Fan: Time to Let the Vikings Leave Minnesota

In everyone’s life there is a time to hold on tight and a time to let something go.

As a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, the time is right to let go and let somebody else build them a stadium. While it saddens me to even think about an institution like the Vikings leaving town, it is the right thing at this particular point in time.

Minnesota is a state divided by a party line, thicker than an offensive lineman’s neck. The republicans won’t listen to the democrats and vice versa. Instead of getting any real progress done, they would rather sound good on the nightly news and blame the other party for the slow pace of almost every issue that comes their way.

It’s now been more than a decade since the Vikings said they wanted a new stadium. Plans have been thrown around without much thought to whose going to pick up the tab. The team also remains steadfast in the thought the public should pay for more than they will.

Everybody in this sad affair is wrong. The state is at fault because it can’t accomplish anything and the team is to blame because they won’t budge when it comes to kicking in more money.

The team wants to build in Arden Hills, where a big stadium development would bring in revenue from parking and tailgating. But the land is dirty and will need to be rehabilitated so that fans don’t start glowing from something other than their peppermint schnapps.

Governor Mark Dayton likes the Linden Hills area, near the Basilica. Problem is noon Sunday games will be a distraction from Sunday Mass. I for one don’t think it’s a wise move to take on the catholic church for a football stadium. It’s a decent site, but the karma from going against the church is too much to risk.

The third and most logical site is the Metrodome site. It would take two or three football seasons for the site to be torn apart and put together again, but it is the most cost-effective option. Without the dome, the Vikings would have to play at TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota. While not a perfect place for an NFL team, it could be worked out as long as the university allows booze to be sold at games.

But with so many options and so much debate, the most humane way of doing this is for the team to just say “we’re gone.” Maybe that will wake us up from our slumber. Maybe losing a proud franchise like the Vikings will get us a public to realize that sometimes you have to be open to new thoughts and ideas. And since nobody can agree on anything right now. It’s time to let the Vikes go. Breaking up is hard to do, but we will survive.

Blair Reynolds is a freelance writer residing in St. Paul, Minn.


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