropriate of hang-dog looking from the NFL after it fails...

Minnesota stadium negotiations get stranger by the day (UPDATE)

Proposed Vikings Stadium Complex

((ht: star-tribune.com))

So...they aren't going down easy.

The odd, twisted, strange tale of the quest for a new Minnesota Vikings football stadium continues its out-of-left-field ways.

In today's little twist, the Republican side of the state legislature went public today saying that they are working on a deal with the team for a "Less-expensive", open-air (without a roof) stadium. Though they add, "The roof can come later".

The reason, Republican leaders tell the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, is to save the state's investment in the deal, which has been the sticking point all along.

The paper also quoted the stadium bill sponsor, Julie Rosen as saying, "It's a thought, though it hasn't properly been vetted...it's worth taking a look at".

However...the Vikings apparently didn't know about it either. And the Vikes say they are still sticking to the original, retractable roof option.

Here's the KSTP-TV update...


Read the full story from the Star-Tribune RIGHT HERE

The whole situation here just kind of sucks. We feel for the folks in Minnesota, the issue has now become a total political fight. And when that happens, the politicians are the only ones who win. (well, there pocketbooks anyway). Oh...we forgot to mention last weeks "Friendly" visit by the Jolly Roger (Goodell) when it looked like the deal was dead. Strangely it came back to life the same day.

Hmmmm....

It appears, at least on the surface, the state doesn't have the financial where-with-all to get a $400 million bond package for the stadium. It's an unfortunate part of what many have dealt with over the past 5-years.

What sucks is the inability to fork over said money is being used against them. And now its become a political hot potato. We're reasonably certain, based on the Governor's reaction, that nobody on his side (Democratic) was consulted before the Republican's spoke out about changing the plans. And really, it just bothers us that the taxpayers of Minnesota are going to have to fund the stadium and lose money that could be spent on infrastructure improvements, only to find out that Zigy Wilf gets all the profit and the taxpayers will get to pay double for the rights to sit in their own stadium.



PM UPDATE: There are also some protestors that are hanging around letting any public official involved that they're not fans of the new building. They were asked today if they're getting paid by the Vikes to hang out...

They're not...

Minnesota Senate Revives Vikes Stadium Bill... No, Really...???

((HT: KSTP-TV/MyFoxTwinCities/KARE-TV))

Color the HQ shocked...

A Senate committee narrowly approved a public subsidy to help the Vikings build a new football stadium, one day after being visited by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Goodell apparently invoked those two words "Los Angeles" in his behind-the-scenes talks with high government muckety-mucks and Governor Mark Dayton.

Something called "The Senate's Local Government and Elections Committee" passed the bill 8-6 after a four-hour hearing.

Here's the KSTP version...


The split for the costs would be 44-56 with the state paying the majority in the new discussion. The talks have until the end of April to see if everything passes again...

Here's the MyFoxTwinCities version...

Roger Goodell: 'Time is Now' for Vikings Stadium: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

John Croman has team coverage for KARE-TV as the Jolly Roger admitted the league would like a franchise in Los Angeles, but the Shield doesn't want it to be the Vikings...

The HQ bets you say that to all the girls...

Roger Goodell threatens state of Minnesota (With Friday UPDATES and Pressers)

Chief Extortionist Goodell

((ht: profootballtalk.com))

Apparently the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell feels that a new NFL stadium for the Minnesota Vikings should be more important than funding basic state functions like education, roads and trying to balance the state's budget.

According to the Pioneer Press, Goodell told Governor Mark Dayton that their would be "Serious Consequences" for the team and the NFL if they don't push through a bill to fund a new stadium.

Godell's minions have been on the offensive, going to the press and wanting to know why and how the stadium bill is being held up. NFL VP of finance and transactions Eric Grubman going as far to say the Vikings have a "Dejected ownership" and that things are "ripe for change".

Read more from the Pioneer Press RIGHT HERE

So...it appears the NFL is using Los Angeles as their bargaining chip to get the Vikings a new stadium. The general appearance here is that the state isn't totally against granting the Vikings their wish, but rather they don't have the money to do it.

This REALLY pisses us off.

We aren't making a political statement here...BUT. We want an explanation.

Why do the TAXPAYERS of a state and/or city have to buy their NFL team a new stadium every 20-years or so?

Does the NFL NOT have enough money to pay for it themselves? Surely, the multi-BILLION dollar TV contracts they continue to sign with the TV Networks could pay for some of this. Or maybe the $Billions of profit they made last year could help fund a stadium.

Yes, we understand that its no longer about having a stadium in Pro Sports, its having a stadium that will maximize your profits. And that is all good...in theory. If you the NFL or the NFL team owner is going to get all the profits, why don't you pay for it yourselves?

Here at OSG Global HQ in Atlanta, there is a vigorous discussion going on about building a NEW stadium for the Falcons. And the city is more than happy to chip in $100's of millions of dollars...even though the city doesn't have enough money to pay for their schools or roadwork or for that matter, basic infrastructure improvements.

Sure, we are a small blog with a smallish, but loyal readership, yet still we have a message for the Jolly Roger and his mafioso cronies at "The League".  YOU GUYS ARE EXTORTIONISTS!!! Good thing you don't have to live a life where you make less than...oh $30,000 a year. Then...and only THEN...would you understand why not everybody wants to contribute $100's of millions in EXTORTION fees to you and your teams every 20-years. And have you FORGOTTEN...we aren't exactly in the midst of a FLOURISHING ECONOMY these days.

Just sayin'...

Fitting Video..don't you think?



FRIDAY UPDATE: The Jolly Roger Speaks...
((HT: MyFoxTwinCities))

Roger Goodell: 'Time is Now' for Vikings Stadium: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

John Croman was at the Capitol in St. Paul
((HT: KARE-TV))


Here's the presser with Dayton and Goodell in full...
It's close to a half an hour, but worth your time...
((HT: KSTP-TV))

Vikes Have Governor Thinking Downtown

((HT: KARE-TV))

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton initially gave a non-committal committal on where he thought the Minnesota Vikings should be for their new barn since owner Zygi Wilf wants a new place to replace the formally-sunken in Metrodome.

But then, at the same presser, Dayton thought the Basilica site would be a nice one...
Here's his instant cutback...


The larger issue for the Vikes and Wilf is the idea that if they play on the U of M campus, they're losing money for three years through a bunch of different losses in revenue streams... like parking, concessions, little things like that...

The HQ sees where he's coming from, but Governor Dayton needs to be careful about not angering higher powers...