Colts show Vikings how to get a stadium

**Zeus** · 09-15-2008, 01:00 PM

http://www.startribune.com/local/28378789.html

[size=12pt]Colts show Vikings how to get a stadium [/size]
A combination of taxes and user fees helped Indianapolis put up its new football playground.
By JUDD ZULGAD, Star Tribune
Last update: September 15, 2008 - 12:53 AM

Other than the fact that Vikings owner Zygi Wilf said he would contribute $250 million, franchise officials have said little about how a new football stadium on the site of the Metrodome would be financed.

But after spending two days last week meeting with executives from the Indianapolis Colts and getting a tour of the brand-new Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis, it appears the Vikings are hoping the solution can involve hospitality taxes.

"That's up to the Legislature and the governor to determine what's the best package of taxes to solve the issue," said Lester Bagley, the Vikings vice president of public affairs and stadium development. "We're not there yet.

"We're working on some finance options, along with the sports commission, but we're not ready to lay those out yet."

Interesting story.
Not just the usual blah, blah, blah.

=Z=

**NodakPaul** · 09-15-2008, 01:29 PM

What the Vikings learned in their meetings with the Colts was that public funding to help build the retractable-roofed Lucas Oil Stadium included increases of 3 percent for a county hotel tax, 2 percent for a county rental car tax, and 1 percent for a six-county restaurant tax and county admission tax.

Such taxes also were used to help finance stadiums in Dallas and Phoenix. The Colts contributed $100 million to a stadium that cost $720 million to build and drew raves from the Vikings contingent.

Wow.
I am liking how this is sounding.
If we followed the same formula, we could use a metro-wide hospitality tax on restaurants, and a Hennepin County tax on rental cars and hotels.
That would include the MOA area in the rental car and hotel package, and I bet would go a LONG way toward financing the stadium.

**Purple Floyd** · 09-15-2008, 01:38 PM

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

**Zeus** · 09-15-2008, 01:39 PM

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Since when are taxes itemized?
They won't even know they are doing it.

=Z=

**Purple Floyd** · 09-15-2008, 01:40 PM

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Since when are taxes itemized?
They won't even know they are doing it.

=Z=

Damn you.

;D

**NodakPaul** · 09-15-2008, 01:56 PM

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Well, since the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA all received public money, they can think of it as just paying the gov't back....
:P

(Great to finally meet you yesterday BTW!)

**Formo** · 09-15-2008, 04:33 PM

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Since when are taxes itemized?
They won't even know they are doing it.

=Z=

Damn you.

;D

HAHA!

When Zeus pulled you and Paul together, I thought sparks were gonna fly!
lol

BTW, what's Ordway?

**NodakPaul** · 09-15-2008, 04:37 PM

"Formo" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Since when are taxes itemized?
They won't even know they are doing it.

=Z=

gol 'darnit you.

;D

HAHA!

When Zeus pulled you and Paul together, I thought sparks were gonna fly!
lol

BTW, what's Ordway?

Nah, UffDa and I disagree on stadiums sometimes, but I have way too much respect for that guy to ever let it get personal.

And the Ordway is an absolutely beautiful theatre in downtown St Paul.
http://www.ordway.org/

**Vikes_King** · 09-15-2008, 05:01 PM

it was great to hear the Colts Owner's comments about Minnesota and getting a Super Bowl and all that fun stuff.... lets hope it gets done..

**Purple Floyd** · 09-15-2008, 05:05 PM

"NodakPaul" wrote:

"Formo" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

"Zeus" wrote:

"UffDaVikes" wrote:

Yeah, I am sure all of those people that come to visit the Twins, Gophers,Ordway, T-Wolves, Wild, Zoo and the MOA will love shelling out an extra 3 percent for the Vikings stadium :P

Since when are taxes itemized?
They won't even know they are doing it.

=Z=

Yeah, it's fun to debate people who ,(even though they are wrong in this case :P JK)
can make a strong case for their side of an issue, and he excels at that. ;D ;D

Otherwise we agree on quite a few things.

gol 'darnit you.

;D

HAHA!

When Zeus pulled you and Paul together, I thought sparks were gonna fly!
lol

BTW, what's Ordway?

Nah, UffDa and I disagree on stadiums sometimes, but I have way too much respect for that guy to ever let it get personal.

And the Ordway is an absolutely beautiful theatre in downtown St Paul.
http://www.ordway.org/