Aerial view of the Metrodome, looking from the north
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is proving he is relentless in his quest to keep the Minnesota Vikings playing at the aMetrodome site. Rybak, flanked by city business leaders and dozens of union builders Monday afternoon, and a host of other speakers implored city and state leaders to support the public financing portion for a new stadium.
"You guys ready to work?" he asked the union members. "We are going to build a stadium. We are going to get people to work," he exclaimed.
The head of the unions of Minneapolis talked about a 20 percent unemployment rate in the industry before saying "we have a serious and continuing job crisis." He also stands behind numbers that a new stadium will create 13,000 jobs and nearly $300 million in construction wages over the life of the project.
But Mayor Rybak admitted finding support in his own city council wouldn't be easy. Many on the council say they don't support the use of public money for a sports team and they don't want the city to end up on a money-losing venture. Rybak did say he's gaining some momentum. "We just have to work to get seven votes," City Council President Barb Johnson added.
The press gathering took place in the Vikings Gridiron Club inside the Metrodome. The plan gaining the most traction seems to be building in the shadow of the aging facility which might allow construction crews to build while the team continues to play at Mall of America Field.
"That might have been over-played so far. We're just looking at a couple of other options," Rybak said. "We think it's worth studying but those answers are forthcoming shortly and we just need to get to the bottom line quickly," Vikings V.P. of Stadium Affairs Lester Bagley told KARE 11.
Bagley says he's very interested in the results of that study and he is excited about the possibility of the team not having to play any games at TCF Bank Stadium during construction. He also did not rule out Ramsey County and Arden Hills. "They're busy working on an alternate financing proposal. We haven't seen it yet but they're working on it. Hopefully they'll bring it forward shortly," Bagley said.
Bagley also said the team has pledged to use union workers and a diversified workforce on any stadium construction in Minnesota.
"They just need to turn to the next page and get it going," Minneapolis builder and union member Jamey Roberts said. "[2011] has been the roughest year for me but I'm coming out of it."
Mayor Rybak hopes to come out of the stadium discussion with a deal that his city council, state lawmakers, and the team, can live with. "I always have confidence when I have the ball. Right now we have the ball and we're going to do what we can with it," he concluded.
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