Gophers get their stadium, Vikes not far behind ??

Gophers stadium plan passes Senate

Last update: May 09, 2006 – 1:50 PM

The Senate today approved a new on-campus football stadium for the University of Minnesota, but left unresolved for now whether a controversial 13-percent tax on sports memorabilia would be used to help pay for it.

By a 34-32 vote, the DFL-controlled Senate endorsed a proposal for a $248 million stadium that is substantially different than what the House passed earlier, and what Gov. Tim Pawlenty has said he would support.

In another key difference, the Senate voted to name the new facility Veterans Memorial Stadium -- a move that came when the Senate eliminated a plan for a $35 million naming rights agreement for the stadium with TCF Financial Corp.

Although Sen. Larry Pogemiller, DFL- Minneapolis, initiated the move for the memorabilia tax, he suddenly eliminated it from the stadium proposal today. He said it was a purely procedural matter and the tax would be included later as the stadium's primary funding source in the Senate's omnibus tax bill.

Pogemiller also said he was confident the differences between the Senate and House over the university's stadium would be resolved in a conference committee before the Legislature adjourns May 22.

The House's plan for the university's stadium would rely on the naming rights agreement, a $50-a-year student fee and a complicated land swap between the state and the university to help pay for the project. The Senate version, in addition to eliminating the naming rights agreement, also does not include the student fee increase and the land swap.

Under Pogemiller's plan, the memoribilia tax would raise an estimated $12.9 million yearly.

Senate Republicans criticized what they described as a continued series of odd political maneuverings by Pogemiller and other DFLers. "Why would you rather tax people than have somebody give you $35 million?" asked Senate Minority Leader Dick Day, referring to the plan to eliminate the naming rights agreement.

"The rest of us really don't [understand] the charade that's going on around here," said Day.

But Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson dismissed the Republican complaints.

"They're just a little pouty right now with how this thing is unfolding," he said.

Immediately after the Senate passed the university stadium plan, it began deliberating early this afternoon a plan to impose a half-percent metrowide sales tax to help fund new stadiums for both the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins.

-- Mike Kaszuba * 612-673-4388

http://www.startribune.com/587/story/421535.html


I'm normally a "Blue" state type of guy, but wtf is up with turning down "free" money from corporate sponsorship??? Some back-door, shady stuff going on !!!! :cool:

Cmon vikes

Students have to pay $50, then what's wrong with a 1/2 cent tax?

Get that stadium!!! Get that stadium!!!

Northern Lights!

Man, I hope the Vikes get that new stadium.... Just last week I posted a thread about how the Vikes could ruin the Twin's stadium deal, and thier own.. Now this week, it looks as though they may end up getting it. I love the Vikes, and hope they get a deal in Minnesota soon. I would hate to root for them if they were the LA Vikings..

Hold on.. So the House passed through one version of the University of Minnesota Stadium Bill, then the Senate basically tears that up, writes a new one, leaves a lot of important information out, and passes that too?

Does the Senate's version go back to the House now? Or straight to Pawlenty? Basically the Bill the Senate passed is nothing more than a piece of paper that says "we think the Gophers should have a new stadium", but with nothing about anything else.

Something tells me this is going to take a little while longer..

They didn't get it yet. The Senate just passed their version of the stadium bill (w/o corporate sponsorship, land deal, and with memorabilia tax). The two sides still have to come to some sort of an agreement. Pawlenty has said earlier he would veto the senate's plan. It ain't over yet!

Personally, I think corporate sponsorship shouldn't be allowed in naming a public (university) stadium. I've got an idea . . . let's sell everything to corporations, and leave nothing sacred! Welcome to TCF Financial Corp Stadium at the University of Minnesota! I get winded just saying it. Let the students pay for it . . . that's how it was done in the past . . . before people sold their souls to big business. You notice that included in the naming rights, is TCF's exclusivity deal with ATM locations on the university's campus? Yeah, it's not just a $35 million gift deal . . . nothing's free. Slippery bastards.

The Senate has a point. The House just wants it done quickly without thinking of what's morally right . . . or the future.

"LAVike" wrote:

Quote:

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The Senate has a point. The House just wants it done quickly without thinking of what's morally right . . . or the future.

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I don't think either bill was morally right or wrong. There are just different opinions of how the various stadiums should be funded. I support the House version of the bill because it doesn't try to lump them all in together. I failed to see the benefit in binding them that way.

I have a bad feeling that they are just going to make things more complicated and cinfuse themselves...... leading to them not getting ANYTHING done, just like the last decade of morons.