Goodell: NFL Will Contribute Toward Vikes Stadium
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO/AP) -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he'll reveal details in the next few days about the league's contribution toward a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.
Goodell met Tuesday in St. Paul with Gov. Mark Dayton and the legislators sponsoring a stadium bill. Dayton called the meeting "constructive."
"I believe we have an agreement," he said.
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The Vikings prefer a $1.1 billion stadium in Arden Hills, but there's dispute over how much it will cost to build roads to the site and who will pay for them. Dayton and some legislators say the state won't pay any more than $300 million for a stadium project.
"My view is that $300 million will include the state highway construction cost," said Dayton. "That is the limit on what the state can put into this deal."
MnDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel is now working with Ramsey County to get definitive numbers on how much it will cost improve the roads. He expects to have an answer by Wednesday.
"Our goal is to sit down with the Ramsey County people and look at it from a technical standpoint and come to some agreement on what that number would look like," Sorel said.
Right now, Sorel estimates it will cost around $175 million to improve the roads around the former Army ammunitions plant.
"This is a new level of investment," Sorel said. "Those projects aren't on the books at this point and time."
Goodell, when asked if he could envision a scenario in which the team would leave Minnesota, said he thought the commitment was there to get something done and that he thinks that will ensure the success of the Vikings.
"We do contribute to stadiums through various programs and we're prepared to do that," Goodell said. "We want the Vikings to be here. I think everybody wants the Vikings to be here, I know the Wilf's do."
Dayton said he has come to an agreement with authors of the bill -- Sen. Julie Rosen and State Rep. Morrie Lanning.
He said they'll use revenue streams necessary from users of the stadium so no general fund dollars will be used. Depending on that number, if there's a gap in the financing they'll approach the owners of the Vikings to make up the difference.
"We're going to proceed with the assumption that we can get a bill put together by next Monday so we can move ahead," Dayton said.
Authors of the stadium bill in the House and the Senate say there are no hearings scheduled at this point. That means, no bill yet.
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