May 092012
I’m actually surprised the Legislature is on the verge of passing a bill to fund a new Vikings stadium. Until a few weeks ago, most legislators didn’t appear too interested in discussing the commitment of public funds for a professional football stadium. But the NFL and a boisterous cadre of Vikings fans did an effective job of scaring legislators into believing that the team would decamp for Los Angeles if it didn’t get its way now. The whole thing smacks of corporate entitlement and hasty policymaking. I’d be less annoyed if I thought legislators would be just as inclined to to consider new revenue to plug next year’s deficit, but that’s not likely.
I hate, hate, hate the idea of using any public funds AT ALL for a new stadium. The Vikings are a bunch of millionaires that play a GAME, and their owner is a billionaire. They could easily fund this themselves, but instead they expect the state to pay to keep this entertainment in the state. I say the “Los Angeles Vikings” has a wonderful ring to it!