Minnesota Vikings say there is "no next year" for passing of stadium bill - NFL News
Minnesota Vikings have once again been dealt a heavy blow in their plans to build a new stadium in Minneapolis.
The Minnesota State House Committee on Monday rejected a bill to partially fund the new stadium by 9-6 which has left open the chance for the franchise to move out of state altogether.
Lawmakers said that the proposal did not deliver too many benefits for the tax payer who will fund the stadium and also called into question why franchise owners Mark and Zygi Wilf who are both billionaires want funding from the state when they could cover
the cost with their own fortunes.
However, Governor Mark Dayton stated to the media that the bill is not dead yet and the franchise should wait till next year before making any decision.
Lester Bagley, a representative of the Minnesota Vikings who is negotiating with lawmakers over subsidising the cost of the new stadium though stated that waiting another year is not an option for the franchise.
"There's no next year. Our state leaders know that if we want an NFL team in this market we have to resolve this stadium issue."
It seems that the Vikings may well choose to move to a new location over the next few years as they continue to face strong opposition in Minnesota over construction of the stadium.
The franchise has long expressed its desire to construct a new home as they argue that the Metrodome does not provide enough revenue anymore to allow the franchise to remain competitive against rivals.
Minnesota Vikings lease of the 30-year-old stadium also expired this year although they are slated to play the new season at the Metrodome, however, they might consider moving out in the next season if the state does not pass the bill.
The news will disappoint fans of the team who are afraid of the team moving out of Minnesota and have consistently supported the proposal for a new stadium.
Los Angeles remains the front runner to get the Vikings if they ever move out of Minnesota and continue to try and woo the franchise over to the city which has not had a National Football League (NFL) franchise since 1995.
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