Vikes New Stadium Will Be Retractable

((HT: KARE-TV Minneapolis-St Paul))

Ramsey County ((MN)) announced a partnership with the Minnesota Vikings for a new stadium in the town of Arden Hills.

The agreement calls for an $884 million stadium and an additional $173 million for on-site infrastructure, parking and environmental costs, bringing the total project costs to US$1.057 billion.

The Vikings will commit $407 million to the project - 44 percent of the stadium costs and 39 percent of the overall costs. The state of Minnesota would commit $300 million. The county's $350 million share would be financed with a half-cent sales tax increase.

Plans call for a retractable-roof, multi-purpose stadium, with seating for 65,000. According to a county press release, seating could be expanded to 72,000 for other events, such as a Super Bowl.

The site would also have an estimated 21,000 parking spaces.

Here's Zygi Wilf before the official announcement...
((HT: MyFoxTwinCities))

Zygi Wilf: ‘We Are at Halftime’ on New Vikings Stadium: MyFoxTWINCITIES.com

Now, let's see how long it takes for it to be built... and if it will fit on the site and in the county proper...

BRREAKING NEWS: Happy Thanksgiving Brad Childress...you're fired!

Brad Childress/Courtesy: allaroundphilly.com

We'll, I guess the story we wrote a couple of hours ago is kinda pointless now, isn't it? To the surprise of few, the Minnesota Vikings announced this afternoon that they've fired head coach Brad Childress.

Childress's replacement, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier, a man who should've been a head coach long before today.

Childress's departure comes on the heels of a humiliating 31-3 loss to Green Bay, one of many humiliations the Vikings have suffered this season. That dropped them to 3-7 and likely out of playoff contention. Something that surprised many pundits who assumed they were one game away from the Super Bowl last year and have Brett Favre, so they must be a Super Bowl team. Wrong again!

Oh and did we mention that he's fought most of season with Favre, through mostly the press and his players openly talked of how he's lost the locker room. And then there was the Randy Moss incident, one in which honestly, he probably made the right move for his team, but was blasted because of the way he did it. No, PR was not his best suit.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and Leslie Frazier will meet with the assembled media at 4pm eastern today. We'll try and update this story with video from that, later this afternoon.

In the meantime...enjoy some Chilly Willy:



Here's Rob Olsen, from our friends at MyFoxTwinCities, with a novel idea for a fan reaction piece... he went to the airport to ask unsuspecting fans who just landed what they think about it...


Well played, Rob...

Oh, and it took about four minutes for Tony Dungy to say he's not interested...

Here's Chilly's statement:

"The past five years have been a tremendous experience for my family and I as the Head Coach of the Minnesota Vikings. I have a great respect for the players and coaches who I have worked with and for their dedication to each other and to the organization. I am proud of our accomplishments and believe the foundation of this football team is stronger today than when I became Head Coach in 2006. I appreciate the opportunity that Zygi, Mark, and the whole Wilf family afforded me and wish them success as they move forward."

Stage set for implosion with Vikings

We can't say we are shocked, because we aren't. What is happening here verifies are assertion that money doesn't always buy happiness or success in Sports.

Favre/Courtesy: SI.com

The Minnesota Vikings are about to self-destruct. Viking fans might argue they already have. They are dealing with a coach than seems to be trying to get fired and a high-priced, diva-licious, should've retired last year quarterback.

Read more from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune RIGHT HERE

WTMJ-TV says it's time for the Favre to walk away RIGHT HERE

There is already discussion about the future of coach Brad Childress and some speculation that he'll be asked to leave today. That is possible and we'll keep an eye out in case that happens.

It also may have...no hopefully was Brett Favre's last game. There will be sentiment, mostly from ESPN, that the Vikings should let Favre continue to play to keep his consecutive game streak alive.

No, they shouldn't. This season is over and Favre is not the team's future. Much like the Packers when they asked Favre to leave, they have to figure out who their guy for the future will be...Tavaris Jackson or maybe Joe Webb.

Either way, the amount of money that owner Zigi Wilf spent on this team is just plain goofy. They caught lightning in a bottle last year and that was great for them. This year, reality set in and proved...they aren't very good.

Not much video to be found, here's some Packer reaction to yesterday's game. Thanks CBSSports.com: