Posted July 20, 2011    

•Barbara Johnson

•R.T. Rybak

•Joe Mauer

•Prep Basketball

•MarQueis Gray

Minneapolis ‘May Have Second Chance’ on Vikings Stadium 

Minneapolis City Council president Barbara Johnson believes Arden Hills remains the favorite site to one day host a new Vikings stadium but said her city could come under consideration in the months ahead. 

The state’s shutdown and budget wrangling has at least temporarily sidelined the effort to send a bill to the legislature for a stadium in Arden Hills.  A special legislative session to address the Arden Hills plan later this year is drawing speculation, but some leaders are on record doubting whether it will happen. 

Thirty days ago Johnson and others who favor a Minneapolis site were even more concerned about Arden Hills, but now the whole stadium question could be put off until next year’s legislative session.  “I think we may have a second chance here,” Johnson told Sports Headliners. 

With the Vikings in support of Arden Hills and Ramsey County leaders agreeing on a county sales tax increase to help provide funding, the suburban site is the location of choice today.  Johnson said that even going into the 2012 legislative session Ramsey County should be considered the favorite for a new Vikings stadium.  “At this point, sure. They’re going to work it (the county’s plan),” Johnson said. 

But more time probably means additional legislative review and hearings.  More months for Minneapolis and perhaps Hennepin County to make a pitch for a downtown stadium to both legislative leaders and the Vikings ownership. 

Johnson has been a supporter of a new stadium on the Metrodome site but knows the Farmers Market locale near Target Field has drawn interest, too, including from Hennepin County commissioner Mike Opat who led the drive to keep the Twins downtown.  

“He told me to keep an open mind,” Johnson said.  “That is what I am going to do.”

 

Mayor & Johnson Developed Stadium Plan 

Johnson and mayor R.T. Rybak are on record about keeping the Vikings in the city. “That’s important to us,” Johnson said. 

In May Johnson and the mayor announced a comprehensive plan that would help fund a stadium, renovate Target Center, and provide property tax relief by using various taxes including a city wide extension of the food and liquor sales tax. The city council has not yet been asked to approve such a plan. 

A covered Vikings stadium would serve as a community facility and entertainment venue.  Its uses will mirror that of the Metrodome including hosting high school and small college sports.  A new facility would also be expected to attract a large number of high profile events, perhaps ranging from NCAA basketball tournaments to truck pulls to concerts. 

The central location of downtown with access to public transportation is just one of the reasons Minneapolis boosters hope the stadium will eventually be located in the city rather than in Arden Hills.  They argue, too, that the success of Target Field demonstrates the appeal of a downtown facility to local sports fans.  It’s important to have such attractions to maintain the economic health of downtown and the inner city, the financial heart of the region, according to Minneapolis boosters. 

Meanwhile in Los Angeles (a rumored landing spot for the Vikings), the city council is facing an end of the month deadline regarding a memorandum of understanding for a new football stadium.  The issue, of course, is controversial and probably more so now after a recent article in the Wall Street Journal characterized the Cincinnati Bengals stadium deal with Hamilton County as “one of the worst  professional sports deals ever struck by a local government.” 

The stadium’s expense last year was $34.6 million, or 16.4 percent of the county budget, according to the Journal.

 

Worth Noting  

Danny Valencia drove in the winning runs with the bases loaded in last night’s 2-1 Twins’ victory over Cleveland.  He is a career .500 (8-for-16) hitter with the bases loaded (21 RBI).  He has 29 RBI this season in the seventh inning or later.

Joe Mauer is batting .373 (28-for-75) in 21 games since June 25.  He is hitting .571 (12-for-23) during this home stand and .750 (6-for-8) in the Cleveland series. Mauer made his third start at first base last night.  He is batting .583 (7-for-12) as a first baseman and has yet to commit an error in 33 chances.

St. Paul native and former Viking Matt Birk, now with Baltimore, turns 35 on Saturday. 

Prep basketball authority Ken Lien reports that Eastview’s Joey King will accept a scholarship from Drake.  He also said Wofford has offered a scholarship to Cretin-Derham Hall’s C.J. Neumann and that the South Carolina school is also interested in Zach Stahl from Hopkins.  Duluth East’s Johnny Woodard has Minnesota, Wisconsin, Marquette, Tennessee, Utah and other big name schools interested in him, Lien said. 

Kansas basketball coach Bill Self attended the Best Buy tournament at Bloomington Jefferson last week looking at players.  

The WNBA All-Star game will be televised by ABC on Saturday and the roster of players includes Lynx forward Maya Moore, the first rookie voted to start in the game since 2002.  The Lynx has a franchise record four players in the game (Moore, plus three reserves).  Game time is 2:30 p.m. Minneapolis time. 

Running back Duane Bennett, quarterback MarQueis Gray and linebacker Mike Rallis will represent the Gophers and be among 36 players participating in the 40^th annual Big Ten Conference Kickoff Luncheon on July 29 in Chicago.  The day prior, July 28, fans can watch Big Ten media day featuring conference coaches starting at 10 a.m. on the Big Ten Network.  

June Stoll, the wife of former Gophers football coach Cal Stoll, passed away earlier this month.  The two were passionate breeders of boxer dogs.  Cal Stoll, who is also deceased, coached the Gophers from 1972-78 and had a .500 career record.  

Dave and Linda Mona’s grandson Camden Mona has cystic fibrosis and the grandparents are involved with Camden’s Concert II, a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  The event is scheduled for August 17 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts and features entertainers Evans & Doherty. Ticket and other information are available at www.camdensconcert.com. 

NHLers Taylor Chorney (Oilers), Derek Stepan (Rangers) and Jeff Taffe (Wild) have a charity hockey game that begins at 7 p.m. tonight at the Cottage Grove Ice Arena to benefit the Cottage Grove Hockey Association, the Hastings Hockey Association and Defending The Blue Line.  Players scheduled to participate include: David Backes (Blues), Brent Burns (Sharks), Alex Goligoski (Stars), Matt Hendricks (Capitals), Phil Housley (U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer), Erik Johnson (Avalanche), Jamie McBain (Hurricanes), Ryan McDonagh (Rangers), Kyle Okposo (Islanders), T.J. Oshie (Blues), Zach Parise (Devils), Dan Sexton (Ducks), Drew Stafford (Sabres) and Blake Wheeler (Jets). 

Players are available for autographs from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  Autographed game jerseys will be auctioned off after the game. Tickets are $35 per person and can be purchased at the Hastings Ice Arena and the Cottage Grove Ice Arena.  For more information visit www.hastingshockey.com or www.defendingtheblueline.org.

 

Ken Lien

Duane Bennett

MarQueis Gray