Minneapolis Continues Support Of Stadium Bill

On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council held a vote on the Vikings stadium bill.

It wasn’t the vote that makes their commitment official, that will come tomorrow, but it still seems to hold a majority support by a count of seven to six.

The six opponents of the bill seemed to sense the inevitability of its passage, but that did not stop them from making some very strong statements about what amounts to, in their assessment, fiscal irresponsibility on the City’s part that subsidizes a billionaire’s ability to get richer.

“To me this is a very sad day for our city,” said Councilwoman Lisa Goodman.

“I don’t like making rich guys richer,” expressed Councilman Don Samuels. “But in this case, while the rich get richer, the poor will get richer too.”

“I just think this is a deal that generations to come will criticize us for,” Councilman Gary Schiff stated.

The City is on the hook for $150 million in construction costs and another $159 million in operating costs over the course of the stadium’s life.  Construction is expected to begin in the spring of next year.